City of Ottawa Museum Openings

 

City of Ottawa Museums are now open

We look forward to welcoming you back to the museums! With necessary health and safety precautions in place, your experience might look a bit different, but we are excited to continue providing fun and engaging opportunities to explore local history. You can pre-book your outing, as well as review more information on what to expect from your visit, at the links below. Billings Estate National Historic Site August 5 through October 18 Wednesday – Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm Cumberland Heritage Village Museum August 5 through October 11 Wednesday – Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm Fairfields Heritage House August 5 through September 6 Wednesday – Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm September 12 through October 18 Saturday – Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm Nepean Museum Wednesday – Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm Pinhey’s Point Historic Site August 5 through September 6 Wednesday – Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm September 12 through October 18 Saturday – Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm

Plan a COVID-Wise visit

Help reduce the risk of transmission by being COVID-wise! More information can be found on the Ottawa Public Health website. Only visit the museum with members of your household or social circle. Masks are required inside museum buildings as well as when physical distancing cannot be maintained. Maintain two meters of distance from others outside your household or social circle. If you or a member of your group is not feeling well, please contact the museum to cancel your booking. Wash your hands regularly or use hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizer is available but bringing your own is recommended.

Enjoy a perfect picnic with Takeaway Tea from Billings Estate

We’ve put a spin on a visitor favourite! Billings Estate National Historic Site is now offering Takeaway Tea – a delicious to-go version of our Tea on the Lawn service. Bring a picnic blanket and relax on our beautiful grounds while you enjoy your treat or host your own tea party in the comforts of home. Did you know the sandwiches and baked goods served with the Takeaway Tea are prepared in house? Yum! To order, call 613-580-2088 ext. 35258 by noon the day prior to your visit. Takeaway Tea for One: $10 (includes selection of finger sandwiches, scone with jam, and the choice of either fruit or a baked dessert). Drinks: $2.75 each (choice of tea, coffee, or lemonade). Takeaway Tea is available Thursday – Sunday from 11:30 am to 3:30 pm through September 6.

Putting a twist on heritage activities and demonstrations

This summer, all activities and demonstrations are being offered outdoors. This allows us to maintain physical distancing – in fact, many of the activities are self-guided and can be completed either at the museum or at home with your family or social circle. At Billings Estate, pick up a farm chore activity kit on your next visit to lend Braddish and Lamira a helping hand while they head to market. Build a scarecrow, craft a bird feeder, and explore the grounds as you track down some wily (and colourful) missing chickens. Get a bit of a workout giving rug beating a try or relax with some gramophone music on the weekends. Cumberland Heritage Village Museum offers an activity or demonstration each morning and afternoon inspired by rural life in the 1920s and 30s. From carpentry to gardening to printing, there is always something new to discover. Check out the rotating schedule each week on Facebook. Test your skills (or competitive spirit) with Victorian lawn games or animal tracking at Fairfields Heritage House. Each weekday, we’ll also be offering a bonus heritage-themed activity or craft! The grounds at Pinhey’s Point Historic Site are waiting to be explored and our new (touchless) scavenger hunt is the perfect way to do it.

Exploring history beyond the walls of the museum

Did you know that we are offering guided grounds tours at Billings Estate, Fairfields Heritage House, and Pinhey’s Point this summer? These tours offer a fantastic opportunity for a different perspective on the natural, agricultural, architectural, and community history of our sites. These sites, as well as Cumberland Heritage Village Museum, also make great picnic venues! Plan ahead and make a day of your museum visit. If you’re visiting Cumberland Heritage Village Museum, don’t forget to stop by and say hi to the heritage breed chickens, turkeys, and rabbits who have returned to the museum for the summer.

Artefact spotlight

Did you know that Centretown was once considered a part of Nepean? This general store ledger (c. 1824) helps reveal the economic systems of early settler life in Ottawa. The ledger once belonged to George Lyman Bellows and Samuel Stacy who owned and operated a store located about a kilometer west of Parliament Hill (where the 2012 Royal Canadian Navy monument now stands). It records purchases made by settlers including Braddish Billings, Ira Honeywell, and Philemon Wright. The ledger has gone on quite a journey, having ended up in a small Vermont museum before being returned to Ottawa in 2017. It is now on display at Nepean Museum where it has been digitized to allow visitors to turn the pages and explore its contents without risking damage to the document. Pre-book your visit to Nepean Museum online.

Follow us on social media!

Get the most up-to-date details about special events, programs, and exhibitions by following us on Facebook and Instagram. Billings Estate National Historic Site (or @billingsestatemuseum on Instagram) Cumberland Heritage Village Museum (or @cumberlandmuseum on Instagram) Fairfields Heritage House Nepean Museum Pinhey’s Point Historic Site (or @pinheyspoint on Instagram) Doors Open Ottawa