The New Brunswick Museum is the oldest continuing museum in Canada, with collections that range from local natural history and geological specimens to the province's extraordinary shipbuilding heritage. The permanent galleries cover the geology of the Bay of Fundy, Fundy marine life including whale skulls and specimens, the history of wooden shipbuilding in Saint John, and collections of fine and decorative arts made or acquired by New Brunswickers over two centuries.
The shipbuilding gallery is the standout for many visitors — it documents an era when Saint John was one of the leading producers of wooden sailing ships on the continent, launching vessels that sailed in every ocean. Scale models, tools, ship's logs, and oral histories give a sense of an industry that once defined the city's identity and economy. The museum is currently operating from a temporary location while a new permanent building is being completed.