Across Nova Scotia there are many museums to explore that preserve and highlight much of Nova Scotia’s history, culture, nature, art and more. From maritime museums to Acadian Museums, living heritage museums, Firefighter museums, geological museums and more. Here is a list of several around the province that you should consider visiting this spring and summer.
Memory Lane Heritage Village
This museum is located on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia in Lake Charlotte, NS and is reopening for the season June 3, 2026. Memory Lane is run by the Lake Charlotte Area Heritage Society and is a non-profit. Open from June to October you can visit this museum and be fully immersed in the way rural coastal Nova Scotia life was like back in the 1940’s. You can drive around in an antique truck, visit the old school house, see how ice used to be stored, learn about fishing and clam digging, visit an old general store and gas station and so much more.
Each year one of their big events is the Cold Water Seafood Festival taking place this year on June 6 and 7th, 2026. The festival features fresh delicious Nova Scotian seafood from fresh clams to lobster oysters and more.
The Acadian Village of Nova Scotia – Le Village Historique Acadien
Along the Acadian Shore of Nova Scotia there are a couple Acadian Museums that you can visit and one of the best is the Acadian Village of Nova Scotia in Lower West Pubnico. Also a living history museum visitors take a step back in time when visiting and explore what a traditional Acadian fishing village might have once been like. You can step into the post office, school house, black smiths, an Acadian home, boat shed and more.
Visitors can experience Acadian history, culture and lifestyle of the past and also visit the on site restaurant for some favourite Acadian dishes like Rappie Pie. The museum also has a great gift shop full of Acadian flags covered items as well as items made by local Acadians. From quilts to lobster bibs, to wooden spoons and more you can find a great souvenir or two there.
Black Loyalist Heritage Centre
Located in Birchtown, Nova Scotia the Black Loyalist Heritage Centre is one of the newest museums in Nova Scotia. The site was opened in 2000 to preserve the history of the Black Loyalists in the area and the current centre was opened in 2015. The centre “…tells the story of the world’s largest free African population outside of Africa, in the late 18th century in Nova Scotia.” While there you can take a guided tour and also visit nearby historical buildings as well as a national monument commemorating their arrival to the area in 1783.
This is a very important museum in our province and a part of our history that more people really need to visit and understand.
Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic
Located in the UNESCO Heritage site town of Lunenburg the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic is arguably the province’s best maritime museum. Aside from being a stunning red building contributing to the colorful skyline of the town it is also bursting at the seams with artefacts about Nova Scotia’s fishing and marine history.
From the history of the Mi’kmaq birchbark canoe to tales of the famous racing schooner the Bluenose. The museum holds sand from the famous Sable Island, trophies won by the Bluenose, dozens of buoys, dory boats, replica fishing shacks, nautical art and so much more. It is a great place to explore for all ages and also has a great gift shop.
