Gus the gopher tortoise in his log
Sometimes, it is too busy for a public Gus walk. On holidays, March Break, or a bustling weekend day, staff walk Gus privately. This is for his comfort and safety. We’re still happy to answer questions and talk about our beloved tortoise. And you can say hello to him the rest of the day!
Gus the gopher tortoise in an exhibit
A classic museum visit might include a walk with Gus. Every afternoon at 3pm, Gus enjoys a snack and a stroll. The menu and walk is his choice. In the late spring, summer, and early fall, we are outside in the museum’s backyard. In the colder weather, we’re exploring the exhibits.
Gus the gopher tortoise facing the camera on a white background
Gus. The tortoise, the myth, the legend.
Gus is 103 years old (we will celebrate 104 years in August 2026). He is the oldest known living gopher tortoise in the world and he has lived with the museum for more than eighty years.
#MNH #Halifax #NovaScotia #Museum
Left image is of a single Common Nighthawk resting on a sandy beach. The bird is a dark brown base colour with a speckling of dusty brown and white over the tips of the feathers. There is a soft yellow ring around the black eye and a tiny beak. Image on the right is a map of North and South America as it shows the breeding zone (orange), migrating zone (yellow) and wintering zone (blue). Text: Common Nighthawk. Common Nighthawks only raise 1 to 2 eggs per season. Nesting sites are consistently flat open spaces while the substrates can vary from sandy beaches, short grasslands, and even gravelly rooftops to railway beds. #NSWildifeSpotlight #SpeciesAtRisk #Birds. Logo: Museum of Natural History a part of the NSM.
#CommonNighthawks are most often sighted at dawn or dusk and are heard making sharp “peents” calls in flight. Check it out: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qps...
#NSWildifeSpotlight #SpeciesAtRisk #Birds
Central image is of a male Common Nighthawk in flight, viewed from below. The body and wings are black with white strips near the tips of the wings and along the throat. Aerodynamic wing shape and streamline tail. Text: Common Nighthawk. Orange circle. Threatened Species at Risk. Common Nighthawks are aerial insectivores. Their diet requires regular access to large quantities of insects, especially during the breeding season. Due to Climate Change insectivore birds and the insect lifecycles, they depend upon may no longer be lining up effectively. #NSWildifeSpotlight #SpeciesAtRisk #Birds. Logo: Museum of Natural History a part of the NSM.
#CommonNighthawks are aerial insectivores, hunting insects during midflight as the source of their diet. Agricultural pesticides have decreased insect populations for decades, impacting the access to food for birds like the Common Nighthawks. #SpeciesAtRisk naturecanada.ca/discover-nat...
Title page: Nova Scotia Wildlife Spotlight. Species at Risk. Five coloured circles from left to right: Yellow is for endangered, orange is for threatened, pink is for vulnerable, violet is for extirpated, navy blue is for extinct. Image of the sky looking through trees from below. A weekly post spotlighting a different species currently at risk in Nova Scotia. #NSWildlifeSpotlight. Logo: Museum of Natural History a part of the NSM.
#CommonNighthawk is THREATHENED in Nova Scotia. They are a medium-sized bird, with an aerodynamic body, with white bars between the bends, and tips of their long-pointed wings. Males having a white tail band and white throat patch compared to females and juveniles. #NSWildifeSpotlight
Stegosaurus skeleton
Stegosaurus stuffed animal with a blue body and red plates.
The dinosaurs in Dinosaur Exploration 2 aren’t very snuggly but the ones on the gift shop are!
#MNH #Dinosaur #Stuffy #Museum
Love it. I want one with a wizard hat.
Green sea urchin in an ocean tank, with an empty blue mussel shell on top of it.
Is it #Monday? We don’t know anymore. We heard it’s #March too. Anyway, here’s a green sea urchin wearing an empty blue mussel shell.
#Museum #NovaScotia
Duck tracks across a frozen pond to an opening in the ice
Squirrel tracks in the snow to a tree
Are you making tracks to a museum this weekend?
You should be. 🐾👣
#MNH #Museum #NovaScotia
Today, February 24th, our Wee Wild Ones program is cancelled. It will return March 3rd.
What is Wee Wild Ones? It is a fun program where kids under 5 and their caregivers explore the wonders of nature.
This program runs on select Tuesdays, from 10-11am.
#MNH #Halifax #NovaScotia
Green background with white text reading “delayed opening” and a white snowflake
Delayed opening and program cancellation: on Tuesday, February 24th, the Museum of Natural History will be delayed opening. We will open at 10:30am.
Wee Wild Ones, our young children’s program on Tuesday mornings, is cancelled today.
Be safe in any travels.
#MNH #NSStorm #Halifax #NovaScotia
Green background and white text reading early closure with a white snowflake
Due to weather conditions, the Museum of Natural History will be closing early, at 2:00pm on Monday, February 23rd, 2026..
Take care in your travels and stay safe.
#MNH #NSStorm #Halifax #NovaScotia
Sad fact - dinosaurs have never eaten a chocolate mini egg.
Not one.
Tragic.
#MNH #Dinosaur #Chocolate #Sad
Allosaurus fighting a ceratosaurus, both are skeletons
Visit naturalhistory.novascotia.ca/teachers to learn more and book your visit today. Limited dates remain for spring 2026.
And when you book a school program, you can include a self-tour of Dinosaur Exploration 2 at no extra cost!
