N.S. government closing some museums, most visitor information centres

The Nova Scotia government is closing several museums and most of the provincially operated visitor information centres.

The museums that will be permanently closed include the Fisherman’s Life Museum in Oyster Pond, Prescott House Museum in Starrs Point and the Sutherland Steam Mill Museum in Tatamagouche.

The visitor information centres that will be permanently closed include the ones at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport, Peggys Cove, Port Hastings and Yarmouth. The centre in Amherst will operate from May to October instead of year-round.

The Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage did not make anyone available for an interview.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the department said museums "play a key role in preserving and sharing our heritage."

"To protect that work for future generations, we’re taking steps to modernize the Nova Scotia Museum system," the statement said.

According to the department, Nova Scotia has more provincial museum sites than any other province.

"With 28 sites and more than 240 buildings, the system has grown complex and increasingly difficult to maintain. As a result, we need to adapt and focus our efforts where they will make the most difference," the statement said.

The department said tourism is a "major economic driver" for the province, but that Tourism Nova Scotia needs to modernize the way it delivers visitor information.

"The way people travel has changed. Visitors plan their trips online and expect information at their fingertips. We need to change with them," reads the statement.

The province says it will continue to invest in digital tools, marketing and partnerships that connect visitors to experiences in Nova Scotia — including more than 40 community visitor information centres that are run by municipalities, towns and community organizations.

The closure of the facilities will affect the jobs of 30 visitor information centre employees and 10 museum employees.

The Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union, which represents those employees, said the closures are driven by the government’s efforts to deal with its $1.4-billion budget deficit.

Earlier this month, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said there will likely be cuts to programs and the civil service. The government is expected to table its budget next week.