Donald Crowdis
Encyclopedia
Donald Crowdis iwas a retired museum curator
, broadcaster, and one of the world's oldest bloggers. Born in Halifax
, Nova Scotia
on December 24, 1913, he became curator and later director of the Nova Scotia Museum
in 1940, succeeding Harry Piers
. He served at the museum for 25 years focusing on the growth of its science collection until his departure in 1965. After World War II
, Crowdis spearheaded an effort which led to the construction of the Halifax Memorial Library in 1951 (now the Spring Garden Road Memorial branch of the Halifax Public Libraries
system). Beginning in 1965, Crowdis was a member of the executive team that oversaw the establishment of what is now the Ontario Science Centre
. He also became host of the popular CBC television
series The Nature of Things
Crowdis was also one of the last living survivors of the Halifax Explosion
. He lived in Toronto
and wrote a blog
named Don To Earth Again, making him one of the world's oldest bloggers.
In 2008, Crowdis was inducted into the Nova Scotia Discovery Centre Hall of Fame.
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
, broadcaster, and one of the world's oldest bloggers. Born in Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
on December 24, 1913, he became curator and later director of the Nova Scotia Museum
Nova Scotia Museum
Nova Scotia Museum is the corporate name for the most decentralized museum in Canada - 27 museums across Nova Scotia, including over 200 historic buildings, living history sites, vessels, specialized museums and close to a million artifacts and specimens...
in 1940, succeeding Harry Piers
Harry Piers
Harry Piers, was a long-serving and influential historian and curator at the Nova Scotia Museum in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Piers was born on February 12, 1870 in Halifax....
. He served at the museum for 25 years focusing on the growth of its science collection until his departure in 1965. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Crowdis spearheaded an effort which led to the construction of the Halifax Memorial Library in 1951 (now the Spring Garden Road Memorial branch of the Halifax Public Libraries
Halifax Public Libraries
Halifax Public Libraries is the public library system that serves the Halifax Regional Municipality of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was created in 1996 through a merging of the Halifax, Dartmouth Regional, and Halifax County library systems...
system). Beginning in 1965, Crowdis was a member of the executive team that oversaw the establishment of what is now the Ontario Science Centre
Ontario Science Centre
Ontario Science Centre is a science museum in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, near the Don Valley Parkway about northeast of downtown on Don Mills Road just south of Eglinton Avenue East...
. He also became host of the popular CBC television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
series The Nature of Things
The Nature of Things
The Nature of Things is a Canadian television series of documentary programs. It debuted on the CBC on November 6, 1960. Many of the programs document nature and the effect that humans have on it. The program was one of the first to explore environmental issues, such as clear-cut logging...
Crowdis was also one of the last living survivors of the Halifax Explosion
Halifax Explosion
The Halifax Explosion occurred on Thursday, December 6, 1917, when the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, was devastated by the huge detonation of the SS Mont-Blanc, a French cargo ship, fully loaded with wartime explosives, which accidentally collided with the Norwegian SS Imo in "The Narrows"...
. He lived in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and wrote a blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
named Don To Earth Again, making him one of the world's oldest bloggers.
In 2008, Crowdis was inducted into the Nova Scotia Discovery Centre Hall of Fame.