The Rooms
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| Established | 2005 |
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| Location | 9 Bonaventure Avenue St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada A1C 5P9 |
| Type | Art Gallery, the Provincial Archives and the Provincial Museum. |
| Website | |
| Official name | Fort Townshend National Historic Site of Canada |
| Designated | 1951 |
The Rooms is a cultural facility in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The facility opened in 2005 and houses the Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Provincial Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador.
The facility was constructed on a hill overlooking the port city, at a historic location once occupied by Fort Townshend. The building can be seen from almost any point in St. John's, and the facility has since its construction competed with its neighbour, Basilica of St. John the Baptist, for the dominance of the St. John's skyline.
The building's name, as well as its architecture, is a reference to the simple gable-roofed sheds (called "fishing rooms") that were once so common at the waterline in Newfoundland fishing villages.
During the planning and construction of the building much opposition was raised by archaeologists and historians because of its location. Previously on the same strategic spot of land was located Fort Townshend, an 18th-century military fort, that was eventually buried under ground. The great star-shaped citadel, one of the largest British fortifications in North America at the time, was built to defend Britain's fishing interests. With the withdrawal of the imperial garrison in 1870, the site became the home of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary and, later, the St. John's Fire Department.
The site was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1951.
On-site interpretation allows visitors to explore this historic past. Careful research and documentation before construction ensured that future study of the site is possible.
In March 2013, The Rooms Corporation announced it would developing an outdoor space to improve access and safety, and to commemorate the history of Fort Townshend. The outline of the Fort is to be marked with granite pavers along a lit pathway, as an extension of the Grand Concourse. Plans to excavate archaeological remains of Fort Townshend, which are largely located under the building, were not defined in the scope of the project. The outdoor space will be completed by the Grand Concourse Authority in two phases between 2013 and 2014.
The facility was officially opened on June 29, 2005. The building offers a panoramic view of downtown St. John's and its architecture, St. John's Harbour, The Narrows and Signal Hill. The Rooms combines three divisions: Archives, Art Gallery, and Museum.
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