MacDonald House Museum

  Cape Breton Nova Scotia

Alexander MacDonald, a weaver, left the Isle of Mull in Scotland, and settled in East Lake Ainslie in 1823. The original land grant contained 518 acres. The MacDonald homestead housed a store and post office and was of great importance to the local community in providing news, staples of life and a means for farmers to sell their goods to the growing population of Eastern Canada.

MacDonald House Museum is operated by the Lake Ainslie Historical Society with assistance from the Province of Nova Scotia through the Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism & Heritage.

 

 

MacDonald House Museum and the Lake Ainslie Historical Society acknowledge that we are in Mi’kma’ki, the traditional and unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq people. We recognize the Mi’kmaq people as the past, present, and future caretakers of this land, which is covered by the “Treaties of Peace and Friendship.” We are all treaty people.

We are now closed for the season.  Thanks to all who visited, attended events and visited our social media.  

Hours of Operation
10: 30 AM to 4:30PM

daily during open season.

Social Media

Explore our artifact and archival collection on NovaMuse.

MacDonald House charges admission fees to cover the cost of upkeep for the mueum.

$5.00 per adult or $10 for a family - 2 adults and children.

Passing close to MacDonald House you can access the trail by a path through our woods.  Signage is available to show where you are on the trail map. MacDonald House also offers washroom facilities and parking for trail users during the summer months

Visit Lake Ainslie "Historical Pictures" on Facebook to see photos of Lake Ainslie's past.

We are a member of CanadaHelps.org, a registered charity dedicated to increasing charitable giving across Canada by serving both donors and charities.  Using a secure site, interested donors can give to charities and pay for memberships on-line.