Our Exhibits

While travelling through the Glooscap Heritage Centre you will find yourself discovering hundreds of years of history and culture. You will be introduced to a variety of stone tools and early weavings, which were fundamental to the survival of the Mi’kmaw people for many generations. As you move throughout the centre you will be able to imagine yourself in a time and place when living off the land’s resources was essential for survival. The ancestors of today’s Mi’kmaq knew the land intimately, its seasons, its animals, its plants and its mineral resources.

As you continue on the tour, you will view exhibit cases that contain porcupine quillwork and beadwork, observing that as early as the eighteenth century, Mi’kmaw women saw that their artwork found a ready market with European settlers. Miniature baskets with intricate detail, beaded pincushions and vibrant quill placemats are just a few of the items on display at the Centre.

Cultures must evolve and adapt to survive. Over the following centuries the Mi'kmaw readily adopted new materials, techniques and styles, incorporating these elements into the many contemporary forms of artwork which are also on display.

To highlight the tour of the centre, be sure to take time to view the multimedia presentation, where Glooscap will guide you through the rich history of the Mi’kmaw people, their trials, tribulations and triumphs.

By the end of your visit you will see, how the Mi’kmaw have survived for many generations, how the legends of Glooscap hold significant meaning for understanding the landscape of Nova Scotia and where the Mi’kmaw strive to be in the future.