Between 1928 and 1971 more than one million immigrants arrived in Canada at Pier 21, Canada's version of America's Ellis Island.  In 1999, the pier was restored and reopened, filled with engaging interpretive exhibits that vividly evoke the confusion and anxiety of the immigration experience. The pier is divided roughly into three sections: the boarding of the ship amid the cacophony of many languages, the crossing of the Atlantic (a half-hour multimedia show recaptures the voyage in a ship-like theater), and the dispersal of recent arrivals throughout Canada via passenger train. Some of Canada’s immigration policies and practices were less than admirable, and the museum does not gloss over these. For example, in a campaign to attract western American farmers to Canada’s prairies, African Americans were openly discouraged from immigrating. Most intriguing are the personal stories told on interpretive panels and in videos and audio displays. You can also research your own family’s history if a relative came to Canada through Pier 21. Don’t hesitate to bring the little ones; there are meaningful activities for kids, too.