Shearwater Aviation Museum

The purpose of the Museum is to acquire, conserve, organize, research and interpret to Canadian Forces personnel and to public at large for their study, education and enjoyment, those artifacts and documents which best serve to exemplify the history and technology of Canadian Maritime Military Aviation.
As the Museum became known it amassed over 6000 artifacts from across the country from people who had any association with the air base at Dartmouth. This collection includes uniforms, insignia, ceremonial items, tools and equipment, photographs, documents and an extensive art gallery. Unfortunately, because of space limitations only a very small percentage of these artifacts could be displayed. During this period the Museum also acquired 11 derelict or retired aircraft which represented various types of aircraft flown from the Dartmouth/Shearwater base.
In 1992 plans were developed to relocate the Museum to Building 13, which was originally a gymnasium in 1941 and later became the Base Exchange (CANEX) in 1975. With the move of CANEX into another location, the building was gutted and totally renovated to provide a facility to display a much greater percentage of the collection.