The Rooms

Perched on a hill above the harbour in St. John's, The Rooms is the provincial museum, art gallery and archive of Newfoundland and Labrador, all under one roof. The institution opened in 2005 at 9 Bonaventure Avenue, on a site with real history, because the building rises above Fort Townshend, an 18th-century military site, and has a view over the city's downtown, St. John’s Harbour and the Narrows. The name comes from the fishing rooms, the clusters of stages, flakes and sheds on the shore where cod was landed, split and dried. The building's cluster of blocks, with their steep roofs and cladding, deliberately echoes that vernacular, and it has become a landmark of the city's skyline.

Three institutions share the building. The Provincial Museum looks after the human and natural history of the province, from the Maritime Archaic and Dorset peoples to the Beothuk, the Innu and the Inuit, and on to the fishery, the settlers of Irish and English descent, the First World War and the cod moratorium of the early 1990s. The Art Gallery shows work by artists from the province and beyond, including major painters of Newfoundland and Labrador, in rotating exhibitions. The Provincial Archives hold the documents, photographs and records of the province, and its reading room serves researchers and genealogists tracing family histories.

Visitors can spend a few hours moving between floors and galleries. The museum galleries cover the natural and cultural history of the island, along with the cod fishery that shaped Newfoundland for five centuries. Large windows give a view of the city and harbour, and there is a café and a shop selling books and local crafts. Accessibility features are provided throughout the building.

Hours and admission can change, with some seasons offering evening hours, so check the official website before visiting. Programmes include talks, family activities and special exhibitions.

The Rooms is a short drive or an uphill walk from downtown and sits within reach of Signal Hill, the Battery and George Street. History enthusiasts, art lovers and anyone trying to understand Newfoundland and Labrador will find a rich afternoon here, and it is particularly good on a rainy or foggy day, which St. John's often has.