The New Brunswick Museum will close its doors for good at Market Square in Saint John within the next two weeks.
The Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture made the announcement in a statement on Friday.
“The lack of climate controls and arrangement of the space has greatly limited what could be displayed to the public,” said communications director Mark Taylor.
The museum’s Exhibition Centre has been closed for the better part of two years — first due to COVID-19, then due to required building repairs as a result of leaks.
An interim Collections and Research Centre is being prepared to house the museum’s collections and research activities while a permanent Exhibition and Collections facility is constructed in the Saint John area, he said.
The temporary facility is expected to open by appointment sometime next year. Until then, all collections will be curated in its existing facilities under the supervision of highly qualified professional curators and conservators.
Delilah, the 13-metre-long North Atlantic right whale artifact, is being moved to the Huntsman Marine Centre in Saint Andrews where it will stay temporarily.
Meanwhile, Taylor said the province is “getting closer” to making announcements about the future location of the New Brunswick Museum.
Details will be shared once they have been finalized with the long-term revitalization plan, he said.
Earlier this year, more than $8 million in funding was announced to support the planning phase of the New Brunswick Museum revitalization project.
The government plans to “put in the required time to plan the project well,” said Taylor.
In the meantime, Market Square’s museum gift shop will close in November before a new location in uptown Saint John is added for the holiday season.
The museum’s online store will stay open, and the AREA 506 Container Village location will remain open until November 6.
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