03/24/2026
A Statement from the Annapolis Heritage Society Board of Directors -
We wish to express our sincere thanks to those of you who have reached out with kind words since the closure of North Hills Museum was announced on February 24th. We deeply appreciate your support and advocacy as we are working to adjust our operations and secure the future of AHS.
At this time, we have not received any further communication regarding the closure process or the provinceās plans for the North Hills property and collection. We want answers and clarity just as much as you do.
It has been suggested by members of our community that we take ownership of North Hills and support its continued maintenance and operation through local fundraising efforts and volunteer initiatives. While these suggestions are truly appreciated and well-meaning, they do not offer a sustainable solution to keeping the museum open long-term.
North Hills Museum is funded entirely by an operating grant from the provincial government of $72,214.54 annually. More than half of this funding goes towards facility maintenance and shared administrative costs, including groundskeeping, utilities, security, repairs, bookkeeping, advertising, and programming supplies. The remaining funds support the wages of three seasonal Heritage Interpreters, whose work extends beyond North Hills into our community through outreach programming, events, and support for our other two museum sites. This funding amount does not include additional expenses related to insurance and capital projects currently covered by the province. For example, the homeās roof is currently due to be replaced, which would add tens of thousands of dollars to our total expenses if we were to take ownership of the property. This is not to mention other maintenance expenses that inevitably arise when owning a heritage property.
Without reliable funding, it would be impossible for us to take on the huge expense of maintaining the North Hills property, let alone operating the site as a museum.
Like any small non-profit organization, the Annapolis Heritage Society has always had to contend with limited funding and tight resources, but these cuts are much deeper. The North Hills operating grant has been eliminated. The OāDell House and Sinclair Inn Museums will receive 20% less from the Community Museum Assistance Program. Provincial grant programs related to student employment, archival development, and heritage projects have been reduced or eliminated. One third of our annual operating budget has been wiped out without warning. These cuts have placed the future of our organization in jeopardy; a future that we are working hard to secure through careful planning and responsible stewardship of our heritage and financial assets.
For nearly fifty years, our Society has poured a tremendous amount of time, effort, and passion into the care and interpretation of North Hills and the stories it holds. We have fostered its growth into an engaging and informative community space where history is not only preserved, but brought to life. North Hills is part of the fabric of our organization and we struggle to imagine a future without it, but this is an unfortunate reality we might need to face.
In spite of these challenges, we remain committed to operating the OāDell House and Sinclair Inn Museums so that we may continue our purpose of preserving and promoting the rich history of our community. We will continue to advocate for our heritage and push for change before this destructive budget passes, and we encourage you to do the same. This is not over yet.
Please continue to support the Annapolis Heritage Society through donations, memberships, museum visits, research requests, and by attending our programs and events. It truly does make a difference.
We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.
Thank you. ā¤ļø
