The Rooms officially opens to the public

Premier Danny Williams, along with Paul Shelley, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation and Minister Responsible for Labrador Affairs, and Dr. Priscilla Renouf, chair of the board of directors of The Rooms Corporation, today officially declared The Rooms open to the public at a ceremony held on The Rooms grounds in St. John�s. Approximately 3,000 people gathered at The Rooms grounds for the momentous occasion.

"Our government is committed to the preservation, protection and promotion of Newfoundland and Labrador�s unique cultural heritage and recognizes the important role The Rooms will play in helping us to achieve this mandate," said Premier Williams. "The Rooms will serve as an important educational resource for our young people, enabling them to develop a greater understanding of their cultural heritage and inspiring them to harness this legacy in pursuit of a brighter future for us all. It is through The Rooms that we will continue to build on the pride among residents of the province � pride about our rich culture that has helped to shape us as a people."

The official opening ceremonies began with an historic journey from Fort William to The Rooms by the Royal Newfoundland Regiment of Foot (Signal Hill Tattoo), Royal Newfoundland Regiment, Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, and the St. John�s Regional Fire Service, all of whom have had historic links to Fort Townshend and symbolically welcomed The Rooms group to the hallowed grounds of the Old Fort with a parade and presentation of respective flags.

The 90-minute ceremony was emceed by CBC television personality and native Newfoundlander Rick Mercer and featured some of the province�s most talented artists, including appearances by the St. John�s Native Friendship Centre Drum and Dance Group, Chief Misel Joe, Mary Pratt, Gerald Squires, Jean Claude Roy, Isabella St. John, Anita Singh, Spirit of Newfoundland Productions, Kevin Noble, Kevin Major, String Quartet, Bernard Felix, Boyd Chubbs, Harry Martin, Con O�Brien, Melanie Krueger, Newfoundland Symphony Youth Choir and the Art Stoyles Trio.

"We are truly blessed in Newfoundland and Labrador to be part of a unique culture and heritage that has instilled in us all a sense of pride and determination," said Minister Shelley. "Our stories are told in various ways but nobody can tell the story better than our own artists who share our rich heritage locally and around the world. Today�s ceremony reflected some of the incredible cultural diversity we possess in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Rooms will be a way that this incredible history will be preserved and shared with others for years to come."

"Today is an historic occasion for this province and it is one which I am delighted to be part of," said Dr. Renouf. "The Rooms is a landmark cultural facility and a spectacular monument to our province�s culture and history. Most importantly, it is a place for all of us; a public space showcasing our priceless cultural treasures � the works of our people. As a provincial institution belonging to each and every one of us, our focus is clearly on education and outreach. We plan to work closely with the Department of Education to bring art and heritage to each and every school-aged child in our province through curriculum-linked programs and the development of learning tools to be used in the classroom. We will reach out to the communities through traveling exhibits and our online access to the archives, something not previously available. The Rooms will make culture relevant and meaningful for everyone, strengthening our sense of pride and identity in an increasingly global world, for generations to come."

The public is encouraged to visit The Rooms in the coming days as the Provincial Archives, Art Gallery and Museum each feature an exciting schedule of events. Admission will be free until July 4, 2005.

For more information on The Rooms, visit the Web site at www.therooms.ca or call (709) 757-8700.

Media contact:
Deanne Hayward, The Rooms Corporation, (709) 757-8070, 691-5681
Tansy Mundon, Tourism, Culture and Recreation, (709) 729-0928, 685-1741.
Elizabeth Matthews, Office of the Premier, 729-3960, 690-5500
elizabethmatthews@gov.nl.ca

BACKGROUNDER
Opening Week
Schedule of Activities

The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery:

• A Sampling of Curatorial Riches: Atrium, June 29 - August 21, 2005, Gloria Hickey, curator. An exhibition of art, artifacts and documents representing The Rooms� permanent collection.
   
• A Garden of Forking Paths: Level 3, June 29 - September 25, 2005, Bruce Johnson, curator. Through monumental installations, video, painting, holography and photography, six Canadian artists consider how history and knowledge are created and used.
   
• Comharsana Beal Dorais (Next Door Neighbours):, Level 4, June 29, 2005 - January 7, 2006, Catherine Marshall, curator (Irish Museum of Modern Art). Dublin�s Irish Museum of Modern Art shares an exhibition with its neighbours in Newfoundland and Labrador.
   
• LMNO: Level 4, June 29 - August 21, 2005, Karen Hewett, curator. An exhibition celebrating student art from Newfoundland and Labrador. Book-works feature among other artistic endeavors by students who dismiss the phrase "I can�t".
   
• Night-Set: Level 4, June 29 - August 21, 2005, Bruce Johnson, curator. Night Set explores the idea of night through sculpture, painting, photography and printmaking.
   
• Selections from the Permanent Collection: Level 4, June 29 - August 21, 2005, This exhibition offers a rich survey of the art gallery�s permanent collection. With a focus on the art of Newfoundland and Labrador, the show highlights a broad spectrum of historic and contemporary artistic production.
   
• The Niche Project: Atrium, Marlene MacCallum, June 29, 2005 - January 7, 2006. Marlene MacCallum�s installation presents 30 black-and-white photographs that explore the theatrical nature of architecture.

The Rooms Provincial Museum:

• A Tour de Fort, out and about and Level 4. Stroll the grounds of Fort Townsend where British soldiers marched and police paraded. Interpretive panels on Level 4 tell the story of this 18th century symbol of England�s domination over the international fishery and the proud history of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary who have made the site their home since 1870.
   
• Connections: This Place and Its Early Peoples: Level 3. The first of the museum�s permanent exhibits traces the evolution of land and sea since the glaciers� retreat. An exploration of changes and connections and their interweave with the lives of the peoples who lived here from 9,000 years ago to 1730.
   
• Pien ashtunu. Pien builds a canoe and Tipatshimuna. Innu stories from the land: Level 2. Sturdy lightweight craft once carried the Innu along the vast waterways of Labrador. Elder Pien Penashue has passed on the skills needed to make them. See the canoe he and his apprentices built and the CBC film that documents the process. Through the Virtual Museum of Canada, explore Tipatshimuna. Innu stories from the land, a virtual exhibit that lets young people travel with the Innu while exploring the things they made and used.
   
• In Search of Giant Squid: Level 2, June 29 to September 1, 2005. They�re weird and wonderful! This interactive exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution explores what we know - and what we don�t - about these creatures of the deep. Discover how they move, feed, reproduce and squirt ink. There�s a beak and other neat bits to see.

The Rooms Provincial Archives:

• Distinguished Service: The Royal Newfoundland Regiment in the Great War: June 29- mid-November, 2005. This exhibition concentrates on the Royal Newfoundland Regiment in the First World War. It draws upon the archives� rich holdings, including military service records, which provide us with an opportunity to hear the voices of the soldiers and their families. The goal of the exhibition is to stimulate interest in further study of the Regiment.

2005 06 29                                3:50 p.m