What's On
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Feature Exhibitions
Untold Oshawa highlights stories that have not been included in previous published history books and works. The aim is to expand the commonly accepted narrative of Oshawa’s history, to develop a local history that includes different points of view, and to examine different aspects of our community’s past.
This exhibit is a starting point of a more inclusive story. Here, you will find stories of some of Oshawa’s early Black settlers, a look into the impact of labour unions in Oshawa, and a focus on the experiences of women and children.
Buy your copy of Untold Oshawa: An Expanded History, available at the Oshawa Museum Shop! Shop in person at Guy House or online: 
https://bit.ly/UntoldOshawa
A Carrying Place is on display in Robinson House. This immersive exhibit connects our community with their past, embraces the present Indigenous community, and builds towards a spirit of reconciliation and partnership.
A Carrying Place showcases objects recovered from the Grandview and MacLeod archeological sites and interprets the culture of the ancestral Wendat that lived in this area from 1380–1450 CE, and it examines the arrival and impact of European immigrants. This exhibition looks at the Indigenous community today, featuring displays from partner organizations, including the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nations, the Oshawa and Durham Region Métis Council, and the Durham District School Board.
The Oshawa Museum welcomes you to the new Welcome Gallery, on display at the Verna Conant Gallery, Guy House. The exhibit explores the history of Oshawa through three themes: Movement, Transportation and Growth. Within the themes, stories of businesses, events, and people who left their mark on Oshawa are further explores and celebrated.
The Welcome Gallery is a fun and exciting entry into Oshawa’s rich and diverse history. Admission to Guy House and the Welcome Gallery is free.
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Feature Events 2025–2026
An Evening of Lamplight Saturday, December 6, 6–8 PM
Make spirits bright and merry at An Evening of Lamplight, where the Oshawa Museum opens the doors to our historic homes to celebrate the holiday season. Check back for more details
Admission is $5 per person (plus applicable fees). Oshawa Historical Society Members are FREE! Tickets are available in advance or at the door.
Tickets: Link coming soon
November 18—Speaker Series, in partnership with Oshawa Libraries
6 PM, John Aker Northview Branch (250 Beatrice St. E.) *subject to change
- Jeremy Neal Blowers, Executive Director, Canadian Tank Museum: The Canadian Tank Museum
Registration required: oshlib.bibliocommons.com/events/687a547aee7045528b7de296
November 30—Craft Circle
12:30–3:30 PM, Guy House, Oshawa Museum - Drop-in, free to attend
- Grab your needles and hooks, and join other crafty people at Guy House for an afternoon of knitting, crochet, and other creative activities in a welcoming environment. All are welcome!
December 6—An Evening of Lamplight
6–8 PM; $5/person (free for OHS members)
- Make spirits bright and merry at An Evening of Lamplight, where the Oshawa Museum opens the doors to our historic homes to celebrate the holiday season. Check back for more details
RSVP: link coming soon
December 14—Tea & Talk: Holiday Traditions
1 PM, Guy House, Oshawa Museum - $10/person ($5/OHS Member)
- Celebrate the holiday season and join us for a look at Victorian Christmas traditions, learn more about how Hanukkah is celebrated, and new year celebrations. Topic subject to change
December 21—Craft Circle
12:30–3:30 PM, Guy House, Oshawa Museum - Drop-in, free to attend
- Grab your needles and hooks, and join other crafty people at Guy House for an afternoon of knitting, crochet, and other creative activities in a welcoming environment. All are welcome!
January 20—Speaker Series, in partnership with Oshawa Libraries
6 PM, McLaughlin Library Auditorium*
Sarah Ferencz, Whitby Public Library, and Jennifer Weymark, Oshawa Museum, present: Women of Whitby Township
For more info, please visit oshawahistoricalsociety.org
*Subject to change
January 25—Craft Circle
12:30–3:30 PM, Guy House, Oshawa Museum - Drop-in, free to attend
- Grab your needles and hooks, and join other crafty people at Guy House for an afternoon of knitting, crochet, and other creative activities in a welcoming environment. All are welcome!
