The Rooms
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I didn’t quite know what to expect when visiting The Rooms, and I have to say that I was presently surprised. The museum is on one side of the building, split between the third and fourth floor. The third floor does a great job acknowledging the natural world of Newfoundland, and the history of the Indigenous People here. The fourth floor focuses on more modern European colonial history, acknowledging it as such. I was very impressed. The other side of the museum has the art museum split over the third and fourth floor. I was absolutely blown away by some of the pieces. There was excellent Indigenous representation, and the questions with the pieces on the fourth floor to help you think about the art I found compelling. What a great way to help guests learn to engage with art! The views of the city from both the third and fourth floors were excellent. There is a cafe on the fourth floor, and other components to the museum, such as the archives, but we didn’t visit these. The first floor had a gift shop. We were impressed by how accessible the building was, with electronic door openers and multiple elevators, as well as the fact they had signs downstairs by the gift shop around scent sensitivity. Over all - well worth a visit (we came at the end of the day and were able to complete it in 1.5 hours, but we are very efficient museum people. I’d suggest at least 2. More if you really want to read every sign and piece of info!)
Alyssa BeckerAlyssa Becker
40
With both art galleries and museum areas, The Rooms Museum is incredible. I spent 5hrs walking around checking out each exhibit and gallery, reading every single info note on the wall, it was amazing how much there was to learn and take in. It was interesting seeing the art from local artists, learning about Newfoundland’s history in the war and seeing those artifacts and learning stories from veterans/their families. My family is from Newfoundland, I loved learning about the my family name in one of their exhibits. And I loved their exhibits on animals especially the giant squid. I went on their free visit day for their anniversary and although it was free so lots of people were there, the building is large enough where you aren't packed in. I had fishcakes for lunch at their café and it was absolutely delicious, lots of flavour. The wait was 1.5hrs due to the day I went but you can leave your number and go enjoy the museum as you wait, it was well worth it. Overall there is something for everyone there, so many great exhibits, it was so educational and beautiful!
Max PowerMax Power
10
We arrived via cruise ship on a foggy rainy day so headed for this well rated museum. It is a good 15 minute walk straight up the hill but gives you a nice opportunity to get a taste of the town. Paid $10USD (converted from CAD) for each adult. The facility is large and open/ airy with a great modern industrial design inside. Lots of bathrooms and elevators. For us (walk fast and only read the exhibit of interest to us), this was an enjoyable 90-minute visit (all we needed) that gave us a great feel for the town and region from a wide variety of perspectives (art, nature and animals, natives, immigrants, history, artifacts). There is a little something for everyone here, this is the only museum you need to hit. There are little pieces of fun information everywhere - on the wall, up above you, in a display case, in little cards with supplementary details, or in large digital touch displays. This is a very thoughtful and well designed museum, kudos to the whole team. Great visit, highly recommended.
Jason ZahnJason Zahn
00
Lots of interesting (NL) wildlife, history, indigenous and war exhibits to view and interact with as well as various activities for children. The art exhibit showcasing NL artist Pratt was nice and some of the sculptures were thought provoking but I didn't have much interest in the digital art and there was quite a lot of empty space which could have been used to showcase a lot more of our wonderful NL artist's work. It was very nice having lunch at the full service Cafe and the views cannot be beaten. The view of the Harbour and the Narrows was spectacular, especially on a sunny afternoon. The gift shop was quite expensive and had some interesting items but very little NL themed products. It was somewhat disappointing. I thought it might offer hand-knits or traditional NL crafts and artwork. The reason I've only rated it 4 stars is because of the Art Exhibit. I felt it could have showcased more artists and more variety. Otherwise, the rooms was a lovely experience and I highly recommend a visit!
Alicia Penney-HarnumAlicia Penney-Harnum
00
My wife and I visited The Rooms today during our stop in St. John’s and had an amazing time! The layout and design of the museum is engaging all on its own - the stairs, views, and different levels make for a fun journey through the exhibits. We started from the top and switched between historic, natural, and art exhibits. This was really nice as it was like 5 museums in one! I personally enjoyed the extensive collection of artifacts on display, including a real Titanic life jacket from a recovered victim. The art exhibits are engaging and the natural history portion has lots of fantastic displays. We spent 3 hours going over everything a comfortable pace, but could have easily spent another hour or so. The price of admission ($10ish USD) is a downright bargain for what they have on display. If you enjoy museums and history DO NOT MISS THIS PLACE.
T.T.
10
Pros: Lovely museum with a great WW1 collection. The staff was helpful and knowledgable, willing to go above and beyond in explaining the province's past. There's a lovely lookout over St John's, and a nice art gallery as well. The gift shop was reasonable, and there is food available in the building. The hours are forgiving, allowing people to visit after work. Cons: I wished there was more on Newfoundland's settlement (there was only one small exhibit in a hallway). Some of the exhibits seemed dated, with politically incorrect terms for racial groups. I don't blame the museum for this, but the lack of funding that all museums must contend with. Would love to see them get funding to redo those exhibits, and to explore more detailed Indigenous history.
Am JAm J
00
Nearby Attractions Of The Rooms
Bannerman Park
Delta Hotels St. John's Conference Centre
Sobeys St. John's Merrymeeting Road
Harbourside Park
The Basilica Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
Newman Wine Vaults
Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
St. John's Haunted Hike
Crow's Nest Officers' Club
Craft Council of Newfoundland & Labrador
Bannerman Park
4.7
(807)Click for details
Delta Hotels St. John's Conference Centre
4.3
(711)Click for details
Sobeys St. John's Merrymeeting Road
4.1
(470)Click for details
Harbourside Park
4.6
(307)Click for details
Nearby Restaurants Of The Rooms
YellowBelly Brewery
Jack Astor's Bar & Grill St John's
St. John's Fish Exchange Kitchen & Wet Bar
The Duke Of Duckworth
Rocket Bakery & Fresh Food
The Celtic Hearth
Shamrock City Pub
Piatto Pizzeria + Enoteca St. John's Downtown
Bernard Stanley Gastropub
The Merchant Tavern
YellowBelly Brewery
4.2
(1.1K)Click for details
Jack Astor's Bar & Grill St John's
4.3
(1K)$$
Click for details
St. John's Fish Exchange Kitchen & Wet Bar
4.4
(924)$$$
Click for details
The Duke Of Duckworth
4.5
(618)Click for details
Reviews
Overview
4.7
(1.1K reviews)
Phone
+1 709-757-8090
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Website
therooms.ca
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