About Us

THIS PLACE WE CALL HOME

Newfoundland and Labrador. These two words mean many things to many people.

• For tourists it is becoming a bucket list destination - an ‘off the beaten path from everywhere’ place that promises original and authentic experiences.
• For residents it is home. And there is nowhere else they would rather be.
• For people who have moved away it is where their hearts still belong and many still call home.

In this place where majestic cliffs plunge straight into the frigid and abundant North Atlantic ocean, many different peoples, over thousands of years, have forged a rich and diverse culture.

THIS PLACE WE CALL THE ROOMS

The Rooms is Newfoundland and Labrador’s largest public cultural space. It represents and showcases our province to itself and to the world.

Both a destination and a journey, The Rooms is where the province’s most extensive collection of artifacts, art and historical records come together to create meaningful and memorable visitor experiences that share who we are and how we came to be.

Interesting Facts:

• We are the stewards of over a million natural history specimens, and over a million artifacts, that connect our past to our present and future. Anyone who would like to delve deep can arrange in advance to access our research collections.
• We have three Regional Museums—located in Grand Falls-Windsor, Grand Bank, and North West River in Labrador.
• We manage a collection of over 11,000 works of art, ranging from historical to contemporary, from international art to local crafts and folk art. While we concentrate most on Newfoundland and Labrador artists, the collection includes many other Canadian works/exhibits.
• We preserve records of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador that have enduring legal, fiscal, evidential or research value.
• We also collect records from private sources which have enduring value to the history of the province.
• And we make these collections accessible to the public and our staff offer assistance to anyone looking to find answers to their questions. Many archival records in our collections are also available online by searching our digital database.

Since it opened in 2005, The Rooms has presented hundreds of exhibitions and more than 1,000 education and public programs, capturing the imagination of over 1 million visitors—and the numbers grow every season.

Recognition and Awards

2006	Canadian Museums Association	Award of Outstanding Achievement - Multimedia	Tipatshimuna website
2009	WestJet	Up Magazine	Value Award
2010	St. John Ambulance	Dr. Cluny MacPherson Centennial Award	St. John Ambulance 100th Anniversary Exhibit
2014	Pinnacle Award	Award of Merit - Publication Design	Where Once They Stood We Stand Case for Support
2014	Canadian Museums Association	Award of Outstanding Achievement - Exhibitions	From this Place: Our Lives on Land and Sea Here, We Made a Home
2015	Pinnacle Award	Pinnacle Award of Merit - Publication Design	The Rooms 10th Anniversary Magazine
2016	Atlantic Provinces Art Gallery Association (APAGA)	The Project Award	In Some Far Place Exhibition
2016	Pinnacle Award	Pinnacle Award of Excellence - Audio Visual	I Will Sing You Home Video
2016	Silver Leaf Award (National)	Award of Excellence - Audio/Visual	I Will Sing You Home Video
2016	Canadian Museums Association	Award for Outstanding Achievement - Marketing	Remember Them at The Rooms Campaign
2016	St. John’s Board of Trade	Business Excellence Award	Marketing and Promotional Achievement
2016	Historic Sites Association	Manning Award	In the Public Presentation of Historic Places
2016	Museum Association of Newfoundland and Labrador	Award of Merit	Beaumont Hamel and the Trail of the Caribou
2017	Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador (HNL)	Cultural Tourism Award
2017	Government of Canada	Meritorious Service Decorations (Civil Division)	Dean Brinton, CEO, The Rooms Corporation
2017	Pinnacle Award	Award of Excellence - Advertising Campaigns	Remember Them at The Rooms Campaign
2018	International Gold Quill Award	Award of Excellence - Audio/Visual	I Will Sing You Home Video
2018	International Gold Quill Award	Award of Excellence - Marketing, Advertising and Brand Communication	Remember Them at The Rooms Campaign
2018	Canadian Museums Association	Award of Outstanding Achievement - Education Programming	SakKijâjuk Exhibition Catalogue
2018	Atlantic Book Awards	Finalist	SakKijâjuk: Art and Craft from Nunatsiavut Exhibition Catalogue
2021	Melva J. Dwyer Award	Honourable Mention	Future Possible: An Art History of Newfoundland and Labrador
2022	Atlantic Publishers Marketing Association (APMA)	Best Atlantic Book Award	Future Possible: An Art History of Newfoundland and Labrador

 

ABOUT THE ROOMS BUILDING AND SITE

Soaring into the skyline of downtown St. John’s, The Rooms combines modern technology with a striking visual reference to our past. Its design mirrors the fishing rooms where families came together to process their catch. Designed by Philip Pratt, Charles Henley and Paul Blackwood of the architectural firm PHB Group and finished in local granite, local wood, brushed aluminum and acres of glass, our building is as distinctive as Newfoundland and Labrador. And offers an unparalleled view of our harbour city.

