Peterborough Museum & Archives

Peterborough Museum & Archives Preserving and celebrating the collective memories of our community - stories, images and traces of the people and the land.

Located within Ashburnham Memorial park, atop 'Armour Hill', the Peterborough Museum & Archives is just steps away from the world famous Peterborough Lift Lock and the Trent-Severn waterway. Admission to the Museum is by donation. Access to the Archives is available by appointment. We provide barrier-free access, free parking, and picnic facilities in the Heritage Pavilion.

What a cool photo from the Archives - Diver, c. 1910 🤿 Lockmasters may be the most recognizable workers on the Trent–Sev...
06/15/2026

What a cool photo from the Archives - Diver, c. 1910 🤿

Lockmasters may be the most recognizable workers on the Trent–Severn Waterway, but divers have always been essential to keeping the system running smoothly.

In this photo from around 1910, a diver prepares to enter the channel wearing a heavy hardhat and cumbersome diving suit. These early divers tackled important underwater jobs, from clearing debris off the channel bottom to repairing dams and inspecting lock walls for signs of wear and damage.

It wasn’t glamorous work, but it was vital to the operation of the waterway.

06/15/2026

The Peterborough Museum and Archives is bringing ‘Lost Liberties – The War Measures Act,’ a travelling exhibition from the Canadian Museum of History that invites visitors to reflect on the difficult balance between national security and individual liberties in times of crisis.

The exhibit runs from June 20 to Sept. 13.

It explores the fears, racism and crises that drove the suspension of civil liberties in Canada during the First World War, the Second World War, and the 1970 October Crisis. In each crisis, the federal government applied the War Measures Act, which had serious impacts on the civil liberties of many individuals, groups and communities in Canada.

Lost Liberties examines, notably, the internment of Canadians of Ukrainian origin and other nationalities during the First World War, the internment of Italian Canadians and the internment and forced relocation of Japanese Canadians during the Second World War, and the arrest of hundreds of people in Quebec during the 1970 October Crisis.

Find more info on our website.

✨ Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough - Honouring the Legacy of Mary Steele Thomas (1939–2022) today at the Pet...
06/14/2026

✨ Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough - Honouring the Legacy of Mary Steele Thomas (1939–2022) today at the Peterborough Museum & Archives.

Mary believed in kindness, action, and making a difference. She was a champion for children, animals, the environment, local heritage, and newcomers to Canada. Her generosity, compassion, and zest for life continue to inspire all who knew her.

The Mary Steele Thomas (MST) Fund carries forward her legacy by supporting:
🌱 Environmental and habitat preservation
🐾 Animal welfare and wildlife conservation
📚 Childhood education
🏛️ Local heritage preservation
🤝 Support for New Canadians

Every gift helps continue the work Mary cared so deeply about and creates a lasting impact in our communities.

Please consider donating today and helping keep her spirit of kindness alive. https://cfgp.ca/project/mary-steele-thomas-fund/

06/12/2026

The Peterborough Museum and Archives is bringing ‘Lost Liberties – The War Measures Act,’ a travelling exhibition from the Canadian Museum of History that invites visitors to reflect on the difficult balance between national security and individual liberties in times of crisis.

Learn more at ptbocanada .com!

Lost Liberties: The War Measures Act 📣📅 June 20 – September 13, 2026📍 Peterborough Museum & ArchivesExplore a pivotal ch...
06/11/2026

Lost Liberties: The War Measures Act 📣
📅 June 20 – September 13, 2026
📍 Peterborough Museum & Archives

Explore a pivotal chapter in Canadian history through Lost Liberties: The War Measures Act, a travelling exhibition developed by the Canadian Museum of History.

Libertés perdues : La Loi sur les mesures de guerre📣
📅 20 juin au 13 septembre 2026
📍 Musée et Archives de Peterborough

Découvrez un chapitre marquant de l’histoire canadienne grâce à Libertés perdues : La Loi sur les mesures de guerre, une exposition itinérante conçue par le Musée canadien de l’histoire.

Image credits / Crédits des images

FR : Portrait de l’interné Marcogliese, prison de Bordeaux, Montréal (1940). Dessin de Vincenzo Poggi / Don de Maurice Poggi. Musée canadien de la guerre, 20020203-007.

EN: Portrait of the internee Marcogliese, Bordeaux Prison, Montreal (1940). Drawn by Vincenzo Poggi / Gift of Maurice Poggi. Canadian War Museum, 20020203-007.

FR : Kidnappé par la police, Serge Mongeau. Montréal, Éditions du Jour, 1970. Musée canadien de l’histoire, IRN 3052485.

EN: Kidnapped by the Police, Serge Mongeau. Montréal: Éditions du Jour, 1970. Canadian Museum of History, IRN 3052485.

FR : Photo gracieusement fournie par Glenbow Archives, NC-54-4336.
EN: Photo courtesy of Glenbow Archives, NC-54-4336.

FR : Groupe de Canadiennes et de Canadiens japonais transportés vers le camp de Slocan (C.-B.), 1942. Photo : Tak Toyota. Bibliothèque et Archives Canada, C-046350.

EN: Group of Japanese Canadians being transported to camp at Slocan, British Columbia, 1942. Photo: Tak Toyota. Library and Archives Canada, C-046350.

The exhibition is funded by the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage’s Museums Assistance Program.

la Première Guerre mondiale. L’exposition est financée par le gouvernement du Canada, par l’entremise du Programme d’aide aux musées du ministère du Patrimoine canadien.

Address

300 Hunter Street East, Ashburnham Memorial Park
Peterborough, ON
K9H1H1

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 12pm - 5pm
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

Telephone

+17057435180

Website

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