PumpHouse

PumpHouse The PumpHouse is a museum run by the City of Kingston and a cooperative hive of very organized Bees.

Housed in Kingston’s 1851 waterworks, we bring STEAM topics and history to life through hands-on fun and interactive exhibits (Soon to be BEES!)

Some days you go to a museum.Some days you go to a museum in a costume.PumpHouse Theme Days happen once a month and invi...
05/30/2026

Some days you go to a museum.
Some days you go to a museum in a costume.
PumpHouse Theme Days happen once a month and invite kids (and adults!) to dress up, explore the museum, and let imagination do the rest.
👉 Learn more about Theme Days on our website

Busy Bees: Build-a-Bee! is buzzing into the PumpHouse on June 3! 🐝✨In this playful, hands-on session, little ones will e...
05/29/2026

Busy Bees: Build-a-Bee! is buzzing into the PumpHouse on June 3! 🐝✨
In this playful, hands-on session, little ones will explore what makes a bee a bee through movement, sensory play, and creative activities. Children will build their own bees, pretend to fly, and buzz their way through learning about the body parts that help bees do their busy work.

Highlights:
Movement + sensory play to explore bee body parts
Create your own “build-a-bee” craft
Imaginative buzzing, flying, and learning through play
✅ Register now: https://bit.ly/3Q10g4m (link in bio)

The PumpHouse is grateful to TD Friends of the Environment Foundation for their support of the Education Hive and associated programming.

The PumpHouse Museum is heading to the Hwy 15 Indigenous Food Sovereignty Garden for BEES! @ the Garden 🐝Join us on Tues...
05/28/2026

The PumpHouse Museum is heading to the Hwy 15 Indigenous Food Sovereignty Garden for BEES! @ the Garden 🐝

Join us on Tuesday, June 9 from 9:30–11:30 a.m. for a free morning of bees, pollinators, planting, stories, songs, language-learning games, and hands-on activities.

Inspired by our BEES! exhibition, we’ll be bringing bee-themed books, playful learning stations, and pollinator activities to the garden alongside The Limestone Beekeepers Guild , Kahwá:tsire Indigenous-Led Child & Family Programs, All Our Relations Land Trust

Location: Hwy 15 Indigenous Food Sovereignty Garden, 1467 Highway 15
Cost: Free
Registration required: https://www.kingstonpumphouse.ca/events-programs

Thank you to Aanii Nichii Drones for providing images of the Hwy 15 Indigenous Food Sovereignty Garden.

The PumpHouse is grateful to TD Friends of the Environment Foundation for their support of the Education Hive. This hands-on learning space connected to the BEES! exhibition supports further learning through interactive exhibit elements, curriculum-linked school programming, and community programs. The Education Hive will help visitors of all ages explore pollinators, biodiversity, and environmental stewardship in meaningful and engaging ways.

The Monarch of Motion: Behold the Flywheel!Behold the heart of our massive steam engines here at the – the colossal Fl...
05/27/2026

The Monarch of Motion: Behold the Flywheel!
Behold the heart of our massive steam engines here at the – the colossal Flywheel!
✨ The Magic of Motion & Momentum:
This isn't just for show! The flywheel performs three vital jobs:

Storing Energy: Think of it like a giant battery for motion! The flywheel's immense weight and inertia store the powerful bursts of energy from the steam piston.
Smooth Operator: As the piston pauses between power strokes, the flywheel gracefully releases its stored energy, ensuring a perfectly smooth, continuous rotation. Without it, the engine would jerk and stall!
Bridging the Gaps: It effortlessly carries the engine past "dead centers"—points where the piston can't apply power—keeping the entire system constantly in motion to pump Kingston's water.
This incredible example of 19th-century ingenuity showcases the power of momentum and inertia in action. It’s a true testament to how clever design keeps massive machinery running with elegant precision!

