Ontario Ag History Resources

Below is a list of agriculture and rural museums and resources across Ontario. If you would like to be added to this list, please contact us reflections@farms.com

 

1000 Islands History Museum

Gananoque, ON
Leeds & Grenville
Multiple
Area cultural and natural history, including 1000 Islands ecosystem, First Nations and early settlers, military and tourism exhibits, impact of the St. Lawrence River


Adelaide Hunter Hoodless Homestead

St. George, ON
Brant County
Historic House
Mid-19th century childhood farm home of Adelaide Hunter Hoodless, founder of the Women's Institute


Anderson Farm Museum

Lively, ON
Greater Sudbury
Agriculture
Agriculture Operated by Greater Sudbury Heritage Museums, historic 1920s period farmhouse, barn and milk house


Beachville and District Museum

Beechville, ON
Oxford County
Local history / Agriculture equipment and vehicles
Includes Victorian period room displays, agriculture equipment and vehicles


Bonnechere Museum

Bonnechere, ON
Renfrew County
Multiple
Local history, culture and natural history, including area Ordovician fossils, geology, First Nations artifacts, fur trade, timber industry


Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre

Southampton, ON
Bruce County
Multiple
Exhibits include local history, natural history, maritime, First Nations, agriculture, maritime, military and culture


Buxton National Historic Site & Museum

North Buxton, ON
Chatham/Kent County
Multiple
Grounds include a museum, a church, a log cabin and a school. Visit this early African-Canadian settlement to learn about the Underground Railroad, the history of slavery, and much more.


Canada Agriculture and Food Museum

Ottawa, ON
Ottawa County
Agriculture
Demonstration farm with live animals, tractors exhibit


Canada Agriculture Hall of Fame

Toronto, ON
York County
History
honours and celebrates Canadians for outstanding contributions to the Agriculture and Food Industry


Country Heritage Park

Milton, ON
Halton Region
Agriculture
Formerly the Ontario Agricultural Museum, over 30 buildings depict agriculture and rural life over 170 years


Dunnville District Heritage Association

Dunnville, ON
Haldimand County
Local History
Informative resource and archival collection regarding the pre-1950s history of Dunnville and Haldimand County.


Essex County Steam & Gas Engine Museum

McGregor, ON
Essex County
Agriculture
Antique engines, tractors and farm machinery


Farmtown Park

Stirling, ON
Hastings County
Agriculture
Previously known as Hastings County Museum of Agricultural Heritage, includes cheese factory, barn display, farm machinery, steam engines and tractors, and an indoor 1930s-1940s heritage village display with period stores.


Glengarry Pioneer Museum

Dunvegan, ON
Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry
Open air
Twelve 19th-century wooden buildings (including the oldest still-functioning bar in Ontario) in a rural setting, with historic tools and artifacts, farm equipment and machinery, furniture, household items, clothing and fabrics


Grey Roots Museum and Archives

Owen Sound, ON
Grey County
Multiple
Grey Roots Museum & Archives has grown and developed into a unique facility from the County Museum's beginning in 1955 and the later establishment of a County Archives in 2000 in order to promote and preserve the heritage of Grey County.


Haliburton Highlands Museum

Haliburton, ON
Haliburton County
Local history
Includes local history museum, log barn, pioneer house


Humphrey Museum

Seguin, ON
Parry Sound District
History
1870s log schoolhouse with displays of pioneer history, also known as Seguin Township Museum


Huron County Museum

Goderich, ON
Huron District
Local history
Furniture, agriculture, salt industry, area art and military displays


Hymers Museum

Kakabeka Falls, ON
Thunder Bay District
History
Local history and area's settlers, exhibits include mining, logging, farming, one-room schools, and the village's first church


Ingersoll Cheese & Agricultural Museum

Ingersoll, ON
Oxford County
History
The museum brings these stories and others to life through engaging displays and demonstrations. Group tours, educational programs, workshops, special events and hands-on activities are offered throughout the year.


