Historic places in Halifax

13 historic buildings, sites and memorials in Halifax.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

Do
Alexander Keith's Brewery Tour
Immersive tour of Alexander Keith's original brewery as it supposedly was in 1863, complete with tour guide actors in period garb singing songs, dancing jigs, relaying a bit of the history of the brewery and Keith himself, and promoting the crisp, refreshing taste of Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale. You do get the chance to sample two mugs of the stuff at the end. Tours on the hour and half-hour but limited opening hours outside summer, check the website for details. If you are an Air Miles collector, you can redeem your miles here for free tickets.
Do
Boat Tours
Murphy's the Cable Wharf is in the heart of the Halifax waterfront and offers a variety of boat tours including nature and whale watching, tall ship sailing, deep sea fishing, historical harbour tours and dinner cruises.
Open seven days a week May-October
Do
Canoe the Northwest Arm
St. Mary's Boat Club
Take a trip up the beautiful Northwest Arm to see the historic Dingle tower in Flemming Park, watch the numerous sailboats out for a weekend cruise or catch a regatta if you're lucky. Gawk at some of the mansions that line the water or for the ambitious, head all the way up to Point Pleasant Park, where the Northwest Arm meets Halifax Harbour. While swimming in parts of the harbour was briefly possible due to the installation of sewage treatment plants, they are down for repair and swimming is again not recommended unless a trip to hospital after is desired.
Sat Sun 11AM-7PMRent a canoe for $8/hour
See
Halifax Central Library
After decades of planning, the new Central Library finally opened in December 2014. The striking architecture, said to resemble a stack of books, garnered international attention. The building is unique in Halifax for its bold modernity, standing in attractive contrast to the stately School of Architecture and Planning building next door. Visitors can enjoy a bite at the cafes housed within, peruse the local history section, and enjoy views of Citadel Hill and Halifax Harbour from the freely accessible rooftop patio.
Mon-Thu 9AM-9PM; Fri Sat 9AM-6PM; Sun noon-6PMFree
See
Pier 21
Canadian Museum of Immigration
Canada's equivalent of New York's Ellis Island, this historic waterfront building processed over a million immigrants. It has been converted into a modern museum with extensive exhibits related to Canadian immigration. Typical visit 90 minutes including 30-minute film and 30-minute free guided tour.
May-Oct: 9:30AM-5:30PM daily; Nov: 9:30AM-5PM daily; Dec-Mar: Tue-Sat 10AM-5PM; Apr: Mon-Sat 10AM-5PM$10 adults, $8.75 seniors (60+), $7 students (w/ ID), $5.75 children (6-16), free for children under 5. Family rate $25 (two adults, three children, additional children $3 each)
See
Point Pleasant Park
A large peaceful park that serves as a vantage point to see the mouth of the harbour and into the Atlantic Ocean. It used to be a dense wood, but was left with patches of devastation and clear-cut from Hurricane Juan in 2003. It remains a popular place to walk dogs and stroll. The park contains some preserved historic military fortifications such as the 18th-century Martello tower, and ruins of several other fortifications.
Dawn to duskFree
See
Province House
Home to Canada's oldest provincial legislature and of Britain's first overseas self-government. A fine example of Georgian architecture, the building was opened in 1842. Visitors can learn about the history of the site and the current Legislative Assembly through guided tours, displays and an audio-visual presentation. Province House is open year-round.
Jul-Aug: Mon-Fri 9AM-5PM, Sat Sun and holidays 10AM-4PM; rest of year Mon-Fri 9AM-4PMFree
See
St. Paul's Anglican Church
Historic St. Paul's on the Grand Parade
St. Paul's is the oldest building in Halifax and the oldest existing Protestant place of worship in Canada. Founded by proclamation of King George II in 1749, the building was erected in the summer of 1750. On September 2, 1750 the Reverend William Tutty held the first service inside what was, according to Mr. Tutty, "not completely fitted up". The architectural plans were based on St. Peter's Church, Vere Street, London which was designed in 1722 by James Gibbs, a pupil of Sir Christopher Wren. The resemblance between the two churches is remarkable despite the addition of St. Paul's vestibule and steeple, 1812, the side wings, 1868, and the chancel, 1872. The timbers of St. Paul's were cut in Saco, Maine and shipped to Halifax. Most of the materials including the bricks to line the walls were made locally. Over 2½ centuries later, the original wooden structure remains as sound as the day it was built. Charles Inglis, first overseas Bishop of the Church of England, arrived in 1787 making St. Paul's his cathedral. Until the construction of a garrison chapel in 1844, St. Paul's was also the first garrison church in Halifax.
open to the public for self-directed visits from 9AM-4:30PMFree
Drink
Taboo
This is Halifax's most upscale nightclub with a strict dress-code and expensive drink menu. However, if you're looking for a place that attracts a classier crowd than the Dome or the Palace then Taboo is a must-see.
Fri Sat 11PM-3:30AM
See
The Halifax Citadel
An old fort on a hill overlooking the city and the harbour. The citadel is a national historic site and home to a museum and a small ceremonial garrison. A must-see, especially during Canada Day (1 July) celebrations. The museum is open only May-Oct, but the grounds are open all year around (for free in this case). The famous 'Noon-Gun' fires at noon every day of the year (except Christmas) as it has since the 1830s. Visitors are welcome to watch the firings at any point through the year.
Adult $11.70, senior $10, youth $5.80. Fees are about one-third lower in May and mid-September to the end of October
Do
Waterfront
A beautiful 4.5 km boardwalk that runs from Pier 21 to Casino Nova Scotia is lined with historic buildings, shops, restaurants, art installations and other entertainment. The CSS Acadia, a former hydrographic surveying and oceanographic research ship, the World War II-era corvette HMCS Sackville, and a variety of other ships line the harbour. There are a multitude of boat tour options that launch from here during the summer months.
Do Not mapped
Tall Ships Festival
Every few years, Halifax hosts up to 30 historic and unique (and usually massive) maritime sailing vessels from around the world. The next festival has not yet been scheduled.
See
Museum of Natural History
Home of Gus, the oldest known gopher tortoise.
9:30AM-4:30PMC$6.25

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Halifax (CC BY-SA 4.0).