Hawthorne Cottage National Historic Site — Attraction in Brigus

This stop was unplanned during the drive from St Johns to Rocky Harbour. We were simply told that Brigus itself is a nice quaint little town that is worth stopping by to check out because of its very distinct Newfoundland “feel”.

When we arrived, we weren’t sure what there was to do but since it was raining, we went to check this place out and discovered it is a national historic site. This was worth checking out! We also visited the forge and the museum nearby but those are not run by Parks Canada so there is a charge (most Parks Canada sites are free this year for Canada 150). The Hawthorne cottage was worth checking out because the preservation was well maintained and suitably staged. We didn’t spend a lot of time here but managed to move through the house with the self-guided tour to better understand the historical and cultural significance of both Brigus as well as Captain Bob Bartlett.

Grounds is lovely despite not being in their peak. The entire town is quite quaint and worth stopping by briefly to get a feel of a “typical...

Hawthorne Cottage is a little known gem in the Canadian historical landscape. As the house where arctic explorer Captain Robert Bartlett was raised, it contains an amazing number of artifacts from his life and adventures, including photos and letters from famous celebrities and public figures of the time, and accounts and pictures of his arctic exploits. We were particularly amazed that he brought a polar bear cub, walrus and muskox back for study - they were cared for and even named by the crew. The video presentations are well worth taking the time to see as they provide details that are not as easily gleaned without reading most of the numerous descriptive boards. This museum gives a glimpse into the life of Bartlett as explorer, seafarer, academic and celebrity in his own right. Located in charming Brigus, well worth seeing; suggest...

They won't notice if you have a beer in the nice comfy red chairs in the garden after hours. They also don't seem to care if you listen to a little music , lounge out and smoke a draw when it's dark out. I'm sure this is a very interesting visit and I'll be sure to return during operating hours to get the full tour. Five stars from...