February 8—Letters to the Front Postcard Workshop
1:30–3:30 PM, Guy House, Oshawa Museum - free to attend
- Postcards to the Front (Canada / Канада) facilitates Canadians sending postcards with messages of support and encouragement to Defenders of Ukraine. This workshop is 90 minutes long and provides all materials needed for participants.
February 15—Family Day at the OM
Drop-in, 12–4 PM (last tour at 3 PM) - $5/person or FREE for OHS Members
- Stay tuned for more info
February 17—Speaker Series, in partnership with Oshawa Libraries
6 PM, McLaughlin Library Auditorium
Dumaresq de Pencier, Canadian Automotive Museum, presents: Exit the Horse
For more info, please visit oshawahistoricalsociety.org
February 22—Craft Circle
12:30–3:30 PM, Guy House, Oshawa Museum - Drop-in, free to attend
- Grab your needles and hooks, and join other crafty people at Guy House for an afternoon of knitting, crochet, and other creative activities in a welcoming environment. All are welcome!
March 16–20 - March Break at the Oshawa Museum
9 AM–3 PM, Oshawa Museum
- Stay tuned for more info
March 17—Speaker Series, in partnership with Oshawa Libraries
6 PM, McLaughlin Library Auditorium
Melissa J. Nelson, in conversation: Memory is Resistance
For more info, please visit oshawahistoricalsociety.org
March 29—Craft Circle
12:30–3:30 PM, Guy House, Oshawa Museum - Drop-in, free to attend
- Grab your needles and hooks, and join other crafty people at Guy House for an afternoon of knitting, crochet, and other creative activities in a welcoming environment. All are welcome!
April 21—Speaker Series, in partnership with Oshawa Libraries
6 PM, McLaughlin Library Auditorium
Ed Conroy presents: ImagiNation: The Golden Age of Toronto Kids’ TV
For more info, please visit oshawahistoricalsociety.org
April 26—Craft Circle
12:30–3:30 PM, Guy House, Oshawa Museum - Drop-in, free to attend
- Grab your needles and hooks, and join other crafty people at Guy House for an afternoon of knitting, crochet, and other creative activities in a welcoming environment. All are welcome!
May 2—Doors Open Oshawa
10 AM–4 PM, Henry House & Guy House, Oshawa Museum
- Tour through Henry House, and check out the Welcome Gallery and gift sop inside Guy House
May 17—Grandpa Henry's Picnic
12:30–3:30 PM, Henry House, Oshawa Museum - Admission by donation
- We're celebrating all things Henry with tours, activities, and games!
May 19—Speaker Series, in partnership with Oshawa Libraries
Annual Meeting, Oshawa Historical Society
6 PM, McLaughlin Library Auditorium
Nicole Adams, Local History Librarian, OPL, presents: TBD
For up-to-date information about the Annual Meeting, please visit the OHS Website: https://oshawahistoricalsociety.org/
May 31—Craft Circle
12:30–3:30 PM, Guy House, Oshawa Museum - Drop-in, free to attend
- Grab your needles and hooks, and join other crafty people at Guy House for an afternoon of knitting, crochet, and other creative activities in a welcoming environment. All are welcome!
June 21—Indigenous Peoples Day
12–4 PM, Robinson House, Oshawa Museum - Free, with donations gratefully accepted
- In honour of Indigenous Peoples Day, the exhibit, A Carrying Place, is open for free tours through the afternoon.
June 28—Craft Circle
12:30–3:30 PM, Guy House, Oshawa Museum - Drop-in, free to attend
- Grab your needles and hooks, and join other crafty people at Guy House for an afternoon of knitting, crochet, and other creative activities in a welcoming environment. All are welcome!
