Peterborough Museum and Archives Celebrates Successful Summer Camp Season
/The Peterborough Museum and Archives (PMA) has announced the successful completion of its 2025 summer camp season.
Photo by David Tuan Bui.
Peterborough Blogs
Peterborough Museum & Archives Displays Images of Canada’s Triumphs and Tribulations
/Canada’s triumphs, failures and sacrifices are displayed at Peterborough Museum & Archives (PMA) in a new travelling exhibition from the Canadian Museum of History and Canada’s History Society.
File Photo.
Snapshots of Canada will be presented from Dec. 12 to March 23, showcasing unforgettable images and thought-provoking texts.
The exhibition pairs 50 powerful photographs with texts by well-known Canadian historians, authors, and journalists, covering topics ranging from the trial of Métis leader Louis Riel to Paul Henderson’s winning goal in the 1972 Summit Series and from the deportation of Japanese Canadians after the Second World War to the standoff at Oka.
"The PMA is thrilled to host this exhibit," said Kim Reid, Curator of the Peterborough Museum & Archives. "It will create lasting memories for our visitors—memories that become the stories we love to share."
“The Canadian Museum of History is delighted to share Snapshots of Canada with the people of Peterborough,” said Caroline Dromaguet, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum of History. “The exhibition invites visitors to relive both iconic and lesser-known moments that have shaped Canada’s history.”
The photographs, ranging from depictions of high drama to simple joy, were drawn from “100 Photos That Changed Canada (2009)” and “100 Days That Changed Canada (2011)”, published by Canada’s History and HarperCollins Canada. The images and accompanying text explore Canada from four perspectives: Building a Country, Living Together, Seeking Justice and Celebrating Culture. Contributors include literary non-fiction writer Charlotte Gray, best-selling novelist Lawrence Hill, historian Desmond Morton, archivist Jim Burant, award-winning military historian Tim Cook, and journalist Peter Mansbridge.
“We selected the photos for their emotional impact, their aesthetic appeal, their uniqueness, and the significance of the subject they depict,” said Mark Reid, Editor-in-Chief of Canada’s History Society and the editor of the two bestselling books that inspired the exhibition. “But most of all, we chose them for the way they reflect who we were, who we are today, and who we can aspire to become as Canadians.”
Other emblematic events covered in the exhibition include the fight for women’s rights, the residential school system, the election of the Parti Québécois and the second sovereignty referendum, the Winnipeg General Strike, the legalization of same-sex marriage and Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope.
Snapshots of Canada will be presented at the Peterborough Museum & Archives, 300 Hunter St. E., from Dec. 12, to March 23. The arrival of this powerful exhibit will be celebrated with a public opening on Dec. 12 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
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Ontario Museum Association Recognizes Peterborough Museum and Archives With Award of Excellence in Special Projects
/The Peterborough Museum & Archives (PMA) has been recognized with the Ontario Museum Association Award of Excellence in Special Projects for its role in the “To Honour and Respect: Gifts from Michi Saagiig Women to the Prince of Wales, 1860” exhibition project on Friday.
File photo.
The Award recognizes innovative initiatives, approaches or techniques that profoundly advance the museum profession.
The exhibition featured 13 quilled wiigwassii makakoon (birch bark baskets) on loan from His Majesty King Charles III, through the Royal Collection Trust, United Kingdom. The makakoon were created by women of Hiawatha First Nation and gifted to the Prince of Wales on Sept. 7, 1860, when he visited on a cross-Canada Royal tour.
The exhibition focused on education, revitalization, and skill-building. Traditional quillwork and the Michi-Saagiig Nishnaabemowin language were integrated into the exhibition, project materials, and events. Interactions with the makakoon provided powerful moments to pass down traditional skills, strengthen intergenerational connections, foster healing, and promote cross-cultural understanding.
“The complex partnerships brought together for this project have helped to continue to strengthen the relationships between the PMA and local Indigenous communities,” said Dr. Amy Barron, Program Coordinator, Heritage Programs, Haliburton School of Art + Design, Fleming College. “Hopefully, this project can serve as a model for the loan of other Indigenous artifacts from overseas institutions, allowing these ancestors a chance to return home.”
