One New Brunswick Museum location preparing to reopen after shutdown that lasted more than a year
For the first time in over a year, the New Brunswick Museum's Collections and Research Centre in Saint John, N.B., is set to reopen its doors to the public.
The building on Douglas Avenue, which dates back to the 1930s, has been closed to visitors since March of last year due to a combination of both complications from the COVID-19 pandemic and longstanding infrastructure issues.
"There have been some major issues in relation to the building which has caused it to be closed," said transitional CEO Bernard Riordon, who was named to the position earlier this year.
"We are reopening to the public for the archives and the library section by appointment starting next week on Tuesday to Friday, on a weekly basis, to provide an essential service."
But while the Douglas Avenue facility prepares to welcome visitors once again, the Exhibition Centre located uptown in Market Square remains closed. It has now been about eight months since heavy rain on Thanksgiving weekend led to a ceiling collapse in the facility's Shipbuilding gallery, falling down on ship models and panels.
"Our latest issue did cause some water damage to some artifacts," said head of the Humanities Department Peter LaRoque in an interview back in October. "We removed about 128 artifacts from our industry and marine history exhibition space. There were eight items that were directly impacted."
According to the New Brunswick Museum, building repairs are ongoing at the Market Square location by their landlord, but it's hoped that they'll be fixed sometime in the near future.
"We're hoping that we can get those resolved and be open to the public sometime in the next few months," says Riordon.
"It's a lot of work that has to get done, and then of course we have to put the exhibitions all back in place, because the exhibits were wrapped up in plastic through the entire building, because we had to make sure they were protected and preserved and kept safe."
In the meantime, the museum has gotten creative with its programming by planning projects that go beyond the boundaries of the facilities. That includes offering virtual classes, which has already reached 2500 students across the province.
Starting in July, the museum will be offering interpreter-led walking tours in the uptown.
"Every week it's going to be a different team and you can come to book or check out on the website or social media to see where and when we're doing that," says Dominique Gelinas, head of exhibitions and visitor experience — who adds that they will also be doing, quick "flash heritage spot(s)" —where they will, for example, talk about the history of a single building.
"That's brand new, and I think we're going to be very happy with that."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
BREAKING Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.