Civic Museum
Celebrating Guelph’s stories!
The Guelph Civic Museum showcases Guelph’s history through permanent and changing exhibits, a fun and interactive families gallery, and special events and activities. Located in the recently renovated Loretto Convent, atop the hill at Norfolk Street and beside the landmark Church of Our Lady, the museum is home to a collection of over 30,000 artifacts that bring Guelph’s past to life.
2012
Guelph Civic Museum opens at 52 Norfolk Street, the former Loretto Convent.
2000
The “Growing Up in Guelph Children’s Museum” opens at the Civic Museum. The popular children’s gallery attracts many more visitors and significantly increases the number of family memberships.
1980
Guelph Civic Museum opens at 6 Dublin Street South, a commercial limestone building built c.1855. The building had many uses over the years but was most recently known as the Knights of Columbus Hall.
1967
Canada’s Centennial Year. The Museum opens in its first home in the horse stables, now the Farmer’s Market.
1960’s
Members of the Guelph Historical Society begin to collect artifacts and displays are mounted in store fronts and community centres.
Upcoming Events
June 2019
Relationships, Respect and Reciprocity – Education Seminar with Nancy Rowe
Indigenous Healing & Wellness of Wellington Waterloo Presents: Relationship, Respect and Reciprocity: An Education Seminar for Service Providers in the Wellington Waterloo region with Giidaakunadaad (The Spirit Who Lives in High Places) Nancy Rowe Participants will partake in the journey of interactive learning and discussion, and build awareness around Indigenous engagement, duties around consultation in respect to Indigenous nations that surround contemporary priorities today. Nancy Rowe will take organizations, managers, staff serving the Indigenous Community through a guided process in meaningful engagement to help non-indigenous…
Find out more »Early ON: Downtown Playtime
Weekly program offerings for children from 0 to 6 years old and their families, offered through the EarlyON Child and Family Centre. Beginning Wednesday, September 5, Guelph Civic Museum will become the Downtown EarlyON Playtime location with free drop in family programming that promotes early learning and development from 9:30 to 11:30 AM on a weekly basis. The EarlyON Child and Family Centre at the Guelph Community Health Centre has been in existence since 2003. EarlyON have eight off-site Neighbourhood Playtimes and…
Find out more »In Conversation: Newspapers Past, Present and Future?
Image: Seth, Newsboy (2016) The Guelph Mercury’s former managing editor Phil Andrews in conversation with veterans of the newspaper industry: Rob O’Flanagan, Mathew McCarthy, Adam Donaldson, Seth, and Stephanie MacLellan. This ‘In Conversation’ coincides with the two newspaper exhibitions currently on display at Guelph Civic Museum, “B&W and Read All Over“ and “The Dailies: Front Pages & Frontispieces”. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Phil Andrews was managing editor of the Guelph Mercury and GuelphMercury.com from September 2005 until the daily paper's closure in…
Find out more »School’s Out, Museum’s In – PD Day
School’s Out, Summer’s In! Visit the museum for a day of classic summertime activities. Play with bubbles, make friendship bracelets, draw with sidewalk chalk, and more!
Find out more »Fourth Friday: Wooly
Kick off your weekend with a performance by Wooly and meet the 2019 Artist in Residence, Mallory Tolcher! On the Fourth Friday of the month, Guelph Museums offers free admission to the Guelph Civic Museum after 5 p.m. Performance by Wooly at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Cash bar. About Wooly: In 2017, four unique talents came together under the moniker Wooly. Wooly represents a collaboration of unique musical talents brought together through a common vision. Their music and lyrics are innovative,…
Find out more »July 2019
Wednesday Wonders: LIFT
Join us each week for presentations by special guest stars! Every Wednesday in July and August, 11 AM & 1 PM General admission. JULY 10 LIFT – family classic exercise JULY 17 Puppets JULY 24 Sports Day JULY 31 Stories with Elder Jan Sherman AUGUST 7 Superhero Day AUGUST 14 Orbax and Pepper Do Science AUGUST 21 Fantescapes Escape Room AUGUST 28 The Making Box
Find out more »Wednesday Wonders: Puppets
Join us each week for presentations by special guest stars! Every Wednesday in July and August, 11 AM & 1 PM General admission. JULY 17 Puppets JULY 24 Sports Day JULY 31 Stories with Elder Jan Sherman AUGUST 7 Superhero Day AUGUST 14 Orbax and Pepper Do Science AUGUST 21 Fantescapes Escape Room AUGUST 28 The Making Box
Find out more »Wednesday Wonders: Sports Day
Join us each week for presentations by special guest stars! Every Wednesday in July and August, 11 AM & 1 PM General admission. JULY 24 Sports Day JULY 31 Stories with Elder Jan Sherman AUGUST 7 Superhero Day AUGUST 14 Orbax and Pepper Do Science AUGUST 21 Fantescapes Escape Room AUGUST 28 The Making Box
