Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, Immigration museum in Halifax, Canada.
The Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 is a museum in Halifax dedicated to the immigration experience, displaying personal belongings, photographs, and documents. The building itself was an actual immigration terminal from 1928 to 1971 and sits at this historic waterfront location.
Built in 1928 as part of Halifax's Ocean Terminals, Pier 21 served as an immigration shed until 1971. During the Second World War it was the embarkation point for Canadian troops, and between 1942 and 1948 about 48,000 war brides arrived there. The site was designated a National Historic Site in 1997 and reopened as a museum on Canada Day 1999.
The museum's name comes from the pier itself, and its Canadian Immigration Hall covers 400 years of settlement, from first contact with First Nations to the present. The BMO Oral History Gallery holds almost 200 recorded testimonies that visitors can browse by theme. A Wall of Service honours the pier's role as the departure point for over 500,000 Canadians during the Second World War.
The museum sits on the waterfront and is easily accessible on foot from downtown. Plan for at least two hours to visit, as there are several floors with exhibits to explore.
The Scotiabank Family History Centre within the museum lets visitors research their own immigration story and find out if their grandparents or great-grandparents came through this pier. Many people discover unexpected connections to this place in their family's past.
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