‘To Honour and Respect: Gifts from Michi Saagiig Women to the Prince of Wales, 1860’ was a partnership between Hiawatha First Nation, the Mississauga Nation, the PMA, the Royal Collection Trust and the co-Curators, Dr. L. Beavis and Dr. L. Peers.
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May Considered Museum Month For The City of Peterborough
/Peterborough Museum and Archives is celebrating “May is Museum Month” and encourages residents and visitors to plan a visit to a museum to learn about local heritage and culture and participate in programs, special events and exhibitions, announced Monday.
File Photo.
This year's theme is ‘Museums for Education and Research,’ which aims to highlight museums' pivotal role in learning, innovation and knowledge sharing.
The Peterborough Museum and Archives is designated as a 'Category A Collecting Institution,' meaning it collects, preserves and makes cultural property accessible to the public through exhibitions, research and online.
Accordingly, the Peterborough Museum & Archives manages:
over 45,000 objects in its artifact collections
over 400,000 original photographic negatives, 2,000 fonds and over 3,300 linear feet of archival material in its archival collections
the care and conservation of all objects and archival material in our collection.
Peterborough Museum and Archives provides exhibits and programming for everyone regardless of age. The Museum is self-guided and available by donation. The facility is located at 300 Hunter St. E., within Ashburnham Memorial Park on Armour Hill, in Peterborough. All visits to the archives require an appointment. Please call in advance to book your visit at 705-743-5180.
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26th Annual Transportation Day Car and Motorcycle Show is Coming to Lang Pioneer Village Museum in July
/Lang Pioneer Village Museum invites the public to the 26th Annual Transportation Day Car and Motorcycle Show on Sunday, July 9 to witness a timeline of transportation from across Ontario.
photo courtesy of the Lang Pioneer Village Museum.
Transportation enthusiasts will showcase their antique and classic cars and vintage motorcycles throughout the historic village from 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Take a stroll through the village or hop on board a horse-drawn wagon ride, learn more about how transportation has changed over the years and the roles that various trades played in the creation of transportation methods.
Attendees can check out a variety of 19th-century modes of transportation such as sleighs, wagons and milk carts in the Transportation Barn. Stop by the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building (PCAHB) to view a Via Rail display, and enjoy music from the 50s to 80s with DJ Del and Jenny Jams.
View an antique clock and timepiece collection in the Menie General Store and see a variety of historic demonstrations throughout the village; such as broom making, shingle making at the Shingle Mill, and grinding at the Lang Grist Mill. Kids can take part in some schoolyard games and make a craft at the Ayotte Cabin.
Demonstrators and visitors can enjoy a pancake breakfast served while supplies last in the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building (additional fee applies).
The Keene Lions Club food truck will be onsite selling BBQ goods and there will be fresh Empire Cheese curd and bread available for purchase in the Cheese Factory. Haven Brewing Company will be also be at the event selling traditional European beers in the beer garden.
For those wishing to bring their vehicle to display, participant registration runs from 8 a.m. to noon with a $10 registration fee that includes admission into the village. The first 200 vehicles to enter will receive a complimentary dash plaque as a souvenir of their participation. Over 25 trophies will be awarded including the coveted People’s Choice and Lang’s Choice.
Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors (60+), $7 for youths (ages 5-14) and free for children under 5. Family admission is also available for $40 and includes 2 adults and up to 4 youths (ages 5-14). Visitors may purchase admission in advance via the Museum’s online shop, but advance purchase is not required. For more information, visit the website.
The Annual Father’s Day Smoke and Steam Show is Back at Lang Pioneer Village
/The Lang Pioneer Village Museum’s 2023 event season kicks off on Sunday, June 18 with the 26th Annual Father’s Day Smoke & Steam Show.
photo courtesy of lang pioneer village museum.
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, treat dad to a nostalgic Father’s Day filled with tractors and powerful equipment.
Watch as local collectors bring to life some of the oldest antique tractors and steam engines around as they compete for over 20 awards including Best Unique Exhibit, Best Display and Lang Pioneer Village’s Choice.
Watch as tractors try to balance on a tilted platform as fast as possible or maneuver through an obstacle course while balancing a tin can on a stick. View displays of smoke and steam collectibles, hit and miss engines, antique tool collections and more. The tractor games, including lawn tractor races, begin at noon.
