As today, Oak Island has been drawing visitors for a long time. The promise of treasure and a swashbuckling mystery have a universal appeal, and today, as in the past, hundreds arrive at the island each year, hoping for a glimpse of the famed Money Pit and the chance to walk on the island that has so inspired them.

Over the years, Oak Island has been closed to the public for periods of time, and has also enjoyed very popular public tours. It used to be a popular tourist attraction which was open throughout the summer for people to walk freely around the island, ask tour guides questions and at one stage, even participate in a ‘treasure hunt’ on the beach. The following materials come from that time when the island was open to the public. Download the entire visitor booklet, information leaflet and authentic tickets from the tours.

In the Noughties, tours were run on Oak Island by the Oak Island Tourism Society. Escorted tours, along with artefact displays and talks from renowned speakers were organised for one weekend every year, providing a social get together for Oak Island enthusiasts from around the world. Sadly, the Society is no more, but tours do still take place organised by the Friends of Oak Island Society.

Keeping with the tourism theme, people have ventured to Western Shore to visit Oak Island for years. In a time before the internet, this would have been a real adventure to seek out a tiny island in Mahone Bay in search of treasure! The following postcards were kindly donated to the Oak Island Archive by Joy Steele.