Find out more »Fourth Friday: The Making Box
Kick off your weekend with a performance by The Making Box! On the Fourth Friday of the month, Guelph Museums offers free admission to the Guelph Civic Museum after 5 p.m. Sets by The Making Box at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Cash bar. The Making-Box is a hub for live comedy and improv education. Since 2013, we have empowered thousands of individuals and businesses through improv training and delighted thousands more at our one-of-a-kind live comedy events. In 2016,…
Find out more »Wednesday Wonders: Jan Sherman
Join us each week for presentations by special guest stars! Every Wednesday in July and August, 11 AM & 1 PM General admission. JULY 3 1800’s Day JULY 10 LIFT – family classic exercise JULY 17 Puppets JULY 24 Sports Day JULY 31 Stories with Elder Jan Sherman AUGUST 7 Superhero Day AUGUST 14 Orbax and Pepper Do Science AUGUST 21 Fantescapes Escape Room AUGUST 28 The Making Box
Find out more »August 2019
John Galt and The Instant City
A new musical by acclaimed Canadian musicians Mike Ford and Murray Foster explores the life of Galt, from his roots in Scotland to the founding of the Canada Company, and the paradox between colonization and our present-day commitment to Truth and Reconciliation. Two performances, 2 and 7 PM. Tickets in advance | $20 + HST GALT 240 2019 marks the 240th birthday of John Galt, colonist and founder of Guelph. Take part in the conversation at Guelph Museums through a…
Find out more »John Galt Day
Family activities by day and a free concert at night. 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM | Market Square Hilarious live magic performances by Brent and Sarah Face painting with Cleo the Clown and her Painting Pals Interactive t-shirt printing with Jeff Mann of TREAD ON IT! Activities and crafts with Wyndham Art Supplies Don’t forget your reusable water bottle to bring, fill, drink at Guelph’s Water Wagon! Details: bit.ly/2F7SPRQ 8 PM | Civic Museum Concert, Rant Maggie Rant and Shawnee. Doors open at 7:30 pm Licenced, all-ages…
Find out more »Community Tea
Enjoy tea on the terrace, blending Indigenous and settler traditions. Tickets in advance at guelphmuseums.ca | $20 +HST GALT 240 2019 marks the 240th birthday of John Galt, colonist and founder of Guelph. Take part in the conversation at Guelph Museums through a series of events that reimagine our city today and in the future. Funded in part by the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund and the Musagetes Fund, a grant from the Guelph Community Foundation.
Find out more »Wednesday Wonders: Superhero Day
Join us each week for presentations by special guest stars! Every Wednesday in July and August, 11 AM & 1 PM General admission. AUGUST 7 Superhero Day AUGUST 14 Orbax and Pepper Do Science AUGUST 21 Fantescapes Escape Room AUGUST 28 The Making Box
Find out more »Wednesday Wonders: Orbax and Pepper Do Science
Join us each week for presentations by special guest stars! Every Wednesday in July and August, 11 AM & 1 PM General admission. AUGUST 14 Orbax and Pepper Do Science AUGUST 21 Fantescapes Escape Room AUGUST 28 The Making Box
Find out more »Wednesday Wonders: Fantescapes
Join us each week for Wednesday Wonders presentations by special guest stars! Every Wednesday in July and August, 11 AM & 1 PM General admission. AUGUST 21 Fantescapes Escape Room AUGUST 28 The Making Box
Find out more »Fourth Friday: Versa Visuals
Kick off your weekend with a performance by VERSA! On the Fourth Friday of the month, Guelph Museums offers free admission to the Guelph Civic Museum after 5 p.m. Performance by VERSA at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Cash bar. VERSA is a Guelph ON-based audiovisual collective led by Monika Hauck and Alex Ricci. The duo create powerful instrumental music written around live looping bass guitar, and pair this with responsive projections that visualize sound. Low frequency sound is passed…
Find out more »Wednesday Wonders: The Making Box
Join us each week for Wednesday Wonders presentations by special guest stars! Every Wednesday in July and August, 11 AM & 1 PM General admission. AUGUST 28 The Making Box
Find out more »Fifth Friday Pub Night: Fantescapes
19+ Event | No cover charge. Fifth Friday! Something new at the Civic Museum, pub night! On Fifth Fridays, Guelph Museums offers free admission to the Guelph Civic Museum after 5 PM. Featuring mini-escapes and puzzles with Fantescapes Escape Room. Free admission. Cash bar. Located in Downtown Guelph, Fantescapes is Guelph's Premier Escape Room Facility. Unique, immersive escape rooms, puzzles everywhere and a boutique featuring "geeky" art and craft items fan merchandise, instruments and steampunk items. There are hidden mind benders, ever-changing…
Find out more »September 2019
