New Brunswick’s history is hitting the road through a new initiative.
The New Brunswick Museum has launched the Summer of History Mobile Museum.
Head of exhibitions and visitor experience Dominique Gélinas says the project will bring some of the museum’s exhibitions to local festivals and events in a 20-foot trailer.
“Is a really a presentation about the different departments of the New Brunswick Museum,” said Gelinas.
According to Gélinas, the mobile museum includes compact versions of exhibitions from the museum’s zoology collection, particularly showcasing the physical changes in frogs due to climate change, as well as exhibits from its botany and mycology collections, interactive activities and more.
Gélinas explained that museum staff will guide residents attending community events and local festivals through the different exhibitions and educational experiences.
She said the project was created because the museum has been closed for the past four years due to renovations and a major expansion that is set to be completed in 2028.
RELATED: New Brunswick Museum campaign gets big boost
RELATED: New Brunswick Museum on track for 2028 opening
She added that the museum used its own funding, along with provincial government funding, to bring the project to life.
She said they wanted to show New Brunswickers that despite the renovations, it was still open “behind the scenes.”
“It’s also to [ignite] the curiosity about New Brunswick’s heritage. In terms of the cultural and natural as well,” Gélinas added. “And it’s really to encourage people to visit through the summer of history to really visit a community museum that is around them.”
Gélinas said the mobile museum has already been visiting events. It began on July 11 at the Florenceville-Bristol French Fry Festival alongside Potato World.
The mobile museum also attended Moncton’s Atlantic Nationals car show last weekend.
She said that while people were surprised to see the museum at some of these events, the public’s reaction has been positive so far.
“We are happy to show that everyone is welcome,” she said. “Don’t be shy, just come and learn, and ignite your curiosity about history and heritage.”
The mobile museum’s next stop is Miramichi’s Rockin’ River Fest on July 25. After that, it will attend several other events, including the Edmundston Festival Royal and the International Homecoming Festival in St. Stephen.
She said the initiative will wrap up at the end of August, but the museum is considering extending the project into the fall and providing some of its programming to local schools.
Gélinas believes the project can help residents learn interesting and unexpected things about the province while also encouraging them to visit their local community museums.
“We really want to insist [for people] to have their part,” she said. “But also, we want to promote all the heritage and history across the province.”
