City of Ottawa - At Your Museum

Mid-Winter Challenge at Billings Estate

This February, assemble your team and prepare to tackle a series of timed challenges inspired by the harsh realities of winter in 19th century Ottawa. Each week we’ll share the new record time to beat – will your team end up at the top of the leader board? Reservations are required.

Snowshoeing Under the Stars

Our popular guided snowshoeing series returns in February! Explore beautiful Pinhey’s Point on a moonlit evening stroll as you learn how early settler families experienced winters in March Township. Registration is required.

Preschool Playdates

Add heritage-inspired play at Billings Estate National Historic Site to your winter activities calendar. Explore a different theme with your preschooler each week (ages 3 to 5). Registration is required.

Discover a new heritage skill

Each Saturday morning at Nepean Museum you can see a different skill or craft in action from butter making to slime – all inspired by our local community’s history. For a complete schedule, visit the museum’s website.

Learn to make soap the traditional way

Join Cuardach Farms at Fairfields Heritage House on February 8 to discover traditional lye-based soap making techniques. Registration is required.

Celebrate Winterlude at Fête Frissons

Cumberland Heritage Village Museum will be sharing heritage printing tools and techniques as part of the Winterlude festivities at Shenkman Arts Centre, Saturday, February 1.

Artefact spotlight

Archibald Petrie (1790-1864) was born in Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland. He served as a purser on ships patrolling Lake Ontario during the War of 1812 and received a land grant from the Crown when his military service ended. He married Catherine Wilgress of Lachine in 1838 and together they had three daughters and two sons. The family settled in what would later become Cumberland Township, owning farmland within view of the islands that now bear his name. Petrie occupied several prominent positions including Member of the Upper Canada Legislature (1844-1847) and Cumberland Reeve (1852-1856). Records show he was instrumental in the development of the Dale Cemetery, located immediately to the east of the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum, where he and his family members rest.

Exhibitions Update

If the walls of the historic Vars Train Station at the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum could talk, what would they say? Visit our new railway exhibition, beginning May 10, 2020. Follow the museum on Facebook for updates as work on this exciting new exhibition continues.