Fort Anne, National historic site and military museum in Annapolis Royal, Canada.
Fort Anne is a national historic site and military museum in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, made up of earthwork fortifications, four corner bastions, and an 18th-century officers' quarters that now houses the museum. The whole site sits on raised ground above the Annapolis River, giving a clear view over the surrounding harbor.
The site was founded in 1629 by Scottish settlers as Charles Fort and changed hands between French and British forces several times over the following century before Britain took permanent control in 1713. Each occupying power left its mark on the earthworks and buildings that still stand on the grounds today.
Fort Anne sits at the heart of Annapolis Royal and brings together traces of Mi'kmaq, Scottish, French, British, Acadian, and African Nova Scotian peoples in one place. Inside the museum, objects from each of these communities tell how daily life here changed hands and meaning over the centuries.
The grounds are open year-round and walking the earthworks in any season gives a good sense of the layout. The museum building is open from May through October, and sturdy shoes help on the uneven terrain.
The powder magazine on the grounds was built in 1708 and is recognized as the oldest military building in Canada still standing in its original location. It is also the oldest building managed by Parks Canada, making it older than the country it now represents.
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