Recognized as Canada’s first Place of History and Memory under UNESCO’s designation for Enslavement and the Slave Trade
Africville was both a sanctuary and cultural community, established by the African diaspora in a wave of migration following the American-British War of 1812
Africville Park offers a 1 km harbourside trail with five informative panels providing insights into what life was like for Africville residents
Guided tours of Africville Museum can be booked from Monday to Friday between 10 am – 4 pm, subject to availability
Overview
First settled in the 1830s, Africville was a thriving African Nova Scotian community nestled on the edge of Halifax Harbour. In the 1960s, its buildings were destroyed and residents displaced to free up land for Halifax’s industrial expansion.
Today, the Africville Museum stands in a replica of the Seaview United Baptist Church that was the emotional heart of Africville. Inside, audio-visual kiosks, pictures, descriptive panels, and artifacts tell the story of the Africville community by commemorating the injustice of this destruction and celebrating the strong community spirit that still endures to this day. The site was designated a Canadian National Historic Site in 1997 and in 2024, was recognized as Canada’s first Place of History and Memory under UNESCO’s designation for Enslavement and the Slave Trade.
Africville Park, situated next to Africville Museum, offers scenic views of the Halifax Harbour and five informative panels along a 1 km trail, that tell stories of what life was like for residents of Africville. Panels were developed collaboratively between the Africville Genealogy Society, Africville Heritage Trust, and the city of Halifax.
Proudly Rainbow Registered: Canada’s national accreditation for 2SLGBTQI+ inclusive, welcoming and safer spaces for all. Learn more about this program at rainbowregistered.ca
