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Pier 21 museum marks important transformation
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The Canadian Press
Date: Monday Feb. 7, 2011 12:31 PM ET
HALIFAX — The Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in Halifax opened its doors today, officially marking the transformation of a well-known historic site into a national museum.
Defence Minister Peter MacKay helped inaugurate the country's sixth national museum, the second outside of the National Capital Region.
The federal government plans to spend $25 million during the next five years to upgrade the waterfront building and develop new exhibitions and programming.
Heritage Minister James Moore says one in five Canadians can trace a connection to Pier 21.
From the late 1920s to the early 1970s, it was Canada's front door for more than a million immigrants, refugees, troops, wartime evacuees, war brides and their children.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper first announced the federal government's plan to change the status of Pier 21 in June 2009.
The building also served as the point of departure for more than 500,000 Canadian troops to fight in Europe.
The museum's annual operating budget is projected to be up to $7.7 million.
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