Throughout the Village, learn about the many ways power was generated in the 1800s. See the Shingle Mill in full operation powered by volunteers and antique engines. Enjoy a variety of historic demonstrations including spring-pole lathe, broad axe hand hewing, natural dyeing, spinning, grinding at the Grist Mill and more. Hop on board a tractor and wagon ride and tour the historic village in style. Take some time to pause and enjoy live music by Glen Caradus & Fiddling Jay. Check out the model train display brought by the Ganaraska Railway Modellers and Jim Burchell. Kids can take part in some old-fashioned games in the schoolyard and make a paper whistle to take home. Don’t forget to visit the farm animals, on loan from Harley Farms for the summer.
Demonstrators and visitors can enjoy a pancake breakfast (served while supplies last) in the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building (additional fee applies). Refreshments and sweet treats will be available for purchase throughout the day at the Keene Hotel, or stop by Ben’s Kettle Corn who will be popping up fresh kettle corn. The Keene Lions Club food truck will also be onsite selling BBQ goods and there will be fresh Empire Cheese curd available for purchase in the Cheese Factory. If you haven’t already over-indulged in delicious treats, take part in the pie-eating contest on the Village Green.
The day will conclude with a tractor parade through the historic village beginning at 3 p.m.
Admission to the 26th Annual Father’s Day Smoke & Steam Show is $15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors (60+), $7 for youths (ages 5-14) and free for children under 5.
Family admission is also available for $40, which includes 2 adults and up to 4 youths (ages 5-14). Visitors may purchase admission in advance via the Museum’s online shop, but advance purchase is not required. For more information, visit the website.
Canadian Canoe Museum Begins the Historic Move of Over 600 Watercraft and Artifacts
/The Canadian Canoe Museum (CCM) is preparing to relocate its entire collection from its current landlocked location to a new waterfront campus across the City; inviting the public to support through new fundraising campaign ‘Move the Collection: The Final Portage.’
photo courtesy of the canadian canoe museum, facebook.
The campaign is led by avid paddling enthusiasts and local community leaders Mike Judson and Neil Morton. As a symbolic gesture of the forthcoming move of the entire collection, the two will portage a symbolic canoe throughout Peterborough, from the current museum to its new 65,000-square-foot home for the campaign's duration, which will release videos at different milestones.
The CCM’s collection consists of more than 600 canoes, kayaks and paddled watercraft (ranging up to 53’ long and weighing up to 1,500 pounds), hundreds of small artifacts and a library and archive. The collection was declared a cultural asset of national significance by the Senate in 2013.
The CCM has spent more than two years carefully preparing the collection for its upcoming relocation, cleaning and packing each artifact to ensure the utmost care during the move. The Museum has been temporarily closed since September 2022 to allow staff to remove artifacts on exhibit for the past two decades. When the new museum opens, it will also feature new exhibits, promising an enhanced and immersive visitor experience, including canoes and kayaks that have never been on public display.
McWilliams Moving and Storage has partnered with the CCM as its official mover of the collection.
“McWilliams Moving and Storage has been part of the CCM family since its inception with the first portage of museum artifacts from Dorset, Ontario, to Peterborough over two decades ago. We are honoured to continue this tradition as the Official Movers of the CCM and complete the final portage to a new architectural and cultural landmark in the city of Peterborough,” says Dan McWilliams, president of McWilliams Moving & Storage. “Having the opportunity to pack and transport these pieces of Canadian heritage allows us to be part of the journey and story of this national icon in our great City.”
As part of The Final Portage campaign, the CCM is releasing a series of videos and behind-the-scenes content this summer and fall featuring Mike Judson and Neil Morton portaging an iconic red canvas canoe past recognizable landmarks in Peterborough.
This will allow the public to follow the fundraising campaign’s progress while building excitement for the Museum’s reopening, anticipated this fall. To view the first video, visit the Canadian Canoe Museum website.
“Moving a collection of this size and scale in the span of months is no small feat for our team and supporters,” says Carolyn Hyslop, executive director of the CCM. “This move represents a pivotal moment in our museum's history. By relocating to the waterfront, we will not only enhance the accessibility and visibility of this extraordinary collection but also create a transformative experience for our visitors. We are inviting donors and sponsors to be a part of this monumental move and help us bring the legacy of paddled watercraft to a wider audience.”
