Nova Scotia Community Albums

The Community Albums project is a collection of exhibits, or albums, created by archival institutions across Nova Scotia who volunteered their time to select and describe archival materials that tell important stories about the communities they serve.

This project is a celebration of the uniqueness of communities across Nova Scotia and a portal for their stories from 1867 onwards. This project illustrates the depth and diversity of archival holdings across Nova Scotia, bringing together photographs of many types, diary entries, textile items, and even music!

Dipping into these archives through these albums gives you just a taste of what each larger, physical archive holds. Discover new archives, explore ones you’re familiar with, and maybe next time you’re in town, visit them!

To use this website

You can search all albums by using the search bar. Search last names, industries, names of institutions, streets, etc. Select an album from the participating albums below. Read the introduction that describes their community and the contents selected for the album. Search each album or browse all the images by clicking “Virtual Exhibit” on the right side menu.

Contact the Archives that contributed the album with any questions about the images or their Archives. All albums have contact information at the bottom of each introduction as well as each album image page.

• Antigonish Heritage Museum
• Nova Scotia Archives Coward Album, Bridgetown
• DesBrisay Museum, Bridgewater
• Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University
• Admiral Digby Museum
• Eastern Shore Archives
• Musée Église Sainte-Marie Museum, Church Point
• Le Centre Acadien, Université Sainte-Anne, Church Point
• Girl Guides of Canada - Nova Scotia Council Archives
• Halifax Municipal Archives
• Halifax Public Libraries
• Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women
• Isle Madame Historical Society
• Baile Nan Gàidheal | Highland Village, Iona
• MacDonald House Museum, Lake Ainslie
• Annapolis Valley Macdonald Museum, Middleton
• Sisters of Charity-Halifax Archives
• Age of Sail Heritage Museum, Port Greville
• Nova Scotia Archives Letson Album, Port Medway
• Musée des Acadiens des Pubnicos et Centre de recherche
• Yarmouth County Museum and Archives