Naval Museum of Halifax - Musée naval d'Halifax

Naval Museum of Halifax - Musée naval d'Halifax Celebrating the people and the history of the Royal Canadian Navy from 1910 to present.

Please be advised, the museum has closed temporarily to the public for renovations. We hope to see you in Spring 2028, please stay tuned for updates on our progress!

– At the Naval Museum of Halifax, we have a wonderful collection of ship bells. One of our favorites, is this bell...
09/01/2026

– At the Naval Museum of Halifax, we have a wonderful collection of ship bells. One of our favorites, is this bell from HMCS FUNDY, which was commissioned in 1938. HMCS FUNDY was a minesweeper that served out of Halifax, NS and during . FUNDY rescued 66 survivors from a torpedoed liberty ship just outside of Halifax, NS on January 15th, 1945.

Au Musée naval d'Halifax, nous possédons une magnifique collection de cloches de navires. L'une de nos préférées est cette cloche du NCSM FUNDY, mise en service otd en 1938. Le HMCS FUNDY était un dragueur de mines qui a servi depuis Halifax, NS et pendant WWII FUNDY a secouru 66 survivants d'un Liberty navire torpillé juste à l'extérieur d'Halifax, NS, le 15 janvier 1945.

- Gulf and Kuwait Medal. This medal was given to Canadians who served with the Canadian naval taskforce during the Gul...
08/24/2026

- Gulf and Kuwait Medal. This medal was given to Canadians who served with the Canadian naval taskforce during the Gulf War 1990-1991. The bar with a maple leaf attached to the ribbon was given to personnel with service in the theatre of operations during the war.

– Médaille du Golfe et du Koweït. Cette médaille a été décernée aux Canadiens qui ont servi au sein de la force opérationnelle navale canadienne pendant la guerre du Golfe. La barrette avec une feuille d’érable attachée au ruban était décernée au personnel ayant servi sur le théâtre des opérations pendant la guerre.

- Sometimes the smallest and most unassuming items in our collection represent very tragic and significant moments in ...
08/20/2026

- Sometimes the smallest and most unassuming items in our collection represent very tragic and significant moments in Canadian history. This small fragment ( which is only 2 inches long) is a piece of the SS Mont Blanc. On December 6, 1917, the SS Mont-Blanc and Imo collided in the narrows of the Halifax Harbour causing the world’s largest pre-nuclear explosion. Over 1600 lost their lives and around 9000 people were injured and homeless. SS Mont Blanc blew into thousands of pieces across 2 km from the explosion site. This piece was found lodged into the third floor of the museum in 2008. Over the years hundreds of these small fragments of the Mont Blanc are still being found around the Halifax area.

Parfois, les plus petits et les plus discrets objets de notre collection représentent des moments très tragiques et significatifs de l'histoire canadienne. Ce petit fragment (qui ne mesure que 2 pouces de long) est un morceau du SS Mont Blanc. Le 6 décembre 1917, le SS Mont-Blanc et l'Imo entrèrent en collision dans les étroits du port d'Halifax, provoquant la plus grande explosion prénucléaire au monde. Plus de 1600 personnes ont perdu la vie et environ 9000 personnes ont été blessées et sans-abri. Le SS Mont Blanc a explosé en milliers de morceaux à 2 km du site de l'explosion. Cette pièce a été retrouvée enregistrée au troisième étage du musée. Au fil des années, des centaines de ces petits fragments du Mont Blan care ont encore été découverts dans la région d'Halifax.

Check out this great photo of Lieutenant-Commander (LCdr) William Lore. that Lore was the first Allied officer to step...
08/17/2026

Check out this great photo of Lieutenant-Commander (LCdr) William Lore. that Lore was the first Allied officer to step ashore to liberate Hong Kong at the end of the Second World War. At the outbreak of LCdr William Lore tried to join the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) but was denied three times due to his ethnicity. Finally in 1943, Lore was asked to join the RCN at the personal request of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Percy Nelles. LCdr Lore became the first Chinese-Canadian to join the RCN, and the first naval officer of Chinese descent in the British Commonwealth navies.

Découvrez cette superbe photo du lieutenant-commandant (LCdr) William Lore. Lore fut le premier officier allié à débarquer pour libérer Hong Kong à la fin de la Seconde Guerre mondiale. Au déclenchement de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, le LCdr William Lore a tenté de rejoindre la Marine royale canadienne (RCN) mais a été refusé à trois reprises en raison de son origine ethnique. Enfin, en 1943, Lore fut invité à rejoindre la RCN à la demande personnelle du chef d'état-major de la Marine, le vice-amiral Percy Nelles. Le commandant Lore est devenu le premier Sino-Canadien à rejoindre la RCN, et le premier officier de marine d'origine chinoise dans les marines du Commonwealth britannique.

– Do you know what this is? It is a small item that fits in the palm of your hand. It is a naval clasp knife ( often r...
08/13/2026

– Do you know what this is? It is a small item that fits in the palm of your hand. It is a naval clasp knife ( often referred to as a sailor’s jack knife). These knives were used by the Royal Navy and the Royal Canadian Navy throughout the late 19 century into the 20 century. The knife includes a marlin spike for rope work, a sheepsfoot blade and a lanyard ring so that the knife could be put on a lanyard around a sailor’s neck for safe keeping. Clasp knives were phased out in the mid 1980s in favor for the new stainless steel folding knives.