“Canoeing is one of my great passions in life, and seeing this national treasure move to the water’s edge in this community I adore is a dream,” says Neil Morton, one of the campaign's Lead Portagers. “It’s fantastic to be a part of The Final Portage campaign and this historic moment with my fellow Lead Portager Mike Judson as we help carry this to the finish line!”
Surrounded by public parks, the Museum’s new home is located on a five-acre site at 2077 Ashburnham Drive that provides west-facing views of Little Lake and a connection to the Trans Canada Trail along the water’s edge in Peterborough. The purpose-built facility on the water, with an array of indoor and outdoor spaces, will allow the Museum to deliver on its mission in inspiring new ways. It will become a community space for outdoor activities, including the Museum’s canoeing and outdoor programs and events.
“Supporting initiatives like the Museum's historic move is an investment in preserving our shared heritage and cultural legacy. By contributing to this endeavour, we actively steward invaluable artifacts and ensure their accessibility to future generations,” continues Hyslop. “Institutions like ours serve as gateways to knowledge, inspiration, and understanding, and it is through your support that we enable the continued celebration and exploration of our collective history.”
The CCM invites donors and sponsors to join them in preserving history and shaping the future by supporting the campaign. Contributions will play a vital role in ensuring the safe and successful relocation of the world's largest and most significant collection of paddled watercraft.
Businesses interested in sponsorship opportunities can contact Rose Terry, philanthropy associate, via email.
To donate to the Canadian Canoe Museum, visit the link.
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Lang Pioneer Village Museum to Open May 23
/The Lang Pioneer Village Museum announces they will be beginning their 2023 tour season on Tuesday, May 23.
photo courtesy of lang pioneer village.
May is Museum Month and a great time to start planning a trip to Lang Pioneer Village Museum. The Village will once again be bustling with costumed interpreters who will demonstrate the trades and pastimes of local settlers and Indigenous people of the 19th century.
The Museum will initially be open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. until June 16 for spring hours. Kicking off both the Museum’s summer hours and special event season is the annual Father’s Day Smoke & Steam Show on June 18.
The Museum’s 56th season will see the return of many popular special events including the Father’s Day Smoke & Steam Show, the Transportation Day Car & Motorcycle Show, Village by Lantern Light, Applefest, Historic All Hallows’ Eve and Christmas by Candlelight. Also returning this year is a late-summer harvest celebration, the Corn Roast. The Corn Roast will give visitors an opportunity to celebrate the early harvest season, with plenty of fire-cooked corn to enjoy. Also returning is the Christmas Bazaar, which brings together a variety of local artisans at the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building for a day of holiday shopping.
“Our staff and volunteers are excited to welcome everyone to the museum this summer. We've been working on opening up the heritage buildings, cleaning up the site, and freshening up our content with lots of opportunities to see and do throughout your visit with us," says museum operations manager Elizabeth King.
Visitors may purchase admission for both daily visits and special events at the door or in advance online. For those wanting to take advantage of all the museum has to offer this season, season passes are also available for purchase.
Travel back in time this season at Lang Pioneer Village Museum! The Village is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays from May 23 to June 16, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday from Father’s Day to Labour Day weekend. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for students and seniors (60+), $5 for youths (ages 5-14), free for children under 5. Family admission is also available for $30 and includes 2 adults and up to 4 youths ages 5-14. Special event pricing varies.
For more information, visit the website.
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Canadian Canoe Museum Announces $1.775 Million Transformative Gift for New Waterfront Campus
/The Canadian Canoe Museum (CCM) announced Thursday a transformative gift of $1,775,000 to create a vibrant, community-oriented waterfront campus along the shores of the Museum’s future home at 2077 Ashburnham Drive.
Jeremy Ward (Curator), Rodger Wright (Fundraising Cabinet volunteer), Carolyn Hyslop (Executive Director), Stu Lang (donor), Helen Batten (Landscape Architect, Basterfield & Associates Ltd.) and David Hadden (Fundraising Cabinet volunteer) during a visit to the CCM’s future home. photo courtesy of the canadian canoe museum.
The Lakefront Campus and Gathering Circle, made possible by the philanthropic efforts of former CFL player and businessman Stuart (Stu) Lang and his wife, Kim, will offer visitors the chance to learn and build connections with the land, water, and community through immersive, authentic outdoor experiences that will create a new generation of paddlers.
