9 Best Sights in Fredericton, New Brunswick

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We've compiled the best of the best in Fredericton - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.

Beaverbrook Art Gallery

Fodor's choice

This already exceptional gallery continues to grow—following on from its 5,000 square-foot expansion in 2017, it is set to open another new building, the Harrison McCain Pavilion, in 2022. The Beaverbrook's international collection is a remarkably broad and important one that one might not expect to find in a relatively small provincial city. The foundation on which this has been built is the lasting gift of the late Lord Beaverbrook, born and raised in New Brunswick before building his U.K. media empire. It contains a significant collection of Canadian, American, British, and other European masterworks that rivals many major Canadian galleries. Salvador Dalí's gigantic painting Santiago el Grande has always been the star, but a rotation of avant-garde Canadian paintings now shares pride of place. The current McCain "gallery-within-a-gallery" is devoted to the finest Atlantic Canadian artists. Larger spaces employ the artful use of dividers to create an intimate exerience, and in the 2017 extension, the art is enhanced by a stunning view of the river. Various special events and an artist-in-residence program add to the enjoyment. There's a great café with a terrace on the lower level, and a sculpture garden outside links to the riverside path.

Historic Garrison District

Fodor's choice

The restored buildings of this British and Canadian military post is a National Historic Site and one of New Brunswick's top attractions. It extends two blocks along Queen Street and includes soldiers' barracks, a guardhouse, and a cellblock. Local artisans operate studios in the casemates below the soldiers' barracks on Barracks Square. In July and August free guided tours run throughout the day, and there are regular outdoor concerts on Officers' Square. Redcoat soldiers have long stood guard on the square, and a formal changing-of-the-guard ceremony takes place July and August at 11 am and 4 pm daily, with an additional ceremony at 7 pm on Tuesday and Thursday. It's even possible for children (ages 4 to 12) to live a soldier's life for a while: each summer at 1:15 (or 11:15 for the French version) at the Guardhouse, would-be Redcoats get their own uniforms, practice drilling, and take part in a "mission" (C$10 per child). The square hosts a number of festivals, there's nightly entertainment in summer, and on Sunday evenings in July and August, free classic movies are shown under the stars in Barracks Square at approximately 9 pm. A summertime Garrison Night Market features arts, crafts, local produce, live music, and more.

CFB Gagetown Military Museum

Oromocto, off Highway 2, east of Fredericton, is the site of the Canadian Armed Forces base Camp Gagetown, the largest military base in Canada (not to be confused with the pretty Village of Gagetown farther downriver), where Prince Charles completed his helicopter training. The interesting museum here traces Canada's military history back to the 18th century and includes regimental, naval, and air force exhibits.

Recommended Fodor's Video

Christ Church Cathedral

This gray-stone building, completed in 1853, is an excellent example of decorated neo-Gothic architecture. The cathedral's design was based on an English medieval architectural style, and the cathedral became a model for many American churches. Inside is some fine carved marble and a clock known as "Big Ben's little brother"—it was the prototype for London's famous timepiece, designed by Lord Grimthorpe.

168 Church St., Fredericton, NB, E3B 4C9, Canada
506-450–8500
Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free

Fredericton Region Museum

The Officers' Quarters in the Historic Garrison District house a museum that presents a living picture of the community from the time when only First Nations peoples inhabited the area through the Acadian and Loyalist days to the immediate past. Its World War I trench puts you in the thick of battle, and the shellacked remains of the giant Coleman Frog, a Fredericton legend, still inspire controversy. There is also an artists' co-op store featuring locally produced art and crafts. If you're visiting outside the summer months, wear warm clothing—the historic site has no heating or insulation. 

Gallery 78

In a distinctive historic house, the oldest private gallery in New Brunswick has original works by more than 100 Atlantic Canadian artists, including painters, printmakers, ceramicists, sculptors, jewelers, and photographers.

796 Queen St., Fredericton, NB, E3B 1C6, Canada
506-454–5192
Sight Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. except by appointment

Government House

This imposing 1828 Palladian mansion on the south bank of the St. John River is the official residence and office of New Brunswick's lieutenant governor. Guided tours take in elegantly restored state rooms and art galleries exhibiting New Brunswick art and crafts. The 11-acre grounds, once a 17th-century Acadian settlement, border an early Maliseet burial ground. It's also the venue for a number of festivals and other events every year.

Provincial Legislature

The interior chamber of this imposing building, where the premier and elected members govern the province, reflects the taste of the late Victorians. The chandeliers are brass, and some of the prisms are Waterford. Replicas of portraits by Sir Joshua Reynolds of King George III and Queen Charlotte hang here. There's a freestanding circular staircase, and the library (506/453–2338) owns a complete four-volume set of hand-color copper engravings of Audubon's Birds of America, one of only five sets in Canada. Wander in for a look around, or call ahead to arrange a tour.

Queens County Museum

Expanding by leaps and bounds, the museum's original building, Tilley House (a National Historic Site), was the birthplace of Sir Leonard Tilley, one of the Fathers of Confederation. It displays Loyalist and First Nations artifacts, early-20th-century medical equipment, Victorian glassware, and more. The nearby Queens County Courthouse ( 16 Courthouse Rd.) is part of the museum and has archival material and courthouse furniture as well as changing exhibits. The third site is Flower House in Cambridge Narrow ( 2270 Lower Cambridge Rd.), built in 1818 by artist Anthony Flower. It relates his family history and contains a collection of his art, alongside works by other New Brunswick artists. Another building, the historic Loomcrofters Studio, dating back at least to 1761, has now been moved onto the grounds of Tilley House.

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