Is there an old local building that you’ve always wondered about, or a heritage structure that has caught your eye on your travels? Are you looking for that perfect photo moment inside an inspiring historical space? Or maybe you’re a history buff looking to learn more about intriguing heritage sites. Doors Open Ontario provides you with access to places and the freedom to explore that you can’t get any other way.

Plan your adventure via the Doors Open Ontario website. It’s your destination to learn more about Doors Open events happening this year in your community and all around the province. New sites and events are added to the website each month.

“Ontario is your province, and Doors Open Ontario is the key that unlocks hundreds of its fascinating historical sites,” said John Ecker, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Ontario Heritage Trust. “Every year, Doors Open Ontario provides you with an opportunity to explore what makes Ontario special — and this year will be no exception.”

“Doors Open Ontario is a unique opportunity to explore the rich and diverse heritage that defines our province,” said Graham McGregor, Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism. “I encourage everyone across Ontario to take part and discover the remarkable sites that have helped shape our communities and our collective story.”

Indulge your curiosity and find a Doors Open Ontario experience near you. 2025 community event dates are as follows.

April

• Guelph (April 26)

May

• Oshawa (May 3)
• Hamilton Region (May 3-4)
• Along the Grand (May 10)
• Richmond Hill (May 10)
• Toronto (May 24-25)

June

• Whitchurch-Stouffville (June 7)
• Ottawa (June 7-8)
• Loyalist Township (June 14)
• Owen Sound (June 21)

August

• Seaforth (August 1-2)
• Burlington (August 9)
• St. Marys (August 9)
• Cornwall and SDG Counties (August 16-17)
• Rideau Lakes (August 16-17)

September

• Belleville (September 13)
• Peterborough (September 13)
• Simcoe County (September 13)
• Aylmer and Area (September 20)
• Gravenhurst (September 20)
• Markham (September 20)
• Waterloo Region (September 20)
• London (September 20-21)
• Aurora (September 21)
• Barrie (September 27)
• Mississippi Mills (September 28)

October

• Quinte West (October 4)
• Sault Ste. Marie (October 4)
• Woodstock (October 4)
• Niagara-on-the-Lake (October 18)
• Whitby (October 18)

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Every year, visitors to Doors Open events gain rare access to buildings and spaces that are normally closed to the public or sites that normally charge admission. The events have something for everyone — in addition to free access, many sites are also hosting walking tours, interactive experiences, special exhibitions and more.

This year, the Trust is exploring Ontario’s food culture and history. From breweries to farms, Doors Open events will also include sites or special programs to highlight our culinary or agricultural heritage.

“Discovery is at the heart of Doors Open Ontario,” said John Ecker, Chair, Board of Directors, Ontario Heritage Trust. “We encourage everybody to make a trip to one or more of the 22 Doors Open events happening this year. You’ll uncover new stories, connect with people and see outstanding places that showcase how these vibrant communities help to create that sense of belonging that brings us all together.”

Digital Doors Open Ontario also returns with hundreds of listings available online. These virtual experiences can help you fill a rainy afternoon, plan a staycation or virtually visit impressive destinations across the province that may be too far away.

• Guelph (April 29)
• Hamilton (May 6-7)
• Oshawa (May 6)
• Richmond Hill (May 13)
• Toronto (May 27-28)
• Ottawa (June 3-4)
• Whitchurch-Stouffville (June 3)
• Loyalist Township (June 17)
• Burlington (August 12)
• Cornwall and SDG Counties (August 19-20)
• Simcoe County (August 26-27)
• Belleville (September 9)
• Carleton Place (September 16-17)
• London (September 16-17)
• Peterborough (September 16)
• Quinte West (September 16)
• Waterloo Region (September 16)
• Kingston (September 23-24)
• St. Marys (September 23)
• Woodstock (September 23)
• Niagara-on-the-Lake (October 21)
• Dutton Dunwich (October 22)

Each event occurs over a weekend and is always free of charge. The events are run locally by a range of organizations — including municipal departments, arts councils or heritage and historical societies — and are supported by thousands of volunteers.

Doors Open Ontario is made possible thanks to our presenting sponsor TD Bank Group.

• Find events and plan your trip by visiting the Doors Open Ontario website
• Learn more about the Ontario Heritage Trust’s interpretive theme for 2023: Food
• Download a selection of Doors Open Ontario 2023 photos

The post Doors Open Ontario Is Back With Hundreds Of Places To Visit For Free appeared first on Muskoka411.

Whether you’d like to dig deeper into Ontario’s past and learn something new, look for online activities to do with the family, or research unique heritage sites to help plan future trips, digital Doors Open Ontario has something for everyone at DoorsOpenOntario.ca.

Here are the Top Twenty ways you can get started:

Staytrips

With so many digital Doors Open Ontario sites to discover, it’s hard to know where to begin. The Trust has curated 13 staytrip itineraries, organized thematically, including:

1.    Architectural and engineering marvels 
2.    Ontario film sets 
3.    Ontario theatres 
4.    Going behind the scenes 
5.    Home sweet home

Learn from home with these activities and games

There are plenty of activities to help keep kids entertained and lots of great resources for adults, too!

6.    David Dunlap Observatory (Richmond Hill) offers a lesson on how to use a star finder for stargazing.
7.    Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum (Ottawa) will challenge problem-solving skills with jigsaw puzzles and an online spy game.
8.    Royal Botanical Gardens (Burlington) will help open your eyes to nature with downloadable activities like nature watching checklists and seasonal recipe cards.
9.    Art Gallery of Ontario (Toronto) offers art-making resources that will help you develop drawing, photography and painting skills.
10.  Stratford Festival (Stratford) presents Shakespeare’s most famous works accompanied with video interviews with cast and creative members, free lesson plans and study guides.

Gain new perspectives or go behind the scenes

11.   Mnjikaning Fish Weirs National