The Rooms is the largest cultural space in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It includes the provincial archives, the provincial museum and the provincial art gallery.
Sitting atop the crest of a hill overlooking the harbor, the Rooms dominates the skyline of St. John's. Indeed, this location is so dominant that a fortress, Fort Townsend, was erected here in the 18th century. Although the hill is steep, the Rooms is a short walk from the harbor and the center of town. The Rooms is housed in a large contemporary building that opened in 2005. It was designed by Philip Pratt, Charles Henley and Paul Blackwood of the architectural firm PHB Group and was inspired by the “fishing rooms” where local families used to gather to process their catch. Incorporating local granite and wood materials as well as glass and aluminum, the building has a large central atrium. Off the atrium on four levels are a number of galleries devoted to different subjects. The Art Gallery consists of galleries on the third and fourth levels of the building. These are used for temporary exhibitions. About 15 exhibitions are mounted each year. These present works by artists from around the world but the focus is on works by artists from Newfoundland and Labrador. Similarly, the permanent collection of about 7,000 works focuses on works relating to the province but contains works from across Canada. The collection is not confined to any one style or school of art but the majority of the works are post 19th century. For more information, visit the Rooms' website. For more on visiting St. John's Newfoundland
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Above: The north side of The Rooms.
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Places to see art - - St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada - - The Rooms