O’Dell House Museum, Nova Scotia

Every place has history attached to it that sometimes becomes part of its culture and heritage. A similar thing has happened in the case of the O’Dell House Museum. The O’Dell House Museum was originally the O’Dell Inn and is located in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. It was constructed by Corey O’Dell, an erstwhile Nova Scotia Pony Express rider and was run as a tavern and stagecoach inn. It rests by the waterfront and would’ve possibly been the first stop for travelers alighting the ferry from Granville Ferry.

The inn has been restored pretty well and now houses 12 rooms featuring furnishings, clothing and displays that are reminiscent of the period from the 1780s to the 1940s. A tour through the house takes you back to the Victorian era. The ground floor of the structure includes a parlor, dining room, kitchen and small office. Victorian interiors and furnishings dominate all these spaces. The second floor comprises many rooms featuring displays that depict the shipbuilding and sea faring history of the Annapolis Royal Area and also the lifestyle of its citizens. In addition, the O’Dell House Museum also includes the Annapolis Heritage Society’s Genealogy Centre and its Archives and Collections Centre.

The museum hosts two Victorian events during the year. In mid May, an 1870s style celebration of Queen Victoria’s birthday is held and it also marks the opening of the summer visitor’s season, albeit unofficially. In December, the museum plays host to a joyous, old-world Victorian Christmas. Delicious cookies, hot cider and cute decorations form part and parcel of the Christmas event. What’s even more heartwarming is the singing of carols around the 1885 pump-organ.

The museum is open practically all day in summer commencing from May until September. You could stop by anytime between 9 am and 5 pm. During the winter, i.e. between September and May, the museum is open to the public only in the afternoon between 1 pm and 4 pm.

If you look across from the museum, you’ll be able to spot the remnants of the ferry slip during the low tide. The building itself is a vestige of the economic prosperity that the railroad and international shipping brought to the community in the Victorian era. When you take a tour through the house, you’ll be greeted by costumed interpreters who will take you through the history of the place.

You can’t make a whole day trip out of the O’Dell House Museum, but it’s definitely worth a visit if you have a few hours to spare. It’s quite an educational experience because it offers an insight into tidbits of the Victorian past and also the everyday lives of the citizens of Annapolis Royal. There’s plenty of history to get acquainted with and lot’s to explore in the O’Dell House Museum if you have the inclination for it.