Firefighters Museum in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada | Museum

Welcome to the Firefighters Museum, Yarmouth, Canada. Imagine the clang of the fire bell, the smell of smoke and the feel of hot steam as firefighters race to save close-built houses: the world of the firefighter in a province made of wood.

You don't have to be a firefighter to appreciate the Firefighters Museum of Nova Scotia in Yarmouth. Antique auto enthusiasts especially enjoy the important collection of vintage equipment: the pumpers, hose wagons, and ladder trucks--not to mention the 1863 Amoskeag Steamer, one of the oldest surviving steamers in Canada. Even though these fire trucks had long service careers before being retired, they're all in excellent condition. It only stands to reason. Firefighters routinely risk their lives. As a consequence, they take great pains to ensure the equipment they depend on is in good running order.

A favourite exhibit at the Firefighters Museum with the kids is the 1933 Chev Bickle Pumper. The funny name is appealing in itself, but the chance to actually put on a fire helmet and take the wheel is the real draw.

The Yarmouth Museum also chronicles the fascinating history of firefighting in the province through photographs, recollections, and thousands of artifacts. For example, there's the Circus Ship Fire of 1963. It wasn't a situation the Yarmouth Fire Department had had a lot of experience with. For one thing, no one was quite sure how cheetahs felt about hoses (and the people holding them) or whether a brahma bull might get a little spooked under the circumstances. For another, a zebra looked like it would either burn to death or drown. It may not have been the most dangerous blaze in the history of firefighting in Nova Scotia-only the zebra didn't make it-but it was certainly one of the most unusual.

Also featured in the Museum collection are antique toy fire engines, uniforms, and a huge collection of shoulder crests, patches, and badges from fire departments around the world.