The Avon River Heritage Society is a non-profit, registered charity and organization dedicated to preserving and promoting New England Planter and Acadian history through local genealogical awareness, shipbuilding history, local ecology and cultural heritage.
The Avon River Heritage Society operates the Avon Heritage Museum and Avon Spirit Shipyard in Newport Landing, on the scenic shores of the Avon River on the site where Planter sloops, The Lydia and The Sally, landed in 1760. The Avon River area became one of the great square-rigged wooden shipbuilding centres in Nova Scotia in the 19th Century. Where our museum now sits in Newport Landing was once the location of the Harvie and Mosher shipyards; between them, they built and launched 165 sailing ships during the “Golden Age of Sail”.
Our museum features exhibits on the New England Planters, Acadian settlers, local house histories, family histories, Avon River ecology and is home to the Avon River Arts Society (formerly Hants County Arts Council), the Full Circle Festival and the Honey Harvest Festival. Together with the arts society we host a number of arts related events including Artisans in Action and Hants County’s flagship art show, the Great Little Art Show, now in its 20th year.
We also operate the Planters Sea Chest Gift Shop, which features a selection of books covering our Acadian and New England history and the unique ecology of the Avon River area. Modeled after a late 18th century general store, complete with a display case hand carved by a local ship builder, our quaint gift shop features a wide variety of handmade products, all crafted by local Nova Scotian Artists and Artisans.
Hours Of Operation:
May, September and October: Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
June, July and August: Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm