School programs

Discover Fort Anne National Historic Site this year!

From May to October, we offer a variety of fun and engaging educational programs for your class. School programs showcase the very best Canada has to offer – telling stories of who we are, including the history, cultures, and contributions of Indigenous peoples. Come and learn about Fort Anne National Historic Site, Canada’s oldest National Historic Site and one of the most hotly contested territories in North America in the 1600s and 1700s.

Did you know? 

• The Mi’kmaq call the site Nme’juaqnek, meaning place of abundant fish? This place where two rivers meet has traditionally been an important fishing area and a central gathering place. This has always been Mi’kmaw territory.
• One place, three names! In the 1600s and 1700s, this was the centre of early European colonization and settlement in an area called Mi’kma’ki by the Mi’kmaq, Acadie by the French and Nova Scotia by the British.
• We’re number 1! Guarding this rich history as well as the remains of both French and English fortifications, Fort Anne is the first operated National Historic Site in Canada, designated in 1917 and recognized with a trilingual plaque (English, French and Mi’kmaq) in 2017. 

Things to do

• Be captivated by the Fort Anne Heritage Tapestry. Over 100 volunteers – including Queen Elizabeth II – crafted this unique 2.4 metres x 5.5 metres (8-foot x 18-feet) work using three million stitches. Four centuries of area history are depicted through the colourful scenes and vignettes.
• Discover the rich history of the Mi’kmaq. Learn the contributions made by various peoples – French, Scottish, Acadians, British, Black Loyalists – who have subsequently come and settled in the area.
• Explore the new interactive exhibit in the Officers’ Quarters to learn about stories of struggle and survival.
• Imagine a soldier’s life while you explore the star-shaped earthwork fortifications, as well as the fort’s defensive banks, ditches and bastions.
• Participate in an actual military drill on the parade grounds where soldiers trained long ago.
• Venture inside the 1702 black hole and the 1708 powder magazines – two of Parks Canada’s oldest structures.
• Travel back in time with an interpreter on a guided exploration of the earthen fortifications.
• Bring a lunch to enjoy at one of the tables or spread out a blanket in the picnic area.
• Snap a selfie from the Red Chairs and share it on social media with #FortAnne and #sharethechair.

Book your school trip

Capacity is limited so all groups must reserve ahead of time to secure their space.

A small fee is charged to help cover a portion of the costs of delivering these programs.

Contact us for availability, information, and fees:

902-532-2397 (from May 21 to October 11)

902-286-3605 (from October to May)

Please have the following information ready when you reserve:

• Preferred dates and times
• Grade level and number of students
• School email address and phone number
• Language of program: Request service in English or French