The museum is all about telling the stories of the immigrants, and they provide guided tours of the exhibit, which adds to the experience. It was interesting for us to hear about the past immigration process to Canada, because many of the current requirements are similar, as we're learning through Luke's quest for Permanent Residency.
Then we made our way up to Citadel Hill, which has been the site of many defensive fortifications throughout history, designed to protect the Halifax harbour. The most recent citadel was completed in 1856 with the intention of preventing a land-based attack by American forces. Funny enough, the Citadel was never attacked. But this means that it is very well-preserved.
The next day, we visited the Southern Shore of the Bedford Basin, in the former Africville area. Africville was a community made up of Black Nova Scotians who initially settled there following the American Revolution, as well as after the War of 1812. The community remained intact until the government uprooted them and destroyed their houses in the 1960s, in the name of urban renewal while trying to reduce segregation. Unfortunately, this was devastating to the community and was seemingly unnecessary. In 2010, the City of Halifax ended up issuing the community an apology. It is a fascinating story, and one worth hearing. The church has since been rebuilt, and currently houses the small museum. Plus, there is a beautiful off-leash dog park right next to it, where we had a picnic lunch.
Then we wandered through the Public Gardens on the way back to the apartment. It is a lovely space and the gardens are very well kept.
We took some more pictures over the weekend, and here they are!