Top 10 History Museums in Ontario, United States

The Horseless Carriage Museum is a unique, privately-owned museum specializing in pre-1914 transportation and early mechanical technology. We feature five century-old vehicles and a 1895 Sawyer & Massey steam traction engine, rare mechanical music machines and an 1890's General Store, and more. Bus and group tours welcome. Check out our website and blog for more information. (Please note: We are located midway between Bobcaygeon and Fenelon Falls on County Road 8. Please call ahead for an appointment! Open May to November .......weather permitting!

THE ELGIN SETTLEMENT, which was for many the last stop on the Underground Railroad, was founded in 1849. THE MUSEUM SITE INCLUDES the Buxton Museum, S.S. #13 Raleigh (Buxton) Schoolhouse (1861), the Colbert/Henderson Cabin (1854), and the Shadd Barn (restoration completed in 2009). Local church cemeteries (1857) are on the grounds adjacent to the museum. Facilities include a large picnic shelter and barbecue, washrooms, a wheelchair access ramp to the museum and plenty of free parking. Of special note is the Research Area, which contains resource materials, pertaining to local history and genealogy.

The Canadian War Museum is more than a museum that is internationally renowned for its symbolic architecture; it is synonym for inspiring and touching stories. Canada's rich military history is showcased through personal stories, artwork, photographs and interactive presentations. Tour the extensive permanent exhibitions and expand your knowledge of the conflicts that shaped Canada, Canadians and the world, as well as the roll Canadians played in them.

Immerse yourself in the 1860s and explore an authentically re-created country village of the Toronto region. At Black Creek Pioneer Village, visitors discover 40 historic buildings, 70 rare and heritage breed animals, 10 gardens growing flowers and plants from heirloom seeds, and exciting programs that engage people of all ages. They meet costumed educators who demonstrate and involve visitors with trades and crafts common in 1860s’ Ontario, tap their toes to music of the era, laugh at the hysterical antics of the History Actors, and have fun engaging in hands-on activities throughout the village!

The years between the two Great Wars, when Toronto experienced increased immigration, the vote for women, the stock market crash, prohibition and the introduction of public health and welfare. It's also the time of the Charleston craze, tabloid journalism, new technology and more. And it can all be seen, heard, felt and lived at Spadina Museum - Toronto's only museum to represent the 1920s and 30s, a transformative period that dramatically changed the City. For over a century, Spadina was home to three generations of the Austin family. Opened in 1984, it is one of 10 historic sites operated by the City of Toronto. Spadina Museum completed an extensive interior restoration in 2010, bringing the house back into the twentieth century. Visitors may view what the house looked like during those years through artifacts, furnishings and reproduced and original decor or explore the estate's six acres of restored 1905 gardens. Today, Spadina Museum interprets the interwar period through a rich slate of guided tours, school programs, special events, changing exhibits, lectures and workshops. Spadina Museum is one of 10 historic museums operated by the City of Toronto. Toronto's Historic Sites engage visitors, inspire passion, challenge ideas and connect the past to the present.

The Canadian Canoe Museum stewards the world's largest collection of canoes, kayaks and paddled watercraft. More than 600 in number, the watercraft and their stories of national and international significance, have a pivotal role to play in our collective future.

The Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum is the largest community museum in Ontario. Our campus of historical attractions includes the Waterloo Region Museum which showcases more than 12,000 years of history in Waterloo Region; Doon Heritage Village - a recreation of rural village in 1914, with more than 20 historic buildings, costumed interpreters and farm animals; the Waterloo Region Hall of Fame honouring individuals and groups who have brought recognition to themselves and Waterloo Region; and the Region of Waterloo Curatorial Centre - our world class artifact preservation and storage facility. The Waterloo Region Museum and the Waterloo Region Hall of Fame are open year round. Doon Heritage Village is open seasonally from May 1 through December 23. The public hours for the museum and village are different at some times of the year.

Enter the heart of the economic system and explore fun, hands-on, interactive exhibits that cover everything from how people’s expectations affect the health of an economy to how inflation targeting works (hint: you get to fly a rocket ship!). The Museum also features artifacts from the National Currency Collection -- the most complete collection of Canadian coins, notes and tokens in the world.