The Rooms

The Rooms
Established	2005
Location	St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
Type	Art Gallery, the Provincial Archives and the Provincial Museum.
Website	www.therooms.ca/

The Rooms is a cultural facility in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It houses the Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Provincial Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador. ^[1]

On a hill overlooking the port city, it can be seen from almost any point in St. John's. Since its construction, it has competed with its neighbour, Basilica of St. John the Baptist, for the dominance of the St. John's skyline.

During the planning and construction of this history-preserving building much opposition was raised by archeologists and historians because of its location. Previously on the same strategic spot of land was located Fort Townsend, an 18th-century military fort, that was eventually buried under ground. This historic structure was destroyed during The Rooms' construction.[1]

The facility was officially opened on June 29, 2005. The building's architecture and name is a reference to the simple gable-roofed sheds (called "fishing rooms") that were once so common at the waterline in Newfoundland fishing villages.

The Rooms, as viewed from Signal Hill

The grand building, whose glass form is extravagant in and of itself, offers a stunning view of downtown St. John's and her architecture, St. John's Harbour, The Narrows and Signal Hill.

Because of the size, shape, location, and rather geometric exterior design of The Rooms some local citizens ridicule it as "The box the Basilica came in." [2]

The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery is the premiere public gallery in the province dedicated to developing and exhibiting contemporary art. Since opening in 2005, the gallery has produced an average of 15 exhibitions annually; ranging from new-media installations to Renaissance printmaking. The gallery presents new work from across Canada and the world, with a special (though not exclusive) focus on artists working in Newfoundland and Labrador.

External links

• The Rooms
• Coverage of The Rooms opening at cbc.ca

Affiliations

The Museum is affiliated with: CMA, CHIN, and Virtual Museum of Canada.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: The Rooms

Coordinates: 47°33′58.45″N 52°42′42.62″W / 47.5662361°N 52.7118389°W / 47.5662361; -52.7118389

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