This is one of the "must-do" things in Halifax, an excellent museum with well-organized displays.
Among several things of interest here, the Titantic display, including artifacts and the role of Halifax in sending three ships to recover bodies at the sinking site 700 miles away, is especailly interesting. There's a complete log of all passengers and crew on the ship, with indications as to whether they surviived or not.
Of equal interest is a section about the 1917 "Halifax Explosion" that leveled downtown Halifax, killling 2,000 people and wounding 10,000. The explosion, caused by the collision of two ships in the harbor, one of which was a fully-loaded munitions ship loaded with the equivalent of 400,000 lbs of TNT, was the largest man-made explosion prior to the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The blast shattered windows 50 miles away! A 17-miniute documentary film about this is well worth watching.
The museum also includes an extensive and excellent display of ship models, both sail and steam,
Bottom line, give yourself a couple of hours to take in all this museum has to offer. Having visited all the major tourist sites in Halifax over three days, this was easily the highlight. If your time is limited, make this your first stop.
Highly Recommended!!
Learned many things about Canadian history, ship building, different ships and artifacts. The titanic floor was great. There was a film about the explosion caused by 2 ships colliding in 1917 that destroyed most of the town. Artifacts from that event and other periods of Halifax history.
Because Halifax was the main destination for ships responding to the Titanic disaster their Maritime Museum is also a destination for visitors searching for information on the event. The museum at the time of our visit had many displays concerning quite a few maritime disasters and stories. Chief among them is their exhibit on the Titanic. It is well done and interactive with displays of interest to visitors of all ages.
Included in the admission are several other stories of shipwrecks and Halifax history. A film on the waterfront explosion that destroyed much of Halifax was particularly interesting.
A visit to the Maritime Museum at Halifax was time well-spent. The exhibits were excellent and interesting. Personal favorites were the Titanic and the Halifax Explosion areas that included facts and photos I was not familiar with before. RECOMMENDED stop while walking the Boardwalk at Halifax.
Halifax is the closest point to Europe from the American continent. Therefore, when the Titanic went down, they sent out boats to collect bodies, artifacts. It was clear that the three days it would take to get to the area would not leave hope for survivors. This museum tells the true story of the rescuing of almost 400 bodies, of artifacts and of how the people of Halifax dealt with this tragic situation. A whole floor is dedicated to the Titanic tragedy. There is a short, excellent documentary film as well. The rest of the museum shows the history of Halifax's maritime expeiences, many tragic, many heroic. It is an exremely interesting place to visit. It's on the boardwalk which goes from the beginning of the port, where the cruise ships dock, all the way to the museum (about 1/2 mile). Very worth while visiting!!!!
