Huge response to The Rooms Regiment Gallery on opening weekend

The Rooms in St. John's has seen an overwhelming turnout for its brand-new First World War exhibit.

The museum says more than 2,000 people toured the Royal Newfoundland Regiment Gallery this weekend. Saturday was the first day the gallery, which showcases the Regiment's contribution in the First World War, was opened to the public.

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"We're overwhelmed by [the response], but in some ways not surprised," said Vanessa McBay, a spokesperson for The Rooms.

"Everybody that leaves, many of them stop at our front desk...and say how amazing it is. And everybody has a connection."

McBay says there were long lineups for the gallery all weekend, and Sunday evening they even had to start handing out rainchecks to those in line for a later date.

Beaumont-Hamel focus

The Gallery was toured on Friday by Princess Anne, as part of the 100th anniversary commemoration of the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel.

The exhibit places a special focus on that battle, where hundreds of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians were killed in minutes.

"The power of Beaumont-Hamel....it connects back to all of us in some way," said McBay. She said that so many people in the province have relatives who fought with the regiment.

"People are loving the personal stories."