Friday mornings—Yoga in the Garden
Drop in 9–10 AM, Henry House Gardens, Oshawa Museum - Free, with donations gratefully accepted
- Start your weekend with a yoga practice at the lake! There is a different instructor every week!
TBD
July 1—Canada Day at the Lake
2–6 PM, Henry House, Oshawa Museum
- Look for the Oshawa Museum's booth with community organizations, and don't miss out on visiting Henry House, which is open for FREE from 2–6 PM!
July Date TBD—Music in the Gardens with the Oshawa Civic Band
1 PM, Henry House Gardens (date and time subject to change)
- Grab a lawn chair and join The Oshawa Civic Band at the Oshawa Museum for an afternoon of brass band music.
July 26—Craft Circle
12:30–3:30 PM, Guy House, Oshawa Museum - Drop-in, free to attend
- Grab your needles and hooks, and join other crafty people at Guy House for an afternoon of knitting, crochet, and other creative activities in a welcoming environment. All are welcome!
Friday mornings—Yoga in the Garden
Drop in 9–10 AM, Henry House Gardens, Oshawa Museum - Free, with donations kindly accepted
- Start your weekend with a yoga practice at the lake! There is a different instructor every week!
Instructors:
TBD
August 2—Drive Shed Tours and a look at the Carriage Collection
12–4 PM, Henry House, Oshawa Museum
- To celebrate the McLaughlin Day weekend, take a look at our carriage collection, then take a tour of Henry House.
August 30—Craft Circle
12:30–3:30 PM, Guy House, Oshawa Museum - Drop-in, free to attend
- Grab your needles and hooks, and join other crafty people at Guy House for an afternoon of knitting, crochet, and other creative activities in a welcoming environment. All are welcome!
Friday mornings—Yoga in the Garden
Drop in 9–10 AM, Henry House Gardens, Oshawa Museum - Free, with donations kindly accepted
- Start your weekend with a yoga practice at the lake! There is a different instructor every week!
Instructors:
TBD
September Date TBD—Union Cemetery Tour
2 PM, Meet at King Street Gates, 760 King St. W., Oshawa - $5/person or FREE for OHS, Parkwood or Legion Members
- Take a tour through Oshawa’s largest cemetery, Union Cemetery, where Oshawa Museum staff will share stories of notable people from Oshawa who are laid to rest here. Theme: WWI & WWII Soldiers, in partnership with Parkwood NHS and the Royal Canadian Legion
September Date TBD—Scenes from the Cemetery
2–4 PM, Union Cemetery; tour times: 2 PM, 2:20 PM, 2:40 PM, 3 PM
- Discover the stories of Oshawa's Union Cemetery like never before. Actors bring history to life in Scenes from the Cemetery, a dramatic tour through Union Cemetery.
Ticket link: Check Back Soon
September 15—Speaker Series, in partnership with Oshawa Libraries
6 PM, McLaughlin Library Auditorium
Sonya Jones, Curator of Collections, RMG, presents: The Robert McLaughlin Gallery: Bringing the Art Collection to Life
For more info, please visit oshawahistoricalsociety.org
September 27—Craft Circle
12:30–3:30 PM, Guy House, Oshawa Museum - Drop-in, free to attend
- Grab your needles and hooks, and join other crafty people at Guy House for an afternoon of knitting, crochet, and other creative activities in a welcoming environment. All are welcome!
September 30—Truth & Reconciliation Day
A Carrying Place open for free admission
12–4 PM, Robinson House
Friday mornings—Yoga in the Garden
Drop in 9 AM–10 AM, Henry House Gardens, Oshawa Museum - Free, with donations kindly accepted
- Start your weekend with a yoga practice at the lake! There is a different instructor every week!
