Strait Area Museum

06/23/2026

🎶The Port Hawkesbury Ceilidhs are back for another year! 🎶

We're excited to kick off the season with our KitchenFest show on Tuesday, June 30 at 7:30 PM at the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre.

Featuring an incredible lineup:
🎸 JP Cormier
🎻 Andrea Beaton
🎶Troy MacGillivray

Join us for a fantastic evening of Cape Breton music and tradition. We can't wait to see you there! 💚🎶

Stay tuned for full Ceilidh season line up!
PLEASE SHARE!!

🎻🍀🎸

06/22/2026

06/17/2026

🍓🏛 Strawberry Festival Returns! 🏛🍓

Join us at the Strait Area Museum on Saturday, July 4th from 12–3 PM for a Strawberry Festival! An ode to Point Tupper's rich tradition with a sweet taste of summer—strawberry shortcake, community spirit, and history on display.

📍 24 Hwy 19, Port Hastings, NS
🎟 Admission: Minimum donation of $5

Please share and spread the word—we can’t wait to see you there!

06/17/2026

🚂 June 1955 | The newly completed Canso Causeway

A train crosses the Strait of Canso as onlookers watch from the shore and cars line up at the toll booth in Auld’s Cove. The Causeway had just opened, forever connecting Cape Breton Island to mainland Nova Scotia.

📸 Strait Area Museum Collection
https://novamuse.ca/Detail/objects/693179

🚂

06/11/2026

🌟 Exciting News for Our Community Seniors! 🌟

The Strait Area Museum is thrilled to announce our upcoming program through the New Horizons for Seniors Program: Strait Seniors THRIVE: a 6-session series designed to connect, empower, and celebrate our local seniors!

Each session will focus on one part of THRIVE:

T – Togetherness: Seniors and youth gather for fun skill-sharing activities. Seniors can teach traditional skills like cursive writing, letter writing, and storytelling, while youth help with digital literacy, online banking, and tech support.

H – Health: Expert-led wellness workshops with a physiotherapist, yoga instructor, and dietitian. Learn safe movement, balance, stretching, and healthy meal planning tips to stay strong and active.

R – Ready: Estate planning made simple! Get information from legal experts on wills, powers of attorney, and preparing end-of-life documentation.

I – Indigenous Knowledge: A Mi’kmaq Elder or Knowledge Keeper will share traditional teachings, local culture, and ways of living connected to the land.

V – Vulnerability: Learn how to stay safe online! Local representatives will teach cyber safety, fraud prevention, and how to protect yourself from scams.

E – Equality: Roundtable and speaker series to highlight voices of seniors from diverse backgrounds ( low-income, disabled, LGBTQIA+ ). Partner organizations will discuss inclusion, accessibility, and community resources.

💡 How Can You Help?
We’re looking for passionate people to help lead these sessions. If you are a:

- Health care professional (yoga, physiotherapy, dietitian)
- Lawyer or estate planning expert
- Cybersecurity specialist or bank representative
- Indigenous Elder or Knowledge Keeper
- Community resource or outreach group

…we’d love your help and support. Please reach out today at [email protected] Subject: Strait Seniors THRIVE!

We are hoping to run our first session for August and we can’t wait to get started. Stay tuned for more updates and registration details!

Let’s come together to make this season inspiring and memorable for our seniors!

Please share and spread the word!!

06/08/2026

🏨Today we're sharing an old postcard of the Skye Motel in Port Hastings, a familiar and welcoming stopping place for travelers entering Cape Breton Island for many years.

The motel provided comfort and hospitality to countless visitors as they began their Cape Breton adventures. Sadly, after years of deterioration, the Skye Motel was torn down today, marking the end of a well-known local stopping place.

We share this image to remember the motel in its heyday and to preserve memories of a place that holds a special place in the history of our community. ❤️

Do you remember staying at the Skye Motel or stopping by during your travels? We'd love to hear your stories and memories in the comments. 👇

06/08/2026

🎉 We Are Officially Open for the 2026 Season! 🎉

Please share!! The Strait Area Museum is excited to welcome visitors back for another season of history, heritage, and community connections!

🕘 Current Hours:
Monday–Friday | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
These hours will remain in effect until additional staff join us in July.

Stop in today to:
🏛️ Take a guided tour of the museum
📖 Explore your family history through genealogy research
🛍️ Browse our growing Artisan Shop featuring unique local creations

We look forward to seeing both familiar faces and new visitors throughout the season. Come discover the stories that make our region special!

06/03/2026

06/01/2026

🚧 June 1953 🚧

A 34-ton Euclid dump truck hauls a massive boulder from the main quarry at Cape Porcupine during construction of the Canso Causeway. Offering a glimpse into the size of some boulders used to construct the Canso Causeway dumped across the Strait of Canso.

📸 Strait Area Museum Collection

05/31/2026

Don’t forget we have our coffee club every Monday from 9:30am-11:30am at the museum! ☕️🏛️

Please share!!