The Rooms is a cultural facility in St. John's,

Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic Canada, Atlantic region. The province comprises t ...

, Canada. The facility opened in 2005 and houses the Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Provincial Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador. The facility was constructed on a hill overlooking the port city, at a historic location once occupied by Fort Townshend.

History

Origins of the name

The building's name, as well as its architecture, is a reference to the simple gable-roofed sheds (called "fishing rooms") that were once so common at the waterline in Newfoundland fishing villages.

Fort Townshend

During the planning and construction of the building much opposition was raised by archaeologists and historians because of its location. Previously on the same strategic spot of land was located Fort Townshend, an 18th-century military fort, that was eventually buried under ground. The great star-shaped

citadel A citadel is the core fortified area of a town or city. It may be a castle, fortress, or fortified center. The term is a diminutive of "city", meaning "little city", because it is a smaller part of the city of which it is the defensive core. I ...

, one of the largest British fortifications in North America at the time, was built to defend Britain's fishing interests. With the withdrawal of the imperial garrison in 1870, the site became the home of the

Royal Newfoundland Constabulary The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) is the provincial police service for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary is one of three provincial police forces in Canada, alongside the Ontario Provincial ...

and, later, the St. John's Fire Department. The site was designated a

National Historic Site of Canada National Historic Sites of Canada (french: Lieux historiques nationaux du Canada) are places that have been designated by the federal Minister of the Environment on the advice of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC), as being ...

in 1951. On-site interpretation allows visitors to explore this historic past. Careful research and documentation before construction ensured that future study of the site is possible.

Outdoor exhibit

In March 2013, The Rooms Corporation announced it would be developing an outdoor space to improve access and safety, and to commemorate the history of Fort Townshend.The Rooms
/ref> The outline of the Fort was marked with granite pavers along a lit pathway, as an extension of the Grand Concourse. Plans to excavate archaeological remains of Fort Townshend, which are largely located under the building, were not defined in the scope of the project. The outdoor space was completed by the Grand Concourse Authority in two phases between 2013 and 2014.

Cultural facilities

The facility was officially opened on June 29, 2005. The building offers a panoramic view of

downtown St. John's Downtown St. John's is the historic core, and central business district of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Located north of St. John's harbour, it is the business, entertainment, and tourism centre with office buildings, hotels, r ...

and its architecture, St. John's Harbour,

The Narrows __NOTOC__ The Narrows is the tidal strait separating the boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn in New York City, United States. It connects the Upper New York Bay and Lower New York Bay and forms the principal channel by which the Hudson Riv ...

and Signal Hill. The Rooms operates as the provincial archives, art gallery, and museum. The archives, art gallery, and museum serve as separate departments of The Rooms.

Art gallery

The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery is the premiere public gallery in the province dedicated to developing and exhibiting

contemporary art Contemporary art is the art of today, produced in the second half of the 20th century or in the 21st century. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art is a dynamic co ...

, with 10,000 square feet of space for permanent collections and travelling exhibits. Since opening in 2005, the gallery has produced an average of 15 exhibitions annually; ranging from new-media installations to

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD ...

printmaking. The gallery presents new work from across Canada and the world, with a special (though not exclusive) focus on artists working in Newfoundland and Labrador. The gallery manages several collections, known together as the "Permanent Collections": Memorial University of Newfoundland; the J. K. Pratt Memorial Collection; The Rooms Collection; and the Art Procurement Collection of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador (Provincial Art Bank). Altogether, they comprise over 7,000 works of art, primarily post-1960 Canadian art. Emphasis is placed on

art of Newfoundland and Labrador The art of Newfoundland and Labrador has followed a unique artistic trajectory when compared to mainland Canada, due to the geographic seclusion and socio-economic history of the province. Labradorian art possesses its own historical lineage. Whi ...

, with major holdings of such artists as

Christopher Pratt John Christopher Pratt (December 9, 1935 – June 5, 2022) was a Canadian painter and printmaker.Mary Pratt,

Gerald Squires Gerald Leopold "Gerry" Squires, (November 17, 1937 – October 3, 2015) was an artist from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Perhaps best known for painting dramatic landscapes in acrylic and oil, Squires also produced major work in sculpture, l ...

David Blackwood David Lloyd Blackwood (November 7, 1941 – July 2, 2022) was a Canadian artist known chiefly for his Intaglio (printmaking), intaglio prints, often depicting dramatic historical scenes of Newfoundland outport life and industry, such as shipw ...

Reginald Shepherd Reginald Shepherd (April 10, 1963 – September 10, 2008) was an American poet, born in New York City and raised in the Bronx.

Helen Parsons Shepherd Helen Parsons Shepherd LL. D. (16 January 1923 – 9 May 2008) was a Newfoundland and Labrador artist, known for her portraits and still-life paintings. Her father was the poet R.A. Parsons, and her brother was the painter Paul Parsons. Career ...

, Don Wright and

Anne Meredith Barry Anne Meredith Barry D.Litt. (August 31, 1932 – January 23, 2003) was a Canadian visual artist known for her landscapes of Newfoundland and Labrador. Her paintings and prints made use of bold colours and whimsical patterns, occasionally incorpo ...

Museum

The Provincial Museum focuses on the natural and cultural history of Newfoundland and Labrador. Exhibits include dioramas of the animal and plant life of the

tundra In physical geography, tundra () is a type of biome where tree growth is hindered by frigid temperatures and short growing seasons. The term ''tundra'' comes through Russian (') from the Kildin Sámi word (') meaning "uplands", "treeless mou ...

and bog, mounted bird displays, and the aboriginal people who lived in the area. Other displays include the city's British military history, the

, and the culture and contributions of the area's

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

fishermen. Changing exhibits focus on other aspects of the province's history, natural history and culture. The original Newfoundland Museum was located in a large

Classical Revival Neoclassical architecture is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy and France. It became one of the most prominent architectural styles in the Western world. The prevailing style ...

brick and sandstone building at 285 Duckworth Street in

. The building is designated by the

Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador The Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador (HFNL) or Heritage NL is a non-profit Crown corporation of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador established in 1984 by the Historic Resources Act. Its mandate is to stimulate an unde ...

as a municipal heritage structure because it has aesthetic, historic and cultural values.

Location

The address of The Rooms is 9 Bonaventure Avenue in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Affiliations

The Museum is affiliated with: CMA, CHIN, and

Virtual Museum of Canada The Digital Museums Canada (DMC; , ''MNC'') is a funding program in Canada "dedicated to online projects by the museum and heritage community," helping organizations to build digital capacity. Administered by the Canadian Museum of History (CMH) ...

References

External links

*
Coverage of The Rooms opening at cbc.ca
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rooms, The Museums established in 2005 Museums in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Art museums and galleries in Newfoundland and Labrador Natural history museums in Canada History museums in Canada 2005 establishments in Newfoundland and Labrador