The museum offers genealogical resources onsite at the Scotiabank Family History Centre. Here you can meet researchers who will help uncover your ancestors’ stories and learn about their arrival through many North American ports.

Many of the nearly one million immigrants who passed through Pier 21 in Halifax from 1928 to 1971 arrived with little more than hope for a better life, but all were greeted with a sign on the side of the building that said, “Welcome Home to Canada.”

Today, this iconic red-brick building, located at the Halifax Seaport, is Canada’s national immigration museum. This museum tells the stories that shaped and continue to shape Canada. These stories are brought to life through imagery, authentic voices, and hands-on activities.

The Pier 21 Story encourages you to explore what it was like to immigrate through Canada’s last remaining ocean immigration terminal, now designated a National Historic Site. From inspirational to heartbreaking, you’ll hear first-hand accounts of Holocaust survivors fleeing war-torn Europe alongside the memories of War Brides and their children reuniting with their Canadian husbands in a new land.

Your journey through the museum lets you walk in the footsteps of those who arrived and departed through this former gateway to Canada. You’ll see a Dutch kist, treasures from home and the toys children brought with them. Step into a replica ship cabin or even an immigrant railcar. Although you can tour the exhibition on your own, I recommend joining a guided tour in English or French to gain a deeper historical context and understanding of the human experience of leaving one life behind to start a new one in Canada.

Of course many more millions of immigrants arrived before and after the Pier 21 years and through other ports of entry. You will discover the past and contemporary experiences of newcomers in the Canadian Immigration Story. This second permanent exhibition examines how over 400 years of immigration shaped Canada and continues to do so.

Many immigrants faced significant struggles after arrival, and the museum doesn’t shy away from darker aspects of Canada’s immigration history, including racial and political exclusions. The inclusion of Indigenous voices offers a necessary perspective on the effects of colonization on their communities.

From May 2025 to January 2026, a special new exhibition eat make share: a taste of immigration will be on display at the museum before embarking on a national tour. It looks at the connection between food and immigration, while also asking the question what is Canadian food anyways? 

It’s easy to see why the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 is a top-rated, year-round experience on TripAdvisor. If you’re seeking a closer connection to your roots or simply a deeper understanding of what makes Canada unique, a visit to this museum will undoubtedly inspire. (www.pier21.ca)