A visit to Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 with your Family
A visit to Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 with your Family
**Disclosure: Our family received a family pass to visit the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in exchange for this blog post. We were excited to check something off our bucket list! All opinions are our own.**
One of the things that makes Canada so unique and special is the blending and mixing of so many cultures. Immigration has helped form Canada.
About Pier 21
The Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, in Halifax, is Canada’s national museum of immigration. The museum occupies part of Pier 21, the former ocean liner terminal and immigration shed from 1928 to 1971.
About our Visit
We headed to the museum on Family Day in December, so there were lots of extra fun things happening from movie screenings to a portable astronomy dome from the Discover Centre!
Besides taking in the fun extras, we had a great day exploring the regular exhibits at the museum.
We began our visit by taking a wonderful guided tour by a museum volunteer. We learned about the history of immigration in Halifax, seeing where immigrants came from, why they came, and how they were met when they arrived in Halifax. This side explores Pier 21’s history as an immigration gateway from 1928 to 1971.
On the second side, through the big glass doors, was an entire area dedicated to Canadian immigration history over the past 400 years.
Our Experience
What we loved the best is that there are so many interactive things for kids to do throughout the entire museum!
When the adults to stop to read the information, there is always something right there for kids to do, right there! This could be touch-screen videos, building with blocks or filling in their own family’s history.
There were lots of costumes and props for the kids to play with, too!
Thomas loved learning to play a new game, Escargot, from France.
After having lived in Wales for 5 months, the boys had a sense of what it was like to adapt to a new place. Using the magnets, he shared his initial thoughts about moving away.
Back in the foyer, the kids loved dancing with Fenton the Bear, the museum’s mascot.
You can even record a video and have it emailed to you!
There was also a life raft to promote the upcoming exhibit about dangerous voyages:
Refuge Canada: March 10 to November 11, 2018
Photo courtesy of the Pier 21 Museum
Hours and Location
Hours and admission information can be found here
The museum is located on the waterfront at 1055 Marginal Road, Halifax.
Parking
There is a large paved parking lot to the right of the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 main entrance.
Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. $2.00 per hour to a maximum of $10.00 per day. Weekends, Evenings (6 p.m. – 8 a.m.) and Holidays complimentary.
Learn the story of Canadian Immigration at Pier 21 Museum in Halifax! @Pier21 Share on X
Discussion Questions with your Family
Our visit to the museum sparked a lot of conversations around the dinner table. Try some of these questions with your kids, depending on their ages.
What would it have felt like to come to a country by boat for over 2 weeks, not knowing if you were going to be let in?
How would you feel to have to do a train journey after coming across by boat?
Why do people leave their countries?
How is Canada today with its immigration policies?
What is your family’s immigration story?
What can we learn from immigrants?
How can we make an immigrant’s arrival easier? How can we welcome new people?
We highly recommend a visit to the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in Halifax! There is something for everyone to learn!