The CCM's future home features a 5.3-acre Lakefront Campus that will extend and enhance the museum experience, offering visitors a variety of outdoor activities both on and off the water. The 1,200 feet of shoreline, docks, boardwalk, restored and naturalized spaces, and wetland will act as a multi-purpose outdoor classroom for learners of all ages and be an active community space.
"We are incredibly grateful and fortunate for the passion, vision, and generosity of the Langs. Stu has taken great pride in helping craft an active waterfront that can complement the Museum, with many of the ideas for the Lakefront Campus coming from Stu himself. This gift, confirmed in the fall of 2022, has grown to the transformative gift it is today because of the Langs’ commitment to excellence and elevating the CCM to a national level," said Carolyn Hyslop, executive director.
A Gathering Circle outside the Museum’s main entrance will greet visitors arriving by car, bus, bicycle, or on foot. Inspired by Canadian canoe routes and water's impact on the landscape, the Gathering Circle will feature natural elements, emphasizing the relationship between land and water. A water infiltration garden, wood slat benches, and a small amphitheatre surrounded by large granite boulders and white pine trees will offer visitors a space for reflection and education before or after their adventures.
The redevelopment of the waterfront will also include an accessible, year-round boardwalk connecting the CCM to the Trans Canada Trail and the shoreline. There will be many opportunities to get out on the water with a walk-in canoe launch, two expansive seasonal canoe docks, and an adaptive canoe and kayak launch station. The docks and Canoe House will allow the CCM to host voyageur canoe tours, adult and youth paddling programs, certification courses, regattas and canoe and kayak rentals for the public.
The Lakefront Campus is an entirely new offering for the CCM, one where visitors can take their newly acquired skills and understandings outside and put them into practice immediately, creating a fully integrated visitor experience.
“Participants in a paddle carving or canoe restoration workshop will experience the excitement of testing their freshly honed skills on the water. Schoolchildren and campers will get their hands dirty while exploring the biodiversity of the wetland or learning to build a campfire. Seating and signage throughout the site will encourage visitors and trail users to take in the expansive views of Little Lake before or after visiting the galleries. And the docks, canoe racks and a connection to the Trans Canada Trail will encourage community connectivity and active, accessible transportation,” continued Hyslop.
The Lang’s are highly respected members of the Guelph community, contributing to the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC), the Guelph Humane Society and Guelph General Hospital. They are well-known champions of Queen's University, their alma mater, and the University of Guelph, where the Lang School of Business and Economics is named after Stu’s father.
Stu had a successful eight-year professional football career with the Edmonton Elks in the Canadian Football League (CFL), winning five Grey Cups. He later joined the family business, CCL Industries, and worked there for 25 years before becoming a director of the company.
Stu and Kim also have a passion for camping and canoe tripping, having attended The Taylor Statten Camps in Algonquin Park. At these camps, they both developed a life-long passion and interest in canoeing, the outdoors, and educating youth about Canadian history.
"The Canadian Canoe Museum's world-class collection deserves an outstanding home. A fully realized Lakefront Campus and Gathering Circle are essential. They will showcase the canoe's incredible history and cultural significance and connect people to the land and water in a way that only hands-on experiences can. The new museum will be a place where people can come together, learn by doing, and be inspired by the stories and traditions of the canoe. It's an investment in our past, present, and future, and we are proud to be a part of it," says Stu Lang.
The Langs join a generous group of donors and funders across the country contributing to the Inspiring Canada by Canoe campaign, which has raised 95% of the $40 million cost for the project.
The new museum is made possible, in part, by the CCM’s lead donor and government partners, including the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), the Weston Family Foundation, the City of Peterborough, Peterborough County, and the Province of Ontario.
The new museum and waterfront campus are under construction, with an anticipated grand opening in late summer or early fall. For more information or to sign-up for updates, visit CCM's website.
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Canadian Canoe Museum Provides Progress Update On New Museum; Delays Grand Opening
/Progress updates outline that industry-wide construction challenges have delayed the Ashburnham Drive Canadian Canoe Museum’s (CCM) opening to late summer or early fall announced Thursday.
photo courtesy of the canadian canoe museum.
