Our Civic Address is: 9849 Highway #3, Hubbards/Queensland, Nova Scotia, Canada, B0J 1T0
The Hooked Rug Museum of North America was the dream of Suzanne Conrod of Chester, Nova Scotia. Together with her husband Hugh, they began collecting rugs and artifacts that would form the basis for a museum collection.
By 2005, they had assembled an impressive collection and they looked for community support to build a proper museum to serve North America. Support came quickly as a number of people began to share their vision. All of this was not quite enough however to move onto next steps as needed. Hugh and Suzanne would have to jump start the next big step of incorporation by kicking in $150,000 of their own monies.
In 2006, the Hooked Rug Museum of North America Society was incorporated. Governed by a Board of Directors in Nova Scotia and Directors At Large in Canada and U.S.A. with Suzanne Conrod as the Chair, the Society was recognized by the Government of Canada as a legally registered charity which may issue formal receipts acceptable to Revenue Canada for tax purposes. This not-for-profit society was and still is committed to the long term success of the project.
Of special note here: All great ideas and their resulting projects run into many challenges throughout every stage. For each "win" there is normally a number of setbacks and/or seemingly insurmountable challenges. One such challenge was obtaining a place to "put" the museum. A building had to be located, had to be affordable and would require finances. Good news, the perfect building was found - but; a not-for-profit is not able to get funding or financing without a building, a physical presence. Without funding and financing, how were we to get a building? Thankfully, Suzanne and Hugh Conrod were extremely committed to see this dream come alive and thrive. Together, they provided the first $150,000.00 needed to purchase the building. We are very grateful for their generosity, ability to step into a difficult situation and their commitment to what became the dream and goal of so many people.
In 2011, the museum opened the doors to the Market Place for the summer season in their new building in Queensland (near Hubbards). The museum occupies 8950 square feet. With the aid of a summer student and many volunteers they were open 7 days a week and received visitors from far and wide who were anxious to see the new home of the museum.
In 2012 the first 5 galleries were opened and the interior of the museum was completely finished by the winter of 2013. Every year the museum will feature 2 contemporary artists, one from Canada and one from the United States.
in 2013 HRMNA celebrated their Official Opening in June. All the gallery rooms were open and featured many exhibits. The ribbon was cut on the Founders' Gallery during thie celebration. The Market Place had a very successfull year and we had approximately 2000 visitors to the museum. HRMNA truly is an international museum!!
Founder Suzanne Conrod Founder Hugh Conrod
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Conrod, William HUGH, of Chester, N.S., passed away in his 85th year, on September 16, 2013, at the South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgewater, N.S., after having suffered a severe stroke. Hugh was born October 18, 1928, in Dartmouth, N.S., the son of the late Roy and Edith Conrod. He is survived by his wife Suzanne (nee LaFrance), his three children (by first wife Enid (nee Wright)), Wendy (Paul), Derek (Peter), and Monique (Ian); one granddaughter, Saskia, his sister, Carole; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sisters, Betty Conrod and Joan (Charlie) Ghent.
His early career was in photo-journalism. He was Bureau Chief for the Halifax Herald Ltd. in Dartmouth for 21 years. From 1968 to the early 1980s he held various provincial governmental positions, including first Deputy Minister of Recreation, member of the Board of Governors of the Nova Scotia Museum, first Nova Scotia Lottery Commission Chairman and Deputy Minister of Tourism. He was the author of various historic books and was instrumental in leading the effort to create the Dartmouth Historical Museum in the 1970s. With his wife Suzanne, he founded the Hooked Rug Museum of North America in Lunenburg County, which officially opened in June, 2013.
In Memory of our Founding Director, Hugh Conrod.
Hugh walks to the podium at the Official Open of the Museum in June, 2013, amidst much applause from the gathered guests.
Suzanne and Hugh in the Founder's Gallery at the Official Opening.