History of Acadians at Mount Allison: Museums and Archives

A thriving Acadian settlement here became a pivotal site in the struggle between Great Britain and France for control of the Isthmus of Chignecto region. The village, under British rule since 1713, was burned by the French in 1750 to force the inhabitants into nearby French-controlled territory. The site's extensive archaeological resources, which include remarkable glass and ceramic artifacts and charred building remains, reflect both the Acadian way of life and the destruction of this village. Beaubassin remains a silent witness to the clash of two empires for power in North America.

Le Centre acadien a été fondé en 1972 par J. Alphonse Deveau, l'un des pionniers dans le domaine des études acadiennes. Afin de faire rayonner la culture acadienne, et celle de la Nouvelle-Écosse en particulier, nous possédons d'importantes collections de sources primaires et secondaires : documents textuels, enregistrements sonores et vidéos, objets et plus encore.

Le Centre d’études acadiennes Anselme-Chiasson (CEAAC) de l’Université de Moncton, fondé en 1968 par le recteur-fondateur de l’U de M, père Clément Cormier, c.s.c., possède la plus grande collection mondiale d’archives et de documentation concernant la réalité acadienne.

Step foot onto one of the most hotly contested pieces of land on the entire continent which became Canada’s first administered National Historic Site in 1917: Fort Anne. The land on which Fort Anne now stands is part of the traditional homeland of the Mi’kmaq. In recent centuries, a succession of Scottish, French, and English settlers clashed over this prize on the banks of Nova Scotia’s Annapolis River, often drawing the Mi’kmaq into their conflict. Fort Anne was the site of thirteen attacks, seven change of hands, and the ratification of the Treaty of Boston. Today, visitors can walk the earthen walls, explore the 1797 Officers’ Quarters Museum and soak up thousands of years of Canadian history.

Explore the historic fort where once the future of Acadie and North America hung in the balance. Located on the border between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Fort Beauséjour — Fort Cumberland Historic Site stands at the crossroads of Canadian natural and cultural history. The fort depicts the 18th century conflicts between France and Britain, and the later struggle between two great empires — America and Britain - for North American supremacy.

Immerse in a powerful monument that unites the Acadian people. Uncover the tale of Le grand dérangement through engaging multimedia. Admire the statue of Evangeline, heroine of an epic Longfellow poem. View impressive artefacts and statues, storytellers of a turbulent history. Located in the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this is Grand-Pré National Historic Site—once the epicentre of Acadian culture and now the most significant memorial to their tragic upheaval.

An archaeological survey undertaken in 1984 on quiet farmland on the banks of the Annapolis River unlocked the key to the history of the Acadian settlers who lived here throughout the 17th and 18th centuries.
The Melanson Settlement revealed a system of dykeland farming unique among Acadians living in North America which involved families and neighbours cooperatively working the land. Stroll the path and take in the view over the marshlands and fields.

Le Musée Acadien de Caraquet a été fondé en 1963 avec, comme point de départ, les collections de la famille Jean et Aldégonde Blanchard ainsi que de la famille de François et Corinne Blanchard. De musée privé qu’il était, l’institution devint un musée municipal en 1967. Aujourd’hui, une corporation sans but lucratif, Les Ami-e-s du Musée Acadien Inc., en tant que fiduciaire, gère le Musée pour et au nom de la municipalité de Caraquet.
À partir de sa collection, d’autres collections ainsi que d’archives régionales, le Musée Acadien de Caraquet étudie et fait connaître l’histoire et la culture des habitants de la Péninsule acadienne.

The Acadian Museum of Prince Edward Island aims to acquire, preserve, study and interpret the artifacts and arts relating to the heritage of Prince Edward Island Acadians from 1720 to the present.

Le Musée acadien de l'Université de Moncton dépasse 35 000 objets et photographies. Cette collection représente tous les aspects de la vie des acadiens d'autrefois. L'exposition permanente donne aux visiteurs un aperçu de l'histoire des Acadiens ainsi que de la vie quotidienne des Acadiens d'autrefois grâce à une gamme d'objets qui y sont exposés.

The Nova Scotia Archives acquires, preserves and makes available the province's documentary heritage — recorded information of provincial significance created or accumulated by government and the private sector over the last 300 years.

Port-Royal National Historic Site features a reconstruction of the Habitation, an enclosed wooden compound. In 1605, Samuel de Champlain helped establish one of the earliest European settlements in North America on land that is the traditional homeland of the Mi’kmaq. Costumed interpreters will help you understand the challenges faced by the French as they carved out a new settlement. Let your imagination soar as you walk along the shore of the Annapolis Basin, and gaze at the same horizon that the Mi’kmaq experienced for thousands of years and that Champlain saw in 1605.

The Provincial Archives of New Brunswick collects, preserves, and makes available for research, documents and records bearing upon the history of New Brunswick.