The Museum of Industry has more than 34,000 artifacts in its collection.
A fraction are seen by the public while the vast majority are carefully cared for by museum curators often working in isolation to preserve the past in the name of all Nova Scotians.
Visitors to the Museum of Industry in Stellarton taking part in NS Walks Day got a rare look into this storage world Wednesday afternoon as museum staff took them behind the scenes to see one of three artifact storage areas the museum has on site. Ordinarily it’s a right only given to trusted museum staff.
As the door was raised to the storage area, the museum guests saw the 19th century train locomotive The Albion, surrounded by shelves holding hundreds of other artifacts that included everything from printing presses to small glassware manufactured in Pictou County.
Wearing gloves to protect the items she handled, Curator of Collections Erika Smith showed how items that have been donated to the museum are preserved to protect them for generations to come.
“It’s great to give people a behind-the-scenes look because what they usually see is just what’s on display,” she said. “That is part of what the museum is, but the museum is also safeguarding the collection for the people of Nova Scotia.”
The Museum of Industry is one of 28 museums that collectively make up the Nova Scotia Museum, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.
In recognition of that, the Museum of Industry will be offering more opportunities similar to the one they gave informally on Wednesday. While the details are still being ironed out, there will be limited opportunities for people to view the storage and preservation work done at the museum throughout the summer.
“Very few people get to come back here,” Smith said, adding that it offers a different perspective.
“It’s one thing to see it behind glass. It’s another to be able to stand in the area.”