A bright yellow dory boat sits on green grass in front of a large, weathered gray wooden building with red trim. A body of water with sailboats is visible in the background under a cloudy sky.

The Dory Shop Museum

Step into a harbourside dory factory where 50,000 ‘workhorses of the sea’ have been turned out since its doors opened in 1880.

Two yellow Shelburne dory boats with green trim are stacked inside a museum space with wooden floors and exposed beams. Various exhibits and artifacts are visible in the background.

Building Tradition

On the ground floor, learn about how they were used in the Grand Banks fishery and what made the Shelburne dory the most popular small craft in the Atlantic provinces for almost a century.  In the second floor workshop, the traditional skills and knowledge of craftsmen from a bygone era are still in evidence as our Dory Builder continues to produce authentic Shelburne dories.  If you come at the right time, you may be invited out for a row!

The ground floor of the museum is physically accessible with a wheelchair-friendly entry available on request.  The site, which is in the Nova Scotia Museum family, offers guided and self-guided tours in both official languages.

Three tightly woven jute rope knots hang in a row, suspended by a thinner jute rope. The background is a blurred interior space, possibly a workshop or store, with shelves and a chair visible.

Museums by the Sea

Shelburne’s Museums by the Sea, including the Dory Shop, along with a dozen historic buildings and stunning green spaces, comprise Shelburne’s historic waterfront on Dock Street.

Explore Shelburne’s Museums by the Sea