| I am fascinated by human stories and by intercultural | | | | room. A model of the original Pier 21 immigration |
| connections. The immigrant experience combines both | | | | complex shows the location of the baggage room, |
| these elements. On the continuum of intercultural | | | | detention area, dormitories and train station. |
| experiences from tourist to traveller to long-term visitor | | | | - The Annex Volunteers played a special role |
| / expatriate to becoming a permanent resident in a | | | | welcoming newcomers. The Red Cross volunteers ran |
| new country, the immigrant experience involves the | | | | a nursery for families. Representatives from different |
| most extreme and intense form of cultural interchange, | | | | religious denominations were on hand to greet new |
| and often confrontation. As an immigrant myself, I | | | | arrivals. This area pays tribute to those who helped |
| have experienced first-hand the effects of culture | | | | immigrants in so many ways. |
| shock and it took me about 4 years to really settle | | | | - Face of Immigration Listening stations tell the stories |
| emotionally in my new home country of Canada. | | | | of the home children, British evacuee children, the |
| Along these lines, here is an interview with Maria | | | | military, volunteers, staff, refugees and immigrants from |
| McGowan, Communications Manager for Pier 21, | | | | three different time periods in the history of Pier 21. |
| Canada's immigration museum, a national historic site in | | | | - World War II Deck Between 1939 and 1947, the |
| Halifax, Nova Scotia. | | | | Department of National Defense took over Pier 21. |
| 1. Pier 21 is Canada's immigration museum. Please tell | | | | 494,000 Canadian troops departed from Pier 21 to |
| us more about Pier 21, its location and facilities and | | | | serve overseas. It is here where these troops bravely |
| what it is today. | | | | boarded ships for WWII. |
| From the twenties to the seventies, Pier 21 was | | | | - Travel Across Canada For most people passing |
| Canada's 'front door' to over a million immigrants, | | | | through Pier 21, the next stage was train travel. Less |
| wartime evacuees, refugees, troops, war brides and | | | | than 5% of arrivals at Pier 21 stayed in Nova Scotia. |
| their children. This enriched our social and cultural | | | | Visitors step aboard a recreated CN railcar and watch |
| landscape and uplifted the very soul of a nation | | | | the Canadian countryside flash by the train windows. |
| forever. | | | | Inside the railcar, interviews of actual Pier 21 alumni |
| Pier 21, a National Historic Site, has been transformed | | | | sharing their memories are shown. |
| into a testament to Canada's profoundly emotional | | | | - Andrea and Charles Bronfman - In-Transit Theatre |
| immigration experience. The sheer impact of the | | | | "Oceans of Hope" A 24-minute virtual projection |
| interactive displays, virtual projections and abundance | | | | presentation portrays the emotional stories of those |
| of fascinating images is simply overwhelming. | | | | who passed through Pier 21. |
| Part of Canada's past and what continues to shape | | | | 3. Please tell us about the Library and Resource |
| our future began at Pier 21. You will find photographs | | | | Centre. |
| and the names of passengers and ships. Also, you will | | | | Our Resource Centre houses a wealth of information |
| see actual passports, immigration papers and even | | | | valuable to individuals who arrived at Pier 21, their |
| ships' menus from this time. | | | | descendents, researchers, historians, school groups |
| This year-round facility is much more than a visitor | | | | and other interested parties. The Resource Centre |
| attraction. It is a unique and authentic glimpse into our | | | | possesses unique images compiled from sources such |
| history that you and your family will never forget. | | | | as the National Archives, Sisters of Service, Canadian |
| 2. Please tell us more about the Exhibition Hall, the | | | | National Railway, Halifax Port Corporation and the |
| centerpiece of Pier 21. | | | | Public Archives of Nova Scotia, many of which are on |
| The Rudolph Peter Bratty Exhibition Hall is the | | | | display in the Exhibit Hall. The collection also includes |
| centerpiece of Pier 21. Designed to represent the | | | | newspaper photographs, the "Day in the Life of Pier |
| different stages of immigration, the exhibit invites | | | | 21" series donated by Ken Elliot, the Allan S. Tanner |
| visitors to trace the same path that immigrants | | | | Collection of images depicting Canadian troops |
| followed as they journeyed to a new country. This | | | | returning to Pier 21 in 1945, and the Francis E. Murphy |
| highly interactive exhibit recreates the immigration | | | | Collection which documents the building of the piers. It |
| experience with the use of innovative displays, | | | | has a small but growing collection of books on topics |
| evocative soundscapes and interactive technology. | | | | such as Canadian immigration, the Canadian military in |
| - Leaving Home The decision to leave home was | | | | World War II, multiculturalism and other areas of study |
| often filled with great uncertainty. Through photographs, | | | | related to Pier 21. |
| interpretive panels and personal artifacts, visitors see | | | | Four computer terminals are available where our |
| how immigration was influenced by world events. | | | | website, stories database, ship database and other |
| - The Voyage Until the 1960's, almost all immigrants | | | | electronic resources may be accessed. Visitors may |
| arrived by ship. Find out what it was like to travel | | | | search electronically for the basic arrival information of |
| across the Atlantic to a new world. The Secunda Wall | | | | anyone who immigrated through a Canadian port |
| of Ships showcases the photographs of the top 100 | | | | between 1925 and 1935. Immigration records of |
| ships to call on Pier 21. | | | | individuals who entered Canada through Quebec City, |
| - Immigration Hall Upon arrival of Pier 21, passengers | | | | Montreal, Halifax and Saint John between 1925 and |
| would disembark and proceed to the examination hall. | | | | 1935 may be accessed on microfilm. |
| This area has been recreated with wooden benches, | | | | The microfilm records are very popular because they |
| wire cages and an immigration officer who may ask | | | | contain the responses to the twenty-eight questions |
| to see your papers. | | | | that a prospective immigrant had to answer before |
| - Customs Trunks were inspected in the baggage | | | | being allowed to enter Canada. |