Kings County Museum, Kentville

Kings County is so rich with culture and history, and unfortunately, we often take it for granted.

The area was home to Natives, Acadians and then English settlers, all of whom have made a mark and influenced our life today.

The Kings County Museum, located in downtown Kentville, does a great job of showcasing the importance of each of these groups of people.

The museum is located in a turn-of-the-century brick courthouse that was the seat of justice and municipal government from 1903 until 1980.

About the Museum

The Town of Kentville’s website describes the museum perfectly.

On the first floor of the museum are two permanent exhibits. The New England Planters exhibit is a Parks Canada Commemorative exhibit exploring the history and legacy of the New England Planters. A half hour film produced by Parks Canada recounts the dramatic story of the Planters, available in English or en Français. The Planters Exhibit also includes games for children to illustrate various aspects of Planter life.

The Victorian Parlour is an ornate room depicting what fashionable parlours looked like at the turn-of-the-century. A mannequin in the corner displays period textiles.

The Acadian exhibit demonstrates the dyke system. There is a piece of an aboiteau that children can play with to better learn how they work.

In the same room, there is a display with information on the Natives of the area.

Upstairs is the Courtroom. Refurbished by the King’s Historical Society in 1980, this area is the focal point of the Museum and features hand grained wood work by local craftsman Brad Forsythe.

The wood is stained to simulate oak and has seven drawings etched into panels around the room.
Learn about some of the cases that were tried in this very room!

On the main floor, the exhibits change every few months.

Currently, there is one about underwear through time!

Another section has a display dedicated to WWII snipers.

We have also been to exhibits about Japan and board games through time.

There is always something new to see at the Kings County Courthouse Museum!

Visiting with Kids

There are a few things for kids to play with and touch at the museum to keep them engaged.

Our boys love playing with the blocks to build a Planter-style house without nails.

There is also puzzles to put together that feature Planter architecture.

In the Acadian room, children can manipulate and play with the aboiteau to see how the dyke system worked.

There are lots of things that children can search for in the museum with their eyes.

Each temporary exhibit comes with a scavenger hunt featuring pictures of artifacts in the museum for kids to look for.

There is also a scavenger hunt that covers the entire museum.

On the main floor, children can have fun looking for the hidden cats!

But, the best part for kids is up in the courthouse. In the wood grain paneling, there are several animals hidden. See if you can find them all!

Plan Your Visit

It took us about 45 minutes to an hour to go through the museum. A lot of time was spend building the Planter houses and looking for the animals in the wood grain.

Hours and Admission
April and May: Monday – Friday, 9am – 4pm.
June to August: Monday-Saturday, 9am – 4pm
September-mid December: Monday-Friday, 9am – 4pm
Admission is by freewill donation.

The Kings County Museum
37 Cornwallis Street, Kentville

Phone: (902) 678-6237
e-mail: info@kingscountymuseum.ca
Website