Port-Royal National Historic Site of Canada

Facilities and Services

Parking

Parking at Port-Royal accommodates single vehicles, recreational vehicles, and buses.

Washrooms

Accessible public washrooms are located next to the parking lot.

Public phone

A public phone is located near the washroom next to the parking lot.

Picnic tables

Make use of the picnic tables located across from the parking lot area.

Accessibility

The washrooms, phone and some picnic tables are wheelchair accessible. Selected rooms on the ground floor of the Habitation are also accessible.

Your Visit

From the parking lot, follow the path to the entrance kiosk. There you’ll find brochures and park interpreters who are highly knowledgeable about the history of the Habitation and will help you plan your visit. Interpreters are on site at all times to answer any questions you may have and point out fascinating facts about the explorers who lived here and the customs and traditions of the Mi’kmaw people. Watch too, as they re-enact many of the daily tasks needed to survive in the wilderness of the early 1600s.

In the summer, you can arrange on-site for a tour with one of our costumed interpretive guides. Interpreters are available for spring and fall visits; however, it is advised to phone ahead to arrange a guided tour.

Exhibits and Demonstrations

Take a peek at some of the things you’ll see when you visit Port-Royal Habitation:

Construction techniques and tools

 By exploring the Habitation and talking to the interpreters you’ll learn much about the construction techniques of the early 17th century. Park interpreters will show you examples of "en colombage, rat-tailing," and "mortise and tenon" and other fascinating techniques.

 

 

Plants as medicine

Find out how the Mi'kmaq shared their use of plants for medicinal purposes with the French and, in so doing, helped them survive.

 

 

 

Period demonstrations

Part of the interpretive program at Port-Royal includes demonstrations of activities that would have been part of everyday life in the early 17th century. Discover how wood was turned on a "spring pole lathe," and watch interpreters make split shingles on the "shingle bench."  

 

 

  

 

Inside the fur trade

Explore the storeroom and the trading room. Examine the various types of furs that the French acquired from the Mi'kmaq and see the European goods that were traded in return.

 

 

 

Hébert’s apothecary

Visit the herb garden and Louis Hébert's apothecary room to find out about the uses of the various herbs grown at Port-Royal.

 

 

 

What they wore

By talking to the interpreters about their historic costumes and by looking at the various pieces of clothing inside the Habitation, you’ll learn a lot about the clothing of the early 17th century.

 

 

 

 Viewpoints

The gun platform, the palisade and the riverbank each afford an excellent view of the Annapolis River, the Annapolis Basin, and Goat Island. One can truly understand why Champlain named the area "Port-Royal."