P.E.I. to build central museum

Prince Edward Island will build a new provincial museum, Heritage Minister Carolyn Bertram announced Friday.

During the May 2007 election campaign, the Liberals promised to give the idea of a central heritage museum serious consideration. Currently, the provincial museum operates seven sites across the province, but each has a narrow focus, such as fisheries, railways, agriculture and shipbuilding.

The decision to build a central museum came in response to a report the government commissioned on the idea, also released Friday.

Heritage on P.E.I. is lacking co-ordinated vision and planning, says the 143-page report. What is being presented is fragmented and weakly connected.

The report notes the current piecemeal approach excludes many subject areas such as  natural history, Aboriginal heritage, women's history, archaeological sites, and Island customs, stories, and languages.

"Some of the areas covered in the report, such as greater involvement of the aboriginal community and investment in the Museum and Heritage Foundation sites, are already being addressed," said Bertram in a news release.

The report recommends the new facility be operational within five years.

"Other recommendations may be implemented over a longer term," said Bertram.

The study was prepared by the Iris Group of Stratford in association with A.L. Arbic Consulting of Nova Scotia.