#MNH #NovaScotia #School
Pjila’si exhibit with display cases and screens
We love field trips! You can visit the Museum of Natural History for a self-tour, special presentation by staff, or an elementary school program. We offer programs on natural and cultural history.
#MNH #FieldTrip #NovaScotia
Top left image is a diagram of a mastodon skeleton with a human silhouette drawn to scale. The back right femur bone is highlighted orange. Top right image is a photograph of a mastodon tusk. Lower center image is a photograph of a single mastodon molar. Lower right image is a photograph of a mastodon juvenile jawbone. Bottom right image is a map of Nova Scotia marking areas where mastodon fossils have been recovered. Text: mastodon. Mastodon fossils have been found in different areas around Nova Scotia, to learn more check out: htps://naturalhistory.novascotia.ca/our-natural-history/mastodon-nova-scotia/mastodon-fossils-discovered-nova-scotia #NSWildifeSpotlight #SpeciesAtRisk #Mastodon. Logo: Museum of Natural History a part of the NSM.
The several remains of Mastodon have been recovered from various sites throughout Nova Scotia over many decades. To learn more about Mastodons in Nova Scotia check out: naturalhistory.novascotia.ca/our-natural-...
#NSWildifeSpotlight #SpeciesAtRisk #Mastodon
An illustrated image of a mastodon walking in a woodland landscape. The shape resembles an oversized elephant, with a long tail, two long tusks, and a body fully covered in short brown fur. Text: Mastodon. Navy circle. Extinct Species at Risk. Mastodons lived as browsers, in Nova Scotia for more than 70,000 years, with teeth suited for feeding on branches, twigs, leaves, and wetland plants. Mastodons migrated when necessary to avoid growing ice sheets and preferring warmer climates. #NSWildifeSpotlight #SpeciesAtRisk #Mastodon. Logo: Museum of Natural History a part of the NSM.
#Mastodons were browsers, like moose today, feeding on branches, twigs, leaves, and wetland plants. Nova Scotia’s landscape was rich in mixed conifer forests supplying a perfect food supply.
#NSWildifeSpotlight #SpeciesAtRisk
Title page: Nova Scotia Wildlife Spotlight. Species at Risk. Five coloured circles from left to right: Yellow is for endangered, orange is for threatened, pink is for vulnerable, violet is for extirpated, navy blue is for extinct. Image of the sky looking through trees from below. A weekly post spotlighting a different species currently at risk in Nova Scotia. #NSWildlifeSpotlight. Logo: Museum of Natural History a part of the NSM.
#Mastodons are EXTINCT. Mastodons lived in Nova Scotia for more than 70,000 years, migrating, when necessary, in relation to the expansion and decline of massive ice sheets. Mastodons disappeared from Nova Scotia about 11,000 years ago as part of a mass extinction caused by climate change.
To apply, please visit this posting: jobs.novascotia.ca/job/Flexible...
In this position, you offer public programs to visitors (including day camps, families, and adults) on a variety of natural history topics like dinosaurs, ocean invertebrates, bees, and more. You also help us care for our live animals, including snakes, frogs, and turtles.
Green background with white text reading “work with us, jobs.novascotia.ca” and a white museum logo
Come and work with us this summer!
We are hiring Naturalist Programming Assistants to work with the Museum of Natural History this summer.
Is parking free? Not in the parking lot. That is owned by the hospital and charged 24/7. Street parking is free on weekends, evenings and holidays.
Do you have a place to eat? Yes, there is a snack room. Bring your own snacks. We have a water fountain. Please do not eat in the exhibits.
Frequently asked questions about Heritage Day at your Museum:
Are you open? Yes, 9:30-4:30.
Are you free? Yes!
Are you busy? Most likely yes.
🐢 Reminder that Gus the gopher tortoise will not be walking publicly. This is a very busy day at the Museum and for his comfort and safety, Gus will be walked privately behind the scenes.
Interpretation programs:
🍽️ 10:00am and 2:00pm Snack time with Nova Scotia wildlife. Join staff as we feed one of our animals.
🪨 10:00am - 11:30am Drop by to learn how fossils form and see different types of fossils.
🦕 1:30pm - 3:00pm Drop by to learn about dinosaur colours, paleo art, and more!
Monday, February 16th is Heritage Day! Visit heritageday.novascotia.ca to learn more about this provincial holiday and this year’s honouree.
The Museum of Natural History is open regular hours and offering free admission.
#MNH #NovaScotia #Museum
Inflated triceratops dinosaur standing next to a banner that reads “Nova Scotia heritage day “
Is the #Museum open on Heritage Day? YES.
What’re the hours? 9:30am - 4:30pm.
Is it free to visit? YES.
Whhhaaaaat! Really? Free? Yes! #Heritage Day is an annual opportunity to honour the remarkable people, places, and events that have contributed to Nova Scotia’s unique heritage.
#NovaScotia
Blue lobster partially in cave
Blue lobster more out of cave
Cardinals are red,
Endangered species are few,
Our love is one in two million,
Just like a lobster that is blue.
#ValentinesDay #Love #Lobster
We’re sharing the love this Valentine’s Day weekend!
Our triceratops loves Nova Scotia 💚. If you love dinosaurs, visit the Museum of Natural History!
#MNH #NovaScotia #Dinosaur #Love #ValentinesDay
