Museum of Natural History

Museum of Natural History Explore Nova Scotia’s forest, ocean and more at your Museum of Natural History. Stroll with a tortoise, travel through space, or listen to the Mi'kmaw language.
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From the sands of Sable Island to the wings of a honeybee, there’s something for everyone.

06/14/2026

When your best friend at work also happens to be a tortoise.



Video description: Gus the gopher tortoise and a staff person laying on the floor. Audio is captioned on screen.

06/12/2026

A walk with Root the wood turtle

06/12/2026

We know what you’re thinking, Root. We all know.

Wood turtles prefer wetlands and moderate to slow-moving streams, deep pools, sand or gravel bars, and the areas along shoreline habitats. In the summer, most of their time is spent in terrestrial habitats that can be found within a few hundred meters of the river. They are regularly observed basking in the sun on muddy riverbanks.

Wood turtles are a threatened species, listed as such both provincially and with Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC).



Video description: short clips of Root the wood turtle looking judgy. Text on screen reads “Choosing to stay quiet but your face has subtitles.”

06/12/2026

Take a moment. Look around. Don’t miss it.



Video description: clips of a dinosaur skeleton, Gus the gopher tortoise walking, two maritime garter snakes, and a blue lobster. Audio, from Ferris Bueller, is captioned on screen.

Can you tell we’re excited for June 25th?Visit on Thursday, June 25th between 4:30-8:30pm for Museum Night Live. This ni...
06/11/2026

Can you tell we’re excited for June 25th?

Visit on Thursday, June 25th between 4:30-8:30pm for Museum Night Live. This night is all about dinosaurs - the horned, the armoured, and the art.

It’s free. It’s fun. It’s Museum Night Live!

Reminder: today, Thursday June 11th, 2026, the Museum of Natural History will close early. We will close at 3:00pm.Gus w...
06/11/2026

Reminder: today, Thursday June 11th, 2026, the Museum of Natural History will close early. We will close at 3:00pm.

Gus will begin his walk at 2:00pm today only.

If Tommy the blue lobster graces you with his presence, well, it’s pretty darn awesome. He’s beautiful. And 1 in 2 milli...
06/10/2026

If Tommy the blue lobster graces you with his presence, well, it’s pretty darn awesome. He’s beautiful. And 1 in 2 million. So we’ll let the whole “I’m going to eat everyone” thing slide.

06/10/2026

We’re not worried. Actually, we’re thrilled! We love field trips. This year, we’re learning about animal defenses.

Over the next couple of weeks, we’re welcoming lots of schools, particularly in the mornings. If you love the hustle and bustle, it is a fun time! If you prefer a quieter museum experience, try visiting on a weekday afternoon or on the weekends.



Video description: a staff person standing in front of a green wall with a white museum logo. The person looks more and more disheveled and tired as the video goes on. Audio is captioned on screen. Text on screen also reads “When you’re a few days into end of school year field trips”

The Rockrose (Canada Frostweed) is Endangered in Nova Scotia. The Rockrose is a short perennial flower growing 0.5 m tal...
06/10/2026

The Rockrose (Canada Frostweed) is Endangered in Nova Scotia. The Rockrose is a short perennial flower growing 0.5 m tall. The leaves are long and thin, with a green-grey silvery colour. The plant flowers twice a season, producing a five-petal flower that is a soft yellow incolour.

The ecosystems where the Rockrose grows is a harsh “Barren” landscape, with constant blowing winds, shallow sandy soil and exposure to salty sea spray. Learn more about Nova Scotia Barrens: https://novascotia.ca/natr/wildlife/pdf/Barrens-Classification.pdf

Barren ecosystems historically have not received the same appreciation as other unique ecosystems around the province; therefore, the primary threat to the Rockrose is human activity and construction like highways expansions, new residential and/or commercial development, and sand quarries.

06/10/2026

If you think our jobs are unusual, you should talk to the curators.

Museum interpreters LOVE to talk. Seriously. We’ve had to cut ourselves off from conversations. And each staff has a different topic they’re extra excited to discuss, so you can experience something new with each person you chat with!



Video description: two staff kneeling in front of a taxidermy raccoon display. They look at the raccoon, then the camera, and motion to come closer with their hands. Text on screen reads “Explain your job but make it sound illegal. We talk to strangers daily. We hang out with taxidermy animals for hours (and hours). And we like it. Want to learn about raccoons?”

Address

1747 Summer Street
Halifax, NS
B3H3A6

Telephone

+19024246548

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