CSS Acadia, Halifax Travel Guide

The CSS Acadia, a proud vessel with over a century of history, rests as a museum ship at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax. Launched in 1913 in Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, she was designed for hydrographic and oceanographic research, charting the coastline of Eastern Canada for 56 years. Acadia holds the distinction of being the only ship still afloat to have served in the Royal Canadian Navy during both World Wars.During World War I, she served as a patrol and escort vessel, and in World War II, she was recommissioned as a warship and later used as a training vessel. Acadia also remarkably survived the Halifax Explosion in 1917, sustaining only minor damage while serving as a guard ship.After her naval service, Acadia returned to hydrographic work, pioneering research in Canada's Arctic waters and charting the coast of Newfoundland after it joined Confederation in 1949. Decommissioned in 1969, she was later acquired by the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in 1980 and opened as a museum ship in 1982.Visitors can explore Acadia's decks and learn about her construction, the lives of her crew, and her many adventures. The ship showcases early 20th-century maritime engineering, with features like mahogany and oak paneling, a gyrocompass, and an echo sounder system. Acadia is a testament to Canada's maritime history, scientific pursuits, and naval activities, offering a glimpse into life at sea over a century ago.