The following is being distributed at the request of The Rooms Corporation:

Provincial Seamen's Museum Opens Special Exhibition in Temporary Location for 2010

The Provincial Seamen's Museum in Grand Bank will operate in a temporary location for the summer 2010 season in order to complete renovation and expansion work. The renovation work involves the significant upgrade of the Provincial Seamen's Museum in order to better meet professional museum standards and includes the installation of a sprinkler system; the installation of a lift to the second floor of the permanent exhibition gallery; and an expansion of the permanent exhibition gallery by 2,000 square feet. Construction work is being completed by Bennett's Construction of Grand Bank.

The Provincial Seamen's Museum will re-open in 2011 with the ability to host travelling exhibitions through The Rooms Travelling Exhibition Program and will feature a permanent open storage exhibition of outport artifacts from the Provincial Collection.

In order to maintain service to the public during the 2010 season, The Provincial Seamen's Museum will operate from the Bait Depot on Grand Bank's historic waterfront and will present in cooperation with the Carbonear Heritage Society, Going Foreign: Carbonear Mariners and the Ships They Sailed.

As part of making a living, Newfoundland's historic fishery required mariners from many ports in Newfoundland to ply the "triangular trade" between Newfoundland, Europe, the Caribbean and beyond. Going Foreign pays particular tribute to the men and ships of Carbonear that sailed between Newfoundland and Europe, Brazil and the West Indies, trading fish for salt, molasses, coal and manufactured goods. The exhibition also examines how, from the mid 1800's to the beginning of World War II, Carbonear schooners and their crews took enormous risks battling stormy weather, rough seas, injury, illness and — during World War I — hostile U-Boats with many lives lost, some without a trace.

The Provincial Seamen's Museum is open from June 28 through September 6 in its temporary location at the Bait Depot, Lower Water St. Grand Bank, and is offering free admission. The Provincial Seaman's Museum operates Monday to Saturday, 9:00 a.m. until 4:45 p.m. Sundays and July 1, 12:00 noon until 4:45 p.m.

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Media contact:
Deanne Fisher
Director of Marketing and Development
The Rooms
709-757-8070
deannefisher@therooms.ca