Oakville Museum

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Oakville Museum The historic buildings of Erchless Estate were once home to Oakville’s founding family but are now

The historic buildings of Erchless Estate were once home to Oakville’s founding family but are now the setting for Oakville's community museum. Colonel William Chisholm, an enterprising merchant and shipbuilder, founded the town and built Erchless overlooking his new harbour and Lake Ontario. Today, visitors can still enjoy that magnificent view and explore the beautiful buildings, grounds and gardens of Erchless. The Oakville Museum offers guided tours of the Chisholm family home, changing exhibitions, special events and programs that tell the fascinating stories of our town. Oakville Museum is located on the Treaty Lands #22 of the Mississaugas of the Credit. We acknowledge and thank the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, for being stewards of this traditional territory.

Step inside for a spooky good time! On Saturday, October 24 we're opening our creaky doors for a Halloween celebration l...
10/16/2026

Step inside for a spooky good time! On Saturday, October 24 we're opening our creaky doors for a Halloween celebration like no other. Wander through Erchless Estate to discover spirited traditions from the past. Make a seasonal craft and play outdoor games. Settle in with popcorn and warm apple c***r as you watch classic silent movie shorts and 1920s cartoons at the Coach House. Step inside the witch's cottage for a sweet treat as our fortune teller reveals what lies ahead. Costumes encouraged! All ages welcome.

October 24 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Tickets: $15, available at:
https://www.oakvillecentre.ca/whats-on/upcoming-events/haunted-happenings-tricks-treats-traditions/

Event sponsored by Kerr's Candy and Farm Boy

Step into the shadows… if you dare! Join us for an evening lantern tour inside Erchless Estate on Oct 16, 17, 29 and 30 ...
10/15/2026

Step into the shadows… if you dare! Join us for an evening lantern tour inside Erchless Estate on Oct 16, 17, 29 and 30 at 7 and 8 p.m.

Wander from room to room as your guide reveals the curious origins of Halloween traditions, from eerie Victorian mourning customs and ghostly superstitions to fortune telling, jack-o’-lanterns and more. Along the way, take part in a themed scavenger hunt as you search for hidden clues and surprises to solve a riddle and get a special Halloween treat to take home. History has never been so haunting!

October 16, 17, 29 and 30 at 7 and 8 p.m.
Oakville Museum, 8 Navy Street
Tickets: $7.71, available at:
https://www.oakvillecentre.ca/whats-on/upcoming-events/haunted-happenings-candlelight-tour/

For ages 7 and up.

Step inside the Oakville Museum this month to see how generations decorated, dressed up and celebrated Halloween. Every ...
10/14/2026

Step inside the Oakville Museum this month to see how generations decorated, dressed up and celebrated Halloween. Every artifact has a story and some of them are best told after dark!

Candlelight Tours
Oct 16, 17, 29 and 30 at 7 and 8 p.m.
Tickets: $7.71

Haunted Happenings Halloween Family Day
Tickets: $15

Tickets available at https://linktr.ee/oakvillemuseum

Staying in town this holiday weekend? We're open Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4:30 p.m. but closed Monday. Happy Thanks...
10/09/2026

Staying in town this holiday weekend? We're open Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4:30 p.m. but closed Monday. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! 🍂🦃

10/08/2026

Long before orange pumpkins came to symbolize Halloween, Scottish and Irish families carved spooky faces in turnips to ward off wandering spirits. When they settled in North America in the 1800s, turnips were replaced by local pumpkins, as they were larger and much easier to carve.

Celebrate the spooky season with us at the Oakville Museum!

Candlelight tours: Oct 16, 17, 29 and 30 at 7 and 8 p.m.
Family Halloween celebration: Oct 24 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Tickets and info: https://linktr.ee/oakvillemuseum

On October 24, gather the whole family for some charming old-fashioned Halloween fun at the Oakville Museum! Take a deli...
10/07/2026

On October 24, gather the whole family for some charming old-fashioned Halloween fun at the Oakville Museum! Take a delightfully spirited tour of Erchless Estate, make a seasonal craft and play outdoor games. Settle in with popcorn and warm apple c***r as you enjoy a delightful selection of classic silent movie shorts and vintage Halloween cartoons at the Coach House. Wander over to our enchanted gingerbread cottage to collect a sweet treat and have your fortune told by our resident friendly witch. Costumes are highly encouraged!

Haunted Happenings
Oct 24 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (timed entry)
Tickets $15
https://www.oakvillecentre.ca/whats-on/upcoming-events/haunted-happenings-tricks-treats-traditions/

Event sponsored by and

Ghost illustration by Huiyun (Avery) Zhang

10/01/2026

Meet Grace Tanton-Nuxoll, a Sheridan College Illustration student who was our Artist in Residence this summer. During this internship she planned and led art workshops with our summer campers. She illustrated postage stamps and bookmarks inspired by Oakville's past. She also designed a collaborative community art mural project featured in Art in My Garden.

Join us October 3 from 1 to 4:30 p.m. to see a culmination of her work in the Coach House Gardener's Cottage.

Ontario Culture Days

10/01/2026

October has arrived! We're working behind the scenes to bring a little Halloween magic to our tours and special events this spooky season.

Join us for Haunted Happening, a series of Halloween experiences where history, folklore, and traditions come together in unexpected ways. Our Halloween display runs Oct 6 to Nov 1.

Candlelight Tours
Oct 16, 17, 29, 30 at 7 & 8 p.m.
Tickets $7.31
Step into the shadows for a lantern-lit stroll inside the Museum with eerie Victorian traditions, ghostly folklore and a scavenger hunt.

Halloween Family Day
Oct 24 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Tickets $15
Guided Halloween tours, crafts, outdoor games, silent movie shorts and fortune telling in the witch's gingerbread cottage. Costumes encouraged! Event sponsored by and

Oakville Pumpkin Parade
Nov 1 from 5-7 p.m.
Free drop-in
Give your jack-o'-lantern another night to shine!Drop off your pumpkins then settle in for storytime and treats.

Tickets: https://linktr.ee/oakvillemuseum

Ghost illustration by Laetitia Wong, a student from

Today marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day. In 2025, orange ribbons tied at Erchless...
09/30/2026

Today marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day. In 2025, orange ribbons tied at Erchless Estate under the Corn Moon were woven by Grandmother's Voice into the Branch of Healing Installation, a living art piece symbolizing collective healing, remembrance, and the ongoing journey of reconciliation.

See the work and visit Debwewin: The Truth Project exhibit at the Museum.

09/29/2026

Behind the scenes prep for Saturday's crepe paper flower making drop-in. Join us October 3 from 1 to 4:30 p.m. for a free Culture Days afternoon at the Museum. First come, first served while supplies last.

Event schedule:
https://culturedays.ca/en/hubs/4ebe5a42-b7b0-4928-964b-65b6376a853d

Ontario Culture Days
Culture Days | Fête de la culture

Address

8 Navy Street
Oakville, ON
L6J2Y5

Opening Hours

Tuesday 1pm - 4:30pm
Wednesday 1pm - 4:30pm
Thursday 1pm - 4:30pm
Friday 1pm - 4:30pm
Saturday 1pm - 4:30pm
Sunday 1pm - 4:30pm

Telephone

+19053384400

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