Acadian Museum in Tracadie-Sheila, New Brunswick

Sister Zélica worked at the first Francophone hospital in the Maritimes for 13 years, so every visitor whom she speaks with is treated to a passionate conversation. I was no different when I arrived and she showed me around.

Acadian Museum in Tracadie-Sheila, New Brunswick (Canada).

The Historic Museum of Tracadie (399- 222 rue de Couvent, 506-393-6366) in Tracadie-Sheila, a small but prominent town along the Acadian Coast in New Brunswick, is housed in an old school, hospital and orphanage from 1873 (the original building caught fire in 1943).

With a graveyard across the street, it’s prime horror film material, which I tried to explain to a young staff member in French (I’m not sure she totally understood, or maybe she just thought my idea was dumb…).

Regardless, sister Zélica gave me the tour of a lifetime, pausing only to look around for more conversation starters before launching into a new story. Unfortunately, she spoke mostly in lightening-quick French, with a sprinkle of English, so this is what I was able to understand:

Hospital Exhibit at the Acadian Museum in Tracadie-Sheila, New Brunswick (Canada).

The building started as the first Francophone day school in New Brunswick in 1873. In 1889, it turned into an orphanage and hospital, treating a lot of patients with leprosy (and has one of the only collections of this history in the world). Since then it has acted as a school and now houses the active L’Académie Sainte-Famille.

What I Liked:

• You can’t not be charmed by women like Sister Zélica. She’s like everyone’s favourite grandmother: I picture her finishing up her day at the museum and going home to bake you fresh chocolate chip cookies.
• The museum itself is housed in a wonderfully old building that is interesting in itself. Apart from Sister Zélica’s tour, you can just wander through the rooms and see all of the old hospital equipment like an anaesthesia machine from 1950, a baby incubator from 1948 and a pine chest with a young girl’s belongings when she first arrived at the convent.
• All of the explanations are written in French, but there’s a book they can give you with English translations.
  

Tags: Acadian Museum, Francophone day school, Francophone hospital, Historic Museum of Tracadie, L’Académie Sainte-Famille, Maritimes, New Brunswick, Tracadie-Sheila