Welcome Centre / Gallery

HISTORY

The newest addition to our site, completed in 2014 is our Welcome Centre. This is where you will start your guided tour. Here we house displays on local history and community activities of the past. Our newest display shows the Acadians ties with the previous Roman Catholic Parish of . St. Anselms, the old school in Grand Desert, and the Mi'kmaq community. See if you can recognize any of the places on our 3-D map display of West Chezzetcook, and learn about a railway that once ran through the area. The Welcome Center is also used to host arts and crafts activities, and is the home of our gift shop and local art displays.

GENEALOGY

For those of you who are curious about your ancestry, come into our genealogy room to look through our records to make some new discoveries. If you want to dig even deeper, we recommend you contact the Eastern Shore Archives to help with your studies of the past.

ARTS AND CRAFTS

Browse our display of locally made paintings and photography. Study our latest addition, a watercolor style acrylic mural painting depicting the industries of Chezzetcook's past. This was a project funded by Patrimoine Canada. Francophone artist Sylvie Boisvert guided local participants to complete this piece.

LOCAL ARTISTS AND ARTISANS

We are proud to have on display(and many for sale) artwork by the following artists and more:

Joe Black

Sylvie Boisvert

Nadine Hines

Are you a local or acadian artist who is interested in having your art displayed in our Gallery? Please contact us at info.acadiedechezzetcook@gmail.com

Our Museum

Our museum is dedicated to the Acadian way of life, as it once existed in the area. Established after the expulsion of the Acadians in 1755, the thriving communities of West Chezzetcook and Grand Desert developed through fishing and small-scale farming. Eventually other industries were established. The museum is one part of a larger site known as l’Acadie de Chezzetcook, which includes a tearoom, a working outdoor oven, barn, welcome centre, garden, and other areas.

Join us at L'Acadie de Chezzetcook to experience our exciting and unique Acadian culture. Learn about the coastal French village that once thrived in the West Chezzetcook and Grand Desert area. Nearby are beautiful beaches, breathtaking sunsets, walking and hiking trails, local shops and our own gift shop featuring many Acadian themed items.

Take a step back in time with our guides, who will show you how our isolated Acadian community survived. Our bright culture is so rich and full of emotions. Stop to see what is growing in our vegetable garden, and open up the Cabano to see what antique tools were used for its upkeep!

Inside the Acadian House Museum (built in 1850), you will discover our collection of artifacts, set up to depict a bygone era. The hole in the wall, the lady in white, and the beautiful lilacs hidden behind the house are only a few of the many tales you will hear on your tour! Make sure to stop by the chicken coop too, to watch the French hens peck away at their food!

Continue your visit by taking part in a local demonstration of ancestral skills, such as bread baking in our outdoor oven, the making of molasses pulled candy and barley toys, rug hooking, knitting/crocheting, broom making, butter churning, wild honey making, yarn spinning and carding, shoe making, and more.

Before ending your visit, make sure to grab a bite to eat at La Cuisine de Brigitte, our very own Acadian tea room! Take in the local art work while you sit in the café, or take your meal outside on our balcony or picnic area.

If you are interested in family fun, come out for one of our many events held on the site!

MUSEUM ADMISSION FEES

$ 5.00 per person
$ 10.00 per family

MUSEUM SEASON

July 1 to August 31

HOURS

Tuesday to Sunday
10:00 am to 4:30 pm
(closed on Mondays)

The Gift Shop

The gift store is located inside the Gallery House, one of the most recent additions to our site. Inside, you will find a variety of Acadian-themed items, many of which are locally produced. You will also find a variety of Acadian books, including some on local genealogy. You will also find our famous card game, Le Tour Acadien.

You can also visit our online shop

Shop Now  

La Cuisine de Brigitte Tea Room

Before ending your visit, make sure to grab a bite to eat at La Cuisine de Brigitte, our very own Acadian tea room! Take in the local art work while you sit in the café, or take your meal outside on our balcony or picnic area. For hours and menu, click here.

La Grange

A landmark for all farms, La Grange hosts many community activities and events, including weekly meetings of our local French Club, the Rug Hooking Club, and other functions such as business meetings, staff parties, baby showers, and small group weddings. The facility is available for rental to members and non-members and includes a full kitchen. It can accommodate 50 people and opens onto a large covered terrace.

Rent La Grange

La Grange is available for rent, with a fully equipped kitchen, at a rate of $20/hour or $100/day. Members receive a reduced rate. For more details, please email us at info.acadiedechezzetcook@gmail.com or fill out our contact form and we will get back to you.

Le Cabano

The Cabano is an interesting part of the historic site. Here we store tools from different eras that were used by local Acadians for outdoor maintenance, gardening, and repairs. You will find old tools such as anvils, scythes, sledgehammers, crankshafts, and more!