Cape Breton Miners Museum left off N.S. museum list

The Cape Breton Miners Museum was recently denied entry into a family of 28 institutions called Nova Scotia Museums.

"Just another slap to coal miners of this area, to be honest with you,” said Terry McVarish, a retired coal miner and tour guide.

McVarish said the exclusion feels all too familiar given the history of miners feeling they have to fight to be heard.

"So history is repeating itself because again, we are taking the short end of the stick from the people that have some control in the province of Nova Scotia,” McVarish said.

Mary Pat Mombourquette, the museum's executive director, said they get little operational funding compared to the places on the provincial list and have long had to charge higher ticket prices as a result.

"And we really wanted to be part of that (family of museums) because that would really cement our future,” said Mombourquette, who noted the funding that would have come with inclusion would have been crucial. "Once we pay for utilities and insurance, that's all gone. So we've got nothing to pay for repair maintenance, nothing to pay for salaries, we've got nothing if anything happens at the museum."

Visitors at the Cape Breton Miners Museum go underneath the Atlantic Ocean where miners used to work for generations.

A spokesperson for the Department of Communities, Culture, Heritage & Tourism told CTV Atlantic in an email museums have to meet specific criteria – including representing a theme or cultural heritage on a provincial rather than regional scale – to be considered.

The department noted the Nova Scotia Museums currently isn't looking to expand and mining is already represented at the Museum of Industry in Stellarton.

The province added the Miners Museum gets an annual grant of more than $64,000 through the Community Museum Assistance Program and received another $925,000 in 2022 and 2023 to improve the visitor experience.

Staff at the Miners Museum say they plan to fight the decision.

"Just total disappointment, because we all held out so much hope, you know, that they would finally recognize us. But apparently, that recognition hasn't taken place,” McVarish said.

The Highland Village and Cossit House are the only Cape Breton locations that are part of the Nova Scotia Museums.

For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.