Instructors:
TBD
October 20—Speaker Series, in partnership with Oshawa Libraries
6 PM, McLaughlin Library Auditorium
TBD, presents: TBD
For more info, please visit oshawahistoricalsociety.org
October 24—Halloween at the Harbour
6–8 PM, Oshawa Museum - $5/person or FREE for OHS Members
- Check back for more info
Ticket link: Check back soon
October 25—Craft Circle
12:30–3:30 PM, Guy House, Oshawa Museum - Drop-in, free to attend
- Grab your needles and hooks, and join other crafty people at Guy House for an afternoon of knitting, crochet, and other creative activities in a welcoming environment. All are welcome!
Stay up to date with the latest happenings at the Oshawa Museum
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Plan Your Visit
The Oshawa Museum is open year round for tours - learn more about how you can experience the Home to Oshawa's History!
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Programming at the OM
Featured Education Programs
The Oshawa Museum is proud to offer educators a number of programs and workshops, available for elementary and secondary levels, and we can work with teachers in offering these programs to best meet your needs.
Students gain insight into the various roles that contribute to a museum’s functioning and the special rules we use. The museum tour includes exploring the different homes and engaging in a fun craft activity inspired by the Victorian era.
Teachers can enhance their learning experience by scheduling the Visitor Experience Coordinator to visit their classroom with 3 to 4 Education Kits to create different stations.
You can choose from various Education Kits, including ‘School Days,’ ‘Around the House,’ ‘Bonnets and Breeches,’ and ‘Toys and Games.’ Obtain a complete list by contacting the Visitor Experience Coordinator.
Compare the roles and challenges of being a Victorian Child to those of a modern day child through a number of hands-on activities, which include candle or butter-making, planting, and washing laundry (Spring/Summer). Classes tour through Henry House and learn about the Henry family and how the Henry children would have spent their time over 150 years ago!
Later, the students will use educational items from the museum’s School Days kit to gain a unique perspective on schooling in Oshawa during the 1900s. Finally, teachers can choose between demonstrations on candle-making or butter-making to complete the program.
In this workshop, students learn the different between primary and secondary sources, they learn to think critically about what can be learned from these sources, and they learn about difficulties they can present to researchers. Students are given examples of primary sources from the archival collection of the Oshawa Museum and they go through a worksheet, helping them use the skills they learned about.
Using a collection of letters written by a young man from Oshawa, we will learn about the experiences of those on the front lines during WWI from 4 very different sources. The talk will follow along with William Garrow Jr., the author of the letters, Albert Pankhurst, a young Black soldier, Victoria Donevan, a Nursing Sister and George Finigan, a young man conscripted to fight. After hearing about these experiences and how the fit into the larger picture of the First World War, the students will be tasked with writing their own letter home from the front.
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Groups and the Oshawa Museum
Special group tours (special interest groups, retirement residences, Guides/Scouts, etc.) must be booked in advance so we can best meet the needs of your group and offer you the best experience possible. We cannot accommodate drop-in tours for special groups and/or groups of 10 or more.
To book, contact Jill Passmore: 905-436-7624 x 106 or email programming@oshawamuseum.org.
programming@oshawamuseum.org.
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Teachers
We offer a number of workshops suitable for elementary and secondary classes, and they can be offered virutally or in-person. These include Critical Thinking Using Objects, Working with Primary Sources and a World War I Timeline.
Curriculum based local history programs are also available, and most are adaptable to any grade level, from JK to Grade 12.
Email to learn more about how you can incorporate local history into your classroom.
Leaders
The Oshawa Museum offers badge based experiences for all levels of Guiding and Scouting. We do the work for you, the kids do the learning for themselves.
We have different program options available - to learn more, view our Guiding and Scouting Brochure:
Lectures
The Oshawa Museum has developed over fifty lectures that pertain to various aspects of Oshawa's immense cultural history. Lectures are $50 each, plus mileage if your facility is located outside of Oshawa. Lectures are approximately one hour long and are often accompanied by associated artefacts. An experienced staff member of the Oshawa Museum delivers each lecture.