At the museum is a Canadian National Historic Event plaque which affords a glimpse into what the Ten Acadian National Conventions were about. The conventions took place over a period of fifty six years, from 1881 to 1937, the first being held
in Memramcook, New Brunswick. The second of the ten conventions was held in this very town. It was at this convention in Miscouche that the Acadian Flag (to the right) and their anthem,
Ave Maris Stella, were adopted. It was very likely the fact the second convention was held here that the town of Miscouche was chosen to be the site of the Acadian Museum.
One of the outdoor artefacts at the museum is a millstone which was imported from France in 1850 and used in a flour mill in the Rustico area north of Miscouche. English text from an accompanying plaque (which is in both French and English) follows:
MILLSTONE
IMPORTED FROM FRANCE 1850
DOMITIEN I. GALLANT
USED THIS STONE IN THE
OPERATION OF HIS FLOUR MILL AT
OYSTER BED BRIDGE
RUSTICO PARISH
1907 - 1923
The Association du Musée acadien incorporée was founded January 26, 1964. That spring a log building was constructed to house the beginning of the museum and on August 25, 1964 it was officially opened. In 1984 the cataloguing of artifacts began, funded by Employment and Immigration Canada, and the next year, 1985, the first permanent exhibit on the Island Acadians was opened to the public.
In 1988 fundraising began for the construction of a new building and on October 3, 1990 construction of the new Acadian Museum was under way, with Federal-Provincial funding. On July 22, 1991 the new building welcomed its first visitors, but it was not until April 24, 1992 that the official opening took place. On April 1, 1996 the Acadian Museum became part of the
Prince Edward Island Museum & Heritage Foundation.