When the Museum of Industry was founded in 1986 an extensive research program was part of the planning. After the main exhibit themes were identified a variety of scholars were commissioned to carry out intensive research on those topics, identifying visuals and possible artifacts. These reports are a unique resource available for consultation in the Museum's library. (download list PDF 101KB)
We continue to conduct, commission and encourage research projects as we develop new exhibits. Research is an important part of collections work. New acquisitions have to be set in context so we can better understand the role they played in the story of Nova Scotia industry and working life.
We often document industrial heritage sites with photos and descriptions before they disappear. For example the Town of Stellarton gave us the chance to photograph and document some early twentieth-century miners houses before they were torn down to make way for a new road. Some of the original semi-detached houses had been greatly altered and modernized and some were still closer to the original structure. We took measurements and drew up floor plans. It was January and the houses were unheated so it was very chilly work.