Trains & Tots: All Aboard is pulling into the PumpHouse on June 2! 🚂🎩Calling all 0–4 year-olds! Join us for the first Tr...
05/26/2026

Trains & Tots: All Aboard is pulling into the PumpHouse on June 2! 🚂🎩
Calling all 0–4 year-olds! Join us for the first Trains & Tots session of the season. Sing a cheerful train song, enjoy a train-themed read-aloud, explore a room filled with model trains, and decorate a paper conductor’s hat to take home.

Highlights:

Sing a train song and join a themed story time
Explore model trains up close
Make a paper conductor hat to take home
✅ Pre-register to save your spot!
https://bit.ly/3Ns2oS7

May’s PumpHouse Theme Day is Crazy Hair / Crazy Hat Day, and subtle is not the goal.Think wild hair, colourful wigs, gia...
05/25/2026

May’s PumpHouse Theme Day is Crazy Hair / Crazy Hat Day, and subtle is not the goal.
Think wild hair, colourful wigs, giant hats, tiny hats, inside-out hats, or anything that makes your reflection laugh before you explore the museum.

🗓️ May 29
👉 Learn more about PumpHouse Theme Days https://bit.ly/46Mpyrw

Looking for a hands-on Saturday activity for your little creator?On May 30, the PumpHouse is hosting Pollinator Pals, a ...
05/24/2026

Looking for a hands-on Saturday activity for your little creator?
On May 30, the PumpHouse is hosting Pollinator Pals, a colourful foam clay workshop inspired by our BEES! exhibition.
Kids will create their own bee, butterfly, or pollinator creature using bright foam clay, simple tools, and plenty of imagination. Each participant leaves with a one-of-a-kind nature-inspired masterpiece.
Times: 10–11 a.m. or 12–1 p.m.
Ideal for: Ages 4+
Please note that all participants, including accompanying adults, must register and purchase a spot.

Register: https://bit.ly/46Mpyrw

The PumpHouse is grateful to TD Friends of the Environment Foundation for their support of the Education Hive and associated programming.

BEES! has officially landed at the PumpHouse Museum in Kingston. Climb through a giant honeycomb, try the waggle dance, ...
05/24/2026

BEES! has officially landed at the PumpHouse Museum in Kingston. Climb through a giant honeycomb, try the waggle dance, test your knowledge on the Bee I.D. Spinner, and watch real bees at work on the Live Hive Cam.

Come see what all the buzz is about.

https://www.kingstonpumphouse.ca/bees

BEES! was developed by the City of Surrey’s Museum of Surrey in collaboration with Honeybee Centre of Surrey and funded by the Government of Canada.

🐝💛 Buzz, build, move, learn.Busy Bees is all about learning with your whole body: toddler-friendly movement games, senso...
05/23/2026

🐝💛 Buzz, build, move, learn.
Busy Bees is all about learning with your whole body: toddler-friendly movement games, sensory discovery, and quick crafts inspired by bees and nature.
📍 PumpHouse Museum
📅 Wednesdays, 10:30–11:15 | June 3 – July 8, 2026 | Ages 0-3
Learn more: https://bit.ly/46Mpyrw

The PumpHouse is grateful to TD Friends of the Environment Foundation for their support of the Education Hive and associated programming.

Join us on Saturday, May 30 for Pollinator Pals: Foam Clay Creature Creations, a hands-on art workshop inspired by our B...
05/22/2026

Join us on Saturday, May 30 for Pollinator Pals: Foam Clay Creature Creations, a hands-on art workshop inspired by our BEES! exhibition.
Led by local artist Courtney Nicolas, participants will squish, shape, and sculpt colourful foam clay into their very own pollinator creature. Bees, butterflies, mystery winged friends from the garden bureaucracy… all welcome.
Sessions:
10–11 a.m. or 12–1 p.m.
Ideal for children ages 4 and up. All participants, including accompanying adults, must register.

Register now: https://bit.ly/46Mpyrw (link in bio)

The PumpHouse is grateful to TD Friends of the Environment Foundation for their support of the Education Hive and associated programming.

Address

23 Ontario Street
Kingston, ON
K7L2Y2

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

6135447867

Website

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