Black Cat Cemetery Preservation

09/01/2026

09/01/2026

We were recently made aware of some 'conservation' work carried out in Windsor, NS, and had to go take a look at it for ourselves. Across three burial sites, we found a number of gravestones with breaks which had been adhered back together using a very hard, black epoxy product. Not only is this material not sympathetic to the colour of the stone, it is not a conservation material applied in a way that is low-impact or reversible. I highly doubt this stuff could be removed from the stones, especially the soft marble and sandstone, without causing significant damage.

We champion people learning safe gravestone cleaning and maintenance so everyone can take care of their family's own monuments, but there are people out there, as is obvious here, that are going out and marketing themselves as understanding how to take care of delicate, historic objects. Conservation and preservation are ever evolving fields, and we Know the damage that using materials like this can do to the monuments.
We are in the process of reporting this work to the right people, to make sure it doesnt happen to more historic stones.

08/25/2026

Last weekend we got the chance for a quick visit to the Garrison Graveyard in Annapolis Royal! Here are a few highlights throughout the site, we can't wait to come back! 😍

08/21/2026

We were out in Annapolis Royal for the day recently and had a little poke around the Garrison Graveyard! It's an amazing site, we can't wait to go back!

08/10/2026

We cannot wait to attend one year! Anyone on Orkney need a gravestone conservation workshop??

2026 Information Dates : September 9 – September 13 List of all this year’s Festival Events Following a hugely successful 2025 festival, the Orkney Archaeology Festival will r…

08/10/2026

We are so pleased to announce that we will be hosting the TalkDeath scavenger hunt at the Old Burying Ground, in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia!
Save the date: Sunday, Oct 25th! Scavenger Hunt starts at 3:30 pm AT, but we will be planning some special tours with the OBG board, so stayed tuned for more info! 🎉🎉

🌹 SAVE THE DATE: Our annual Cemetery Scavenger Hunt will be held on Sunday, October 25th at 2:30pm ET/ 11:30am PT! 🌹

The TalkDeath Cemetery Scavenger Hunt encourages people to appreciate and learn about local cemeteries and their histories.

You can participate at the local cemetery of your choice that is open to the public and allows photography for personal use 🖤

This year's art is by Ocean Escalanti 🌊

The TalkDeath Cemetery Scavenger Hunt encourages people to appreciate and learn about local cemeteries and their histories. It invites community members to visit cemeteries, reducing stigma and demonstrating that cemeteries can be spaces for the living. Participants learn about memorial iconography and history, connect with their community, spend time with friends and loved ones, and reflect on mortality.

💓YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE AT A PARTNER CEMETERY TO PARTICIPATE💓

New to TalkDeath’s Cemetery Scavenger Hunt?!

-Arrive at your local cemetery of choice at least 10 minutes before the start time

-Wait for the clues to drop at at 2:30pm ET/ 11:30am PT (clues are simultaneously posted on our Instagram, Facebook, and our website)

-Explore the cemetery looking for monuments that match the clues (think symbolism, names, dates, etc.) within an hour

-When you find a clue, take a selfie with it (selfie can simply include your hand – something to identify it’s you in all photos)

-Upload all found clues in the provided form and submit before the end of the hour (link to form will be shared closer to event date)

-Winners will be announced an hour after clues are due

-Prizes will be awarded to whoever finds 13 clues first, the highest number of clues found, and accolades such as most creative photography!

Stay tuned for more information about this year's event!

So who are you attending with and where will you be participating?!

08/07/2026

Wish we could attend this talk by our friend Dr. Laite, it looks amazing!

08/07/2026

08/07/2026

We are hiring a Museum Guidelines Project Coordinator!

Working under the supervision of MANL's Managing Director and Program Coordinator, the Museum Guidelines Project Coordinator will be responsible for overseeing every aspect of updating and revising MANL’s Guidelines for the Operation of Community Museums in Newfoundland and Labrador from the 2nd to 3rd Edition, with the primary focus on IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility) and Reconciliation.

The candidate will oversee project management, be the primary liaison to communicate and collaborate with a wide variety of community participants, and contribute to the revision of the Guidelines. The candidate will be responsible for documenting and reporting on every stage of the project, ensuring all tasks are completed on time and within budget.

For more information:https://museumsnl.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/2026-08-07_MANL-Museum-Guidelines-Project-Coordinator-Job-Descriprion.pdf

This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada. Ce projet a été rendu possible en partie grâce au gouvernement du Canada.

08/06/2026

We wanted to play too 💁‍♀️