Old Provincial Museum - Employment Centre
Old Provincial Museum built in (1892-1893) now Employment Centre located on Ductworth Street in the City of St. John's on the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador Canada
The Old Provincial Museum is a large Classical Revival brick and sandstone building located at 285 Duckworth Street in downtown St. John’s, NL. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.
The Old Provincial Museum was designated a municipal heritage structure by the City of St. John’s because it has aesthetic, historic and cultural values.
The Old Provincial Museum has aesthetic value because it is architecturally unique in St. John’s. Built in classical revival style, the front façade of the building bears a strong resemblance to the Roman triumphal arch. Two large brick end towers flank the central sandstone arch and frieze, and each tower is topped with a copper roof dome. Each end tower has a series of stone banding, with two bands near the top, one at the middle and one at the bottom. The towers are punctuated by a single window in each and they are decorated with a stone sill and a single stone keystone above each. More remarkably, the sandstone frieze that graces the front of the building features important icons of Newfoundland’s identity and history. Manufactured in England in 1907 the stone components are 8.5m by 2.1m, and occupy pride of place over the lintel of the main doorway. Above the arch and frieze are three side by side windows and above them is a balustrade. The whole effect is a balanced and symmetrical appearance. The main door has been modernized with glass and metal, but it encompasses the entire stone arch opening with a large half circle window at the top. The archway has a keystone and it features stone supports that span the opening: one horizontal and two vertical.
The Provincial Museum is historically valuable because of its age, having been constructed in 1907 – the same year that the colony of Newfoundland was conferred dominion status. The front facade features a frieze depicting icons of Newfoundland. The central section features the Royal Coat of Arms, sculpted figures and mottos taken from the Grand Seal of Newfoundland. The scene depicts Mercury, God of Trade and Merchandise, presenting to Britannia (representing Britain) a kneeling fisherman offering a catch of newly harvested fish. Britannia also carries a shield embossed with an image of the British flag and a trident. Mercury, in keeping with his role as messenger of the gods and protector of trade and merchants, carries a caduceus, a wand entwined with serpents, capped with wings. This symbolizes commerce, travel and communication. The mottos are highly significant, “Haec tibi dona fero” (I bring you these gifts), symbolizes the wealth of the fishery resource Newfoundland provided for the British Empire at that time. “Terrae Novae” (for or of Newfoundland) indicates the museum’s role of keeping important items of Newfoundland heritage for the benefit of Newfoundlanders. Scenes showing other aspects of Newfoundland’s resource wealth are featured on either side of the central section. To the left is a section devoted to the importance to the lumber industry, while on the right is shown a mining scene.
It is also historically valuable because it was once the provincial museum. The museum opened in 1911, under the directorship of James Howley – Newfoundland’s second director of the Geological Survey. Howley died on January 1, 1918, and the museum went without a director for some time. The Museum appears to have closed in the late 1920s, as a reopening was announced for May 1928. The Museum was closed to the public in October 1930 due to significant leaks in the roof. The Commission of Government years were the darkest in the Museum’s long history, as it was totally shut down for many years and its collections dispersed. In 1946, responsibility for the Museum was transferred to the Department of Home Affairs. The Public Libraries Board moved to the lower floors of the Museum building and the top floor served as exhibit space. In 1955, “An Act respecting the Preservation of Historic Objects” assured the Museum’s provincial status and it reopened in 1957. In 1971, the entire building was made available for exhibits. In 1976 the Museum closed for major reconstruction – reopening in 1979. In 2005, the provincial museum was moved to The Rooms.
Source: Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador
©Copyright Notice
This photograph and all those within my photostream are protected by copyright. The photos may not be reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without my written permission.
Old Provincial Museum - Employment Centre
Old Provincial Museum built in (1892-1893) now Employment Centre located on Ductworth Street in the City of St. John's on the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador Canada
The Old Provincial Museum is a large Classical Revival brick and sandstone building located at 285 Duckworth Street in downtown St. John’s, NL. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.
The Old Provincial Museum was designated a municipal heritage structure by the City of St. John’s because it has aesthetic, historic and cultural values.
The Old Provincial Museum has aesthetic value because it is architecturally unique in St. John’s. Built in classical revival style, the front façade of the building bears a strong resemblance to the Roman triumphal arch. Two large brick end towers flank the central sandstone arch and frieze, and each tower is topped with a copper roof dome. Each end tower has a series of stone banding, with two bands near the top, one at the middle and one at the bottom. The towers are punctuated by a single window in each and they are decorated with a stone sill and a single stone keystone above each. More remarkably, the sandstone frieze that graces the front of the building features important icons of Newfoundland’s identity and history. Manufactured in England in 1907 the stone components are 8.5m by 2.1m, and occupy pride of place over the lintel of the main doorway. Above the arch and frieze are three side by side windows and above them is a balustrade. The whole effect is a balanced and symmetrical appearance. The main door has been modernized with glass and metal, but it encompasses the entire stone arch opening with a large half circle window at the top. The archway has a keystone and it features stone supports that span the opening: one horizontal and two vertical.
The Provincial Museum is historically valuable because of its age, having been constructed in 1907 – the same year that the colony of Newfoundland was conferred dominion status. The front facade features a frieze depicting icons of Newfoundland. The central section features the Royal Coat of Arms, sculpted figures and mottos taken from the Grand Seal of Newfoundland. The scene depicts Mercury, God of Trade and Merchandise, presenting to Britannia (representing Britain) a kneeling fisherman offering a catch of newly harvested fish. Britannia also carries a shield embossed with an image of the British flag and a trident. Mercury, in keeping with his role as messenger of the gods and protector of trade and merchants, carries a caduceus, a wand entwined with serpents, capped with wings. This symbolizes commerce, travel and communication. The mottos are highly significant, “Haec tibi dona fero” (I bring you these gifts), symbolizes the wealth of the fishery resource Newfoundland provided for the British Empire at that time. “Terrae Novae” (for or of Newfoundland) indicates the museum’s role of keeping important items of Newfoundland heritage for the benefit of Newfoundlanders. Scenes showing other aspects of Newfoundland’s resource wealth are featured on either side of the central section. To the left is a section devoted to the importance to the lumber industry, while on the right is shown a mining scene.
It is also historically valuable because it was once the provincial museum. The museum opened in 1911, under the directorship of James Howley – Newfoundland’s second director of the Geological Survey. Howley died on January 1, 1918, and the museum went without a director for some time. The Museum appears to have closed in the late 1920s, as a reopening was announced for May 1928. The Museum was closed to the public in October 1930 due to significant leaks in the roof. The Commission of Government years were the darkest in the Museum’s long history, as it was totally shut down for many years and its collections dispersed. In 1946, responsibility for the Museum was transferred to the Department of Home Affairs. The Public Libraries Board moved to the lower floors of the Museum building and the top floor served as exhibit space. In 1955, “An Act respecting the Preservation of Historic Objects” assured the Museum’s provincial status and it reopened in 1957. In 1971, the entire building was made available for exhibits. In 1976 the Museum closed for major reconstruction – reopening in 1979. In 2005, the provincial museum was moved to The Rooms.
Source: Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador
©Copyright Notice
This photograph and all those within my photostream are protected by copyright. The photos may not be reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without my written permission.