Things to do

Experience 16th century Basque whaling traditions, brought to life through costumed interpreters, original artifacts, scale models of work buildings, photographs and a 30-minute film. See original artifacts recovered from archaeological excavations. Get a close-up view of a 16th century chalupa. Discover tools and weapons used by the Basques, along with well-preserved personal items. Tour Saddle Island to see the archaeological remains of buildings where the Basques worked and lived 400 years ago.

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Echoes from the past

Costumed interpreters share amazing tales of shipwrecks and adventure as you learn of the dramatic voyages from the Basque Country to Labrador in search of lucrative whale oil. Fortunes are won, and some Basque whalers won’t survive the season.
Away in the Grand Bay

Meet the wife of a whaler who died in Grand Bay more than 400 year ago. Discover the courage and heartbreak of the 16th-century whaling voyages, told from the perspective of those who were left behind.
Red Bay’s weird and wonderful

Discover items hand-picked by staff as some of the most bizarre and extraordinary artifiacts in our collection. Learn the fascinating stories behind these one-of-a-kind objects, from a ship’s binnacle to meticulously restored rare glass.