Tu sais ce que c'est ? C'est un petit objet qui tient dans la paume de ta main. C'est un couteau à agrafe navale (souvent appelé couteau de marin). Ces couteaux ont été utilisés par la Royal Navy et la Marine royale canadienne tout au long de la fin du XIXe siècle jusqu'au XXe siècle. Le couteau comprend une pointe marlinspike pour le travail de la corde, une lame de pied de mouton et un anneau de cordon afin que le couteau puisse être accroché à un cordon autour du cou du marin pour le garder en sécurité. Les couteaux à fermoir ont été progressivement abandonnés au milieu des années 1980 au profit des nouveaux couteaux pliants en acier inoxydable.

# – check out this fantastic photo taken in the late 1890’s in the Halifax Dockyard looking north from an office buil...
08/10/2026

# – check out this fantastic photo taken in the late 1890’s in the Halifax Dockyard looking north from an office building to the sail loft / Hawser’s stores. that the dockyard dates all they way back to 1759! In our archives we have over 150 years of photos that document the unique history of the dockyard.

. Jetez un coup d’œil à cette magnifique photo VendrediRétro prise à la fin des années 1890 dans l’arsenal maritime d’Halifax, qui offre une vue imprenable, vers le nord, sur la voilerie et les magasins Hawser, depuis un immeuble de bureaux. LSV? L’arsenal est là depuis 1759! Au musée, nous avons des photos accumulées sur plus de 150 ans qui témoignent de l’histoire particulière de l’arsenal.

08/08/2026

It is with deep sadness that the Canadian Naval Memorial Trust shares the passing of LCdr(Ret’d) Sherry Richardson, a true trailblazer, a devoted volunteer, and a beloved member of the HMCS Sackville family.

Sherry's connection to HMCS Sackville spanned an extraordinary 36 years. She served as First Lieutenant from 1991 to 1994, and from 1994 to 1999 she made history as the first female Commanding Officer of Canada's Naval Memorial, a distinction that speaks to both her ability and her character.

Her naval career began in 1954 when she joined HMCS Donnacona in Montreal. Over the decades that followed, she served as an air electronics technician, was commissioned into the Canadian Intelligence Corps, participated in Arctic operations with the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, and was recognized as a Parks Canada Hometown Hero in 2023.

But to those of us who knew her aboard Sackville, she was simply someone who showed up; in fog, in gale-force winds, and on Battle of the Atlantic Sundays, because, as she put it: "She's my ship."

Sherry, your decades of service, your quiet leadership, and your lasting presence on this ship will not be forgotten. Fair winds and following seas.

[Obituary link / further information to follow

- August 6, 1942 – River Class Destroyer, HMCS ASSINIBOINE, chased down and sunk German U-boat, U-210 in the North Atl...
08/06/2026

- August 6, 1942 – River Class Destroyer, HMCS ASSINIBOINE, chased down and sunk German U-boat, U-210 in the North Atlantic. This photo was taken after the capture of U-210 of ASSINIBOINE’s crew, and on the jetty (left to right) is Lt. Hennessy, Rear-Admerial Lenoard Murray and Lt. Commander Stubbs.

du 6 août 1942 – Le destroyer de la classe RIVER, le NCSM Assiniboine, poursuit et coule le sous-marin allemand U-210 dans l’Atlantique Nord. Cette photo a été prise par l’équipage du NCSM Assiniboine après la capture du U-210. Sur la jetée (de gauche à droite), se trouvent le Lt Hennessy, le contre-amiral Lenoard Murray et le capitaine de corvette Stubbs.

– Check out this Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve booklet called a “Seamanship Pocket Manual”. These little bookl...
08/04/2026

– Check out this Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve booklet called a “Seamanship Pocket Manual”. These little booklets were issued to sailors during . Only 43 pages long it is jammed packed with tricks and tips about navigation, deep sea sounding, knot tying and more! It even has a section on “sailor slang words” such as “ Chippy Chaps” or “Chips”  which was used to refer to a ship’s carpenter or shipwright.

Consultez ce livret de la Réserve volontaire de la Marine royale canadienne intitulé « Manuel de poche de la navigation ». Ces petits livrets étaient distribués aux marins durant . Longue de seulement 43 pages, elle est remplie d'astuces et d'astuces sur la navigation, le sondage en haute mer, le fait de nœuds et plus encore ! Il y a même une section sur les « mots d'argot marin » tels que « Chippy Chaps » ou « chips » qui désignaient le charpentier ou le charpentier de navire.

in 1942 - The Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service (WRCNS) is officially authorized. By the end of the Second World ...
07/31/2026

in 1942 - The Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service (WRCNS) is officially authorized. By the end of the Second World War ( 1939-1945), nearly 7,000 "Wrens" served in essential shore-based and technical roles, fundamentally transforming the RCN's operational capabilities and leaving a permanent legacy of female service in Canada. 

Aujourd'hui, en 1942 - Le Service féminin de la Marine royale canadienne est officiellement autorisé. À la fin de la Seconde Guerre mondiale (1939-1945), près de 7 000 femmes occupaient des rôles techniques et non essentiels à terre, transformant fondamentalement les capacités opérationnelles de la RNC et laissant un héritage permanent de service féminin au Canada.

Address

Admiralty House, CFB Halifax, 2729 Gottingen Street/Admiralty House, BFC Halifax, 2729 Rue Gottigen
Halifax, NS
B3K5X5

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 3:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 3:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 3:30pm
Thursday 8am - 3:30pm
Friday 8am - 3:30pm

Telephone

902-721-8250

Website

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