Halifax Harbourwalk History and Art Tour

With your local guide, explore Halifax's Harbourwalk with it's unique combination of scenic views, artwork, architecture, and history. Your guide will stop and explain the history of the national Immigration Museum at Pier 21, Georges Island, HMCS Sackville, the Halifax Explosion, and much more.
At a leisurely pace, visitors interested in history, architecture, art work, photography, can participate in this tour and get a sample of the culture and lives of Haligonians.

Meeting Point

Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21

1055 Marginal Rd, Halifax, NS B3H 4P7, Canada

Your guide will meet you in front of the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, across from the railway car, holding a sign with the name of the tour.

What's included:

• Tour Guide

What to expect:

Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21

1055 Marginal Rd, , Halifax, B3H 4P7

Pier 21 is the former ocean liner terminal and immigration shed used from 1928 to 1971. Over one million immigrants passed through the gates. Today the facility is our National Immigration Museum, and part of the Halifax Cruise Ship Pavilion.

5 minutes

Samuel Cunard Statue

Halifax Waterfront, Outside the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market, Halifax

The statue is in honour of the man who was born in Halifax in 1787. Founding director f the Halifax Steamboat Company and later founded the Cunard shipping line, today famous for the four Queens, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria, and the Queen Anne.

5 minutes

Georges Island National Historic Site

Georges Island Rd, Halifax, B3K 5M7

From the shore line, view George's Island with it's lighthouse and fortifications used to defend the entrance to Halifax Harbour.

5 minutes

Hmcs Sackville

1675 Lower Water St, Halifax, B3J 1S3

The last remaining Corvette that served in the Second World War, providing protection for the merchant navy as convoys sailed the dangerous waters of the North Atlantic bringing vital supplies to the Allies in Europe.

10 minutes

C.S.S. Acadia

Maritime Museum, 1675 Lower Water St., Halifax

Launched in 1913, she is the first vessel specifically designed to map Canada's North. She is also the only known vessel still afloat that survived the Halifax Explosion.

5 minutes

Maritime Museum of the Atlantic

1675 Lower Water St, , Halifax, B3J 1S3

Along with the HMCS Sackville and C.S.S Acadia, the Maritime Museum is home to great exhibits about Halifax's connection to the Titanic and the Halifax Explosion, plus other exhibits pertaining to Nova Scotia's connections to the sea.

Pass by without stopping

Historic Properties

1983 Upper Water St, , Halifax, B3J 3Y5

Also known as Privateers Warehouses, the buildings constructed in the early 1800's were used by cargo merchants and privateers. Today they are home to restaurants, and shops.

Pass by without stopping

Province House

1726 Hollis Street, , Halifax, B3J 2Y3

Constructed between 1815 and 1817, it is the oldest legislative building still in use in Canada.

10 minutes

Old Burying Ground

1541 Barrington St, Halifax

The oldest cemetery in Halifax, St. Paul's has headstones dating back to the founding of Halifax in 1749.

5 minutes

The Volunteers

The Harbor, Along the Boardwalk, Halifax

The art work recognizes the contribution of women to the Second World War war effort.

5 minutes

The Emigrant Statue

1200 Marginal Rd, Halifax, B3H 4P8

The artwork celebrates the hundreds of thousands of immigrants who first step foot in Canada along the waterfront.

5 minutes

The Grand Derangement

Halifax

A monument on the Halifax waterfront, with George's Island in the background. George Island was a location where French Acadians were imprisoned in 1755, before being deported from Nova Scotia to various places in the world

10 minutes

The Wave

Lower Water St., Harbour Walk on the Halifax waterfront, Halifax

Created by Donna Hiebert in 1988, captures the sense of Halifax's connection with the sea.

Pass by without stopping

Sebastopol Monument

1541 Barrington St, Halifax, NS B3J 1Z4, Canada

The Last Steps symbolizes the last time hundreds of thousands of Canadian soldiers in World War One and World War Two felt Canadian soil before departing for Europe.

5 minutes

The Cable Wharf

1751 Lower Water St, Halifax, NS B3J 1M4, Canada

Halifax played a vital role in the building of communication lines on the ocean floor that stretched from Europe to North America. Halifax was a landing point for some of these communication cables. The Cable Wharf was used as a base for cable ships to store supplies and make repairs.

10 minutes

HMC Dockyard Clock

Woodside Ferry, Halifax, NS B3J 1M4, Canada

Canada's oldest working clock. Installed at the navy dockyard in 1772.

Pass by without stopping

Halifax Harbour Ferry

, , Halifax, B3J 3A5

Oldest salt water ferry service in North America.

Pass by without stopping

Grand Parade

1770 Barrington St, At City Hall, Halifax, B3J 3K4

Considered the center of town in 1749 when Halifax was founded, the Grand Parade consists of Halifax City Hall, monument to the fallen police officers of Nova Scotia, the cenotaph honouring our war veterans, and St. Paul's church, the oldest Anglican church in Canada.

15 minutes

St. Mary's Basilica

1508 Barrington St, , Halifax, B3J 1Z3

Consecrated in 1899, St. Mary's has the tallest granite spire in North America, at 189 feet.

5 minutes

Government House

1451 Barrington St, Halifax, B3J 1Z2

The official residence of the lieutentant governor of Nova Scotia. Constructed in 1800, it is a fine example of Georgian architecture.

5 minutes

The Westin Nova Scotian

1181 Hollis St, Halifax, NS B3H 2P6, Canada

Built in 1927, it is one of the 'grand dame" hotels in the city, hosting many heads of state and members of royal families.

5 minutes