red bay national historic site

A very interesting historical sight. Learned a lot about the Basque men who came for fortune. If they survived a whaling season, they returned home rich. They even burnt whale meat for fuel to render down whale blubber. That is why the painting / mural showed thick black smoke in the back ground. The "ghost" of a Basque sailor (guide) provided us with very colorful commentary of their life as 1500's whalers. The model cut away section of their ship was fascinating. They would harpoon the whale with barrels attached and would then chase after the wounded whale by ferociously rowing. Whenever the whale comes up for air, they would put more harpoons & barrels in. Then the most skilled and bravest would cut the artery next to the blow hole to kill the whale. Each whale could yield 20-40 barrels of oil and each ship could carry 1000 barrels. My wife after posing next to the Basque mannequin asked if it was life sized & if so, they are short folks. Another funny anecdote: when my wife didn't find the "ghost" Basque sailor in our pictures, she wondered out loud if that was a real ghost! LOL! Unfortunately we didn't see anyone nor anything regarding a boat ride to the island. It would've been interesting. Nonetheless, it is a Unesco site for a reason and it is good to be able to see it. Sad to hear though, so long ago, the right whale population had collapsed.

This exhibit is worth the trip to Labrador. There are multiple exhibits with many historical artifacts and descriptions. The staff are very attentive and ready to answer any questions you may have. The boat trip to Saddle Island is worthwhile as it puts some perspective into where the artifacts were obtained.

We arrived too late for the boat, so the main building at the top and further exhibits at the bottom of the hill were all we could do.Views were spectacular, and the staff were genuinely enthusiastic and very happy to show us everything. We learned a lot about the whaling history of the area and it was very rewarding.Gift shop has some locally made items, not cheap, but good quality.

Much like L'Anse aux Meadows, this is a bit of Canadian history that I had no idea existed, and which I find fascinating. The interpretation centre is very well done. Make sure to catch the boat out to the island and have a walk around.

EXcellent museum. If travelling with kids and you are in any Parks Canada site such as this one, please check for their Explorer programme or any other activities for kids. Our kids ranged in age from 5 to 10 and all, plus myself and my 86 year old mother really enjoyed this programme. Not only does it encourage the kids to look for things both in the visitor centre and around the site, it rewards them with certificates and surprises at the end of the visit.This particular site had a fabulous musical instrument that we are going to re create and share with our 5 year old grandson's school. We learned a lot about the Basque culture.

I had no idea that there was this kind of industry in Labrador in the 1500's. Or that the Basque fishermen would sail all the way here in their tiny boats.This historic site is very well done. You start up the hill where you register, get some background and check out a few exhibits. Then down the road to the main centre with all kinds of artifacts and some reconstructions. Staff at both locations are knowledgeable and helpful.Getting here is also an attraction. The drive from Blanc-Sablon is very scenic.

The national historic site at Red Bay provides a fascinating window on a little known period in Canadian history, that of the Basque sailors who came to Red Bay in the 1500s to hunt whales. For over 50 years, these brave men crossed the Atlantic in wooden boats to obtain the whale oil that lit the lamps of Europe. The Red Bay site describes the hardships they faced on the high seas and their back-breaking work in great details. I found the clothing remnants extracted from sailors' graves especially touching, a stark reminder of how ephemereal things we take for granted really are.Red Bay is about 1 hour away from the Newfoundland-Labrador ferry by car over a paved but winding road. We found it was totally worth the drive. There is a gift shop/restaurant next door if you need to buy lunch while you're out there. The exhibits are wheelchair accessible. We found the guides knowledgeable and friendly. The village of Red Bay itself is very scenic and quite lovely. Bring warm clothes though; we were there in early June and the bay was full of pack ice which made the air rather chilly.

Truly a gem housed in a beautiful building. Staff is very knowledgeable and helpful. Amazing exhibits. History on Basque whaling and much more.

Who could have known how important this small settlement has been in Canadian history?The centre explains precisely how Basque whalers came across the ocean to hunt and process the majestic animals in the area. It was a fascinating story. Looking into the bay, it is almost impossible to believe that the evidence of their presence is down below the black waters, that this sleepy little settlement was once the centre of a thriving commercial enterprise. Men travelled halfway across the world, risking their lives and everything they owned to carry whale oil back to their homeland. The centre does a wonderful job of telling the story.Now that the new road is completed the journey to Red Bay is easier. The views along the route are spectacular by any standard. If you love history, you will not be disappointed.

Before our visit, we went for a walk along the Boney Shore trail which has whale bones in the ground. We learned more than we had expected about early whaling operations. We were also pointed to the local Town Centre where there was an almost complete skeleton of a right whale.

Wonderful museum of whaling stations and how they caught and processed the whale oil. Exhibits great. Trip out to the island with guide worthwhile.

Great story, very good guides....unfortunately the artifacts are all re-buried to preserve them until more money comes available...lots of potential

This national historic site is well worth the drive up from Blanc Sablon ferry terminal. The staff are well informed and the artifacts well presented. You should plan on staying for about one hour and longer if the weather permits a ride out to Saddle Island. Even if history is not your interest, the drive up to Red Bay is worth taking time to do.

We received a warm welcome at the visitor centre. Very knowledgeable staff who were eager to show us around. We were travelling with our family of 5 and they catered to kids by pointing out facts and artifacts. The displays were very well done. If you have a Parks Canada pass this site is included and is well worth the visit. A quiet little place with beautiful scenery and quite an interesting history.

Fantastic site! We were warmly welcomed by Karen who guided our experience at the first building. Make sure to watch the film there. Karen was so informative! We then ventured over to the second building where Chris gave us an excellent overview of the basque oil rendering process. We then self toured throughout the rest of the building with regular checks by Chris to answer all of our questions. We did not take the boat trip to the island as it was quite foggy and raining. Don't miss this experience! Great little gift shop with only local tax free crafts. Great work of these dying arts.