Naval Museum of Halifax, Naval history museum in Halifax, Canada

The Naval Museum of Halifax displays Canadian maritime artifacts within a historic residential building overlooking the harbor. The collection spreads across three levels and features uniforms, medals, photographs, and documents spanning different eras of naval service.

Construction of Admiralty House began in 1814 and was completed in 1819 as the summer residence of the British Royal Navy's Commander-in-Chief of the North American Station; Admiral David Milne was its first occupant. Thirty-six admirals lived here until 1905, when Canada took over the Halifax Dockyard. In 1917 the Halifax Explosion blew in the roof, and injured staff treated wounded in the damaged house.

The house is named Admiralty House after its role as the summer residence of the admiral commanding the North American Station. Its 1848 ball for 600 guests, hosted by Admiral Thomas Cochrane, Earl of Dundonald, is among the events tied to the building. Admiral Francis Austen, brother of novelist Jane Austen, also lived here.

The museum occupies more than 30 rooms of Admiralty House, with the grounds displaying Canadian Navy weapons and equipment. It is part of the network of 55 museums run by the Department of National Defence and works jointly with Nova Scotia's Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. A research library, archives and a large photograph collection are also maintained on site.

The collection holds the original bell from HMCS Niobe, the first flagship of the Royal Canadian Navy, alongside numerous other ship bells and maritime objects. These bells each carry the stories of vessels and their crews across generations.