John R. Park Homestead and Conservation Area

Harrow, ON
Essex County
Historic house
1850s house and farm buildings


Lambton Heritage Museum

Lambton, ON
Lambton County
Multiple
Local history, pressed glass, agriculture equipment, antique vehicles and engines, late 19th century pioneer home, school, blacksmith shop


Madonna House Apostolate

Combermere, ON
Renfrew County
History
Catholic Christian community, includes the Pioneer Museum with historic tools, household items and agriculture equipment


Massey Area Museum

Massey, ON
Sudbury District
Local history
Includes early 20th century general store display, First Nations artifacts, period rooms, lumbering, farming, mining and mineral displays


Minden Hills Cultural Centre

Minden Hills, ON
Haliburton County
Multiple
Includes the Agnes Jamieson Gallery with a collection of works by André Lapine; the Minden Hills Museum with historic buildings including a schoolhouse, church, pioneer log home, blacksmith shop, logging camp, agriculture and local history exhibits; and R.D. Lawrence Place with exhibits about the nature activities and writings of RD Lawrence


Moore Museum

Mooretown, ON
Lambton County
Open air
Includes local history exhibits, church, school, fire hall, log cabin, railroad station, Victoria cottage, agriculture hall, blacksmith shop


Morningstar Mill

St. Catharines, ON
Niagara Region
Open air
Includes historic working grist mill,turbine shed, blacksmith shop, millers house, icehouse, sawmill and barn


Museum of Tower Hill

Parry Sound, ON
Parry Sound District
Local history
Also known as Museum on Tower Hill, local history, themes include trapping, First Nations, shipping, logging, agriculture and cottaging, features a fire tower to climb


Museum on the Boyne

Alliston, ON
Simcoe County
Local history
Includes 1851 log cabin and an 1858 English barn with agriculture equipment


Norwich and District Museum

Norwich, ON
Oxford County
Open Air
Includes 1889 Quaker Meeting House, a blacksmith shop, an 1830s saltbox farmhouse, a turn-of-the-20th-century Quaker schoolhouse, and two barns with agricultural and dairy farming displays and equipment


Old Mill Heritage Centre and Post Office Museum

Kagawong, ON
Manitoulin District
Multiple
Includes the Kagawong Museum with exhibits on local history, agriculture, military, early sawmills, commercial shipping and fishing, a historic post office museum display, and an art gallery


Old Stone Mill

Delta, ON
Leeds and Grenville
Mill
1810 stone grist mill and adjacent Museum of Industrial Technology with exhibits of early industries of the region including early agricultural equipment


Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame

Guelph, ON
Wellington County
History
Online photo & video archives as well as on-site gallery at Country Heritage Park in Milton.


Polar Bear Habitat and Heritage Village

Cochrane, ON
Cochrane District
Open air
Includes the Hunta Museum with period business displays and antiques, the Cochrane Classic Riders Snowmobile Museum, a blacksmith shop, doctor's office, farm house, general store, service station, schoolhouse, farm implement dealer and more


Rayside-Balfour Museum

Chelmsford, ON
Greater Sudbury
Local history
Operated by Greater Sudbury Heritage Museums, local history, agriculture, culture


Ross Museum

Whitewater Region, ON
Renfrew County
History
Includes period room and business displays, household items, farming tools, logging equipment


Royal Botanical Gardens

Burlington, ON
Halton Region
Natural history
Features exhibits about plants, nature and science


Rural Diary Archive

Guelph, ON
Wellington County
History
Online archive that showcases over 150 Ontario diarists from 1800 to 1960.


Rural History at Guelph

Guelph, ON
Wellington County
History
This website aims to highlight current scholars and their research and provide resources and information related to rural history.


Simcoe County Museum

Minesing, ON
Simcoe County
Local history
Local history and culture, church, schoolhouse, railway station, farm equipment


Spruce Lane Farmhouse

Oakville, ON
Halton Region
Historic house
Turn-of-the-20th-century farmhouse with costumed interpreters, located in Bronte Creek Provincial Park, which also includes a nature centre and children's farm.


St. Catharines Museum

St. Catharines, ON
Niagara Region
Multiple
City's history, history and impact of the Welland Canal, Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum, the Underground Railroad and African Canadian heritage


St. Joseph Island Museum

St. Joseph Island, ON
Algoma District
Open air
Complex includes a log cabin, church, school, barn, store


Teeterville Pioneer Museum

Teeterville, ON
Norfolk County
History
Complex includes a log house, smoke house, wayside church, drive barn and early Windham and area artifacts


Waterford Heritage & Agricultural Museum

Waterford, ON
Norfolk County
Local history
Social history of Waterford and Old Townsend as well as Norfolk County agriculture


Celebrating 150 Years of Canadian Agriculture