The Rooms location is also historically significant. Almost 250 years ago, this was the location of Fort Townshend. The star-shaped citadel, one of the largest British fortifications in North America at the time, defended Britain's fishing interests.

After 1870, the site became home to the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary and, later, the St. John's Fire Department.

Before construction began on The Rooms, archaeological work was done to ensure none of the history was lost. The Rooms was built in a way that preserved the history beneath it.

Our Vision

The Rooms is an innovative, culturally relevant institution that represents and showcases Newfoundland and Labrador to itself and to the world, and brings the wider world to its doorstep.

The Rooms mandate is outlined in the Rooms Act under Section 4, Objects of the Corporation as follows:

(a) collect, preserve, present and make available for research the historic artifacts, natural history specimens and archival records that represent and illustrate the significant history, culture and natural heritage of the Province;

(b) conduct research with respect to the history, natural history, culture and heritage of the Province for the purposes of paragraph (a);

(c) collect and present provincial, national and international contemporary and historic art;

(d) advance and promote the works of contemporary visual artists of the Province;

(e) support the development of cultural industries in the Province;

(f) strengthen the culture of the Province; and

(g) provide and enhance client services and partnerships to promote the cultural collections of the Province and to show other national and international collections.
 

The Rooms Annual Report 2021-2022

The Rooms Strategic Plan 2023-2026

In June of 2017, The Rooms completed a Public Consultation after seeking feedback and opinion from the community at large. Click here to see the results.

In December 2021, The Rooms sought the public's input in the renaming process for the Mary March Provincial Museum. Click here to read the What We Heard report. 

 

Our Values

Enabling Discovery
   sharing the stories and surprises that are contained within our collections

Stimulating Curiosity
   constantly exploring how we can be accessible to, connect with and mean more to people

Building Team Culture
   forging relationships, working closely together and with external groups to achieve shared goals

Striving to be The Best
   commitment to applying the highest standards in all that we do

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Anti-racism
   commitment to a respectful, diverse and welcoming environment where we are stronger together

 

Our People

Provincial Archives Division

Greg Walsh
Director of Archives/Provincial Archivist
gwalsh@therooms.ca

Joan Mowbray
Archivist – Government Records
jmowbray@therooms.ca

Gail Strickland
Administrative Support (General Inquiries)
gstrickland@therooms.ca

Craig Tucker
Archivist – Exhibitions 
ctucker@therooms.ca

Melanie Tucker
Archivist – Reference and Access
mtucker@therooms.ca

Beverly Bennett
Archivist – Still and Moving Images
beverlybennett@therooms.ca

Provincial Art Gallery Division

Kate Wolforth
Director of Museums and Galleries (Acting)
katewolforth@therooms.ca

Angela Noseworthy
Manager of Collections, Exhibitions and Technical Services (Acting)
angelanoseworthy@therooms.ca   

Chris Batten
Provincial Art Gallery Division - Registrar
chrisbatten@therooms.ca

Mireille Eagan
Curator of Contemporary Art
mireilleeagan@therooms.ca

John J. McDonald
Art Bank Technician
johnjmcdonald@therooms.ca

Provincial Museum Division

Kate Wolforth
Director of Museums and Galleries (Acting)
katewolforth@therooms.ca

Elaine Anton
Provincial Museum Division - Registrar
eanton@therooms.ca

Nathalie Djan-Chekar
Collections Manager - Natural History
nathaliedjanchekar@therooms.ca

Mark Ferguson
Provincial Museum Division- Manager of Collections and Exhibitions and Regional Museums
mferguson@therooms.ca

Wade Greeley
Collections Manager - History
wgreeley@therooms.ca

Maureen Peters
Curator 
mpeters@therooms.ca

Lori Temple
Collections Manager - Archaeology and Ethnology
loritemple@therooms.ca

Programming and Public Engagement

Joy Barfoot
Education and Public Engagement Officer
joybarfoot@therooms.ca

Jason Sellars
Education and Public Engagement Officer
JasonSellars@therooms.ca

Anne Pickard Vaandering
Education and Public Engagement Officer
annepickard@therooms.ca

Anna Dunne-Hussey
Coordinator-Chevron Open Minds
annadunnehussey@therooms.ca 

Marketing and Development

Jena Mitchell
Manager of Marketing
jenamitchell@therooms.ca

Claire Sullivan
Industry Development Officer
clairesullivan@therooms.ca

Donna Vey
Administrative Support (General Inquiries)
information@therooms.ca

For additional contact information on all personnel at The Rooms Corporation, please consult the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador telephone directory. 

Governance

The Rooms Corporation is a provincial crown corporation governed by a Board of Directors, who are appointed by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Margaret Allan - Chair of the Board
Katharine Hickey - Vice Chair of the Board
Michelle Baikie
Heidi Bonnell
Gary Newell
Jamie O’Dea. , Deputy Minister, Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation
Tauna Staniland
Rowena House
Erin Best
Matthew Balsom 
William (Bill) Mahoney