Museums and visitor centres closure in Nova Scotia called short-sighted by tourism workers

Workers at three Nova Scotia museums were told the sites will close and their positions will end, and the province announced closures or reduced hours at several provincially run visitor information centres.

Employees at three provincial museums were notified the sites will permanently close and those staff positions will end. The province also confirmed it is closing several provincially operated visitor information centres and reducing service at one site. Government officials said the changes respond to rising maintenance needs, a plan to modernize how tourism information is delivered, and broader budget pressures. Local tourism and museum workers expressed concern about heritage preservation and the effect on small communities. Key facts: - The Fisherman's Life Museum (Oyster Pond), Prescott House Museum (Starrs Point) and Sutherland Steam Mill Museum (Tatamagouche) were told they will close and affected employees will lose their jobs. - Visitor information centres at Halifax Stanfield International Airport, Peggys Cove, Port Hastings and Yarmouth will close, and the Amherst centre will operate seasonally from May to October instead of year-round. - The Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage said Nova Scotia museums need more than $10 million in repairs and maintenance and estimated the three museums' labour costs at about $260,000 per year. - The provincial visitor information centres budget was reported as more than $1 million per year plus $200,000 for visitor enumeration. - The province said artifacts will be managed according to professional museum standards and that it will engage local communities about future uses of the buildings. Summary: Workers and community members reported concern for local heritage and tourism services after the announced closures, while the province framed the moves as cost-saving and part of a modernization effort amid broader budget pressures. Officials said they will complete administrative closing processes, then engage with communities about future options, and that artifacts will be managed within professional museum practices.