Originally, the so-called Museum of the Sea was located at the Quebec Maritime Institute in downtown Rimouski. Its mission was to highlight the shipwreckThe Empress of Ireland In addition to the items found by divers at the shipwreck site off St. Lukes.

For its part, in 1981, Parks Canada entered into partnership agreements with companies. It was enough for the Sea Museum team to seize this opportunity.

This form of association is with a non-governmental, non-profit organization that has the same goals as Parks Canada, which is to preserve and promote historical heritage.announced the first director of the Museum of the Sea, Jean-Pierre Fillon.

At the time, the Pointe-au-Père Lighthouse missions and the Musée de la Mer mission, if you will, were linked.explains the general manager of the Pointe-au-Père Naval Historic Site, Hélène Théberge.

July 1982 ceremony to formalize the partnership between the Rimouski Maritime Museum and Parks Canada (archive)

Photo: Radio Canada/Archive

In 1982, the Naval Museum moved to the engineer’s house located next to the lighthouse. The site is developing and attracting locals and tourists.

We’ve really managed over the years to raise money and then become Pointe-au-Père Naval Historic Site. Ms. Tyberg adds.

A brand new museum was built on the site in 2000 and the Onondaga submarine was added to the site in 2009.

Celebrations on the program

On-site activities take place all day Wednesday and will culminate with a fireworks display starting at 10:00 PM.

Exceptionally, it will be possible to visit the lighthouse, the museum and the Onondaga submarine until 9:00 pm on Wednesday.