Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site of Canada

Learning Experiences

Participate in experiment and kite-making programs that will take you back into the life and times of Dr. Bell. © Parks Canada \ Morrison Powell, 2002

Interpretation Programs

At Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site you can explore the amazing worlds of a life that has touched all of us. Here you can discover how air and water captured Bell's imagination and find out how he bridged the world between sound and silence by teaching the deaf people to speak.

Participate in seasonal kite-making workshops, the Experiment Program activities designed especially for children. Dress-up in turn-of-the-century clothing like that worn by Alexander and Mabel Bell and their grandchildren.

Watch the presentation in the "Mr. Bell" theatre and view films, artifacts and photographs to see how ideas led Bell to create man-carrying kites, airplanes and a marine record-setting hydrofoil boat.

Regular interpretation programs, in the May to October period, include presentations by staff, kite making, experiments and more. Throughout the year there are special events.

The Main Building

Here, the story of Alexander Graham Bell is presented in three main exhibit halls. In the reception and orientation hall, "Home" tells the story of the Bells´ Baddeck estate, Beinn Bhreagh, and the story of Mabel Hubbard Bell. This hall introduces the overall contents of the Site. Children will enjoy the "Discover" area. Be sure to look for the "Big Book". This book, written and illustrated by children, is so big it's mounted on the wall.

A gallery passageway called "Sound and Silence" tells the story of Dr. Bell´s work teaching deaf people to speak and follows his life from his birth in Scotland to his arrival in Baddeck in 1885.

In "Ideas" the wide range of experiments carried out by Bell and his associates is illustrated. A variety of programs are offered in "Mr. Bell" theatre including an 18 minute film on the life and work of Alexander Graham Bell. In the "Air" exhibit are artifacts related to Bell's work with man-carrying kites and airplanes including original parts from the Silver Dart airplane.

The final exhibit area, "Water," presents the story of Bell´s and Casey Baldwin´s experiments with hydrofoil craft, culminating in the success of the HD-4, the remains of which are preserved here adjacent to a full-sized reproduction of the craft.

Exhibit and Audio/Visual Media

The exhibits incorporate text and graphic panels, display cases, artifacts, archival material and audio-visual elements. Monitors in the reception and orientation halls provide an overview of the exhibit contents and there are audiovisual programs in other areas of the museum. Programs offered at the Site may include audio-visual presentations.

Other Resources

The site maintains a collection of various materials to support interpretation, e.g. audiovisual equipment, supplies for the kite program and the children´s experiment program. In addition, the large archival collection is available to the public for research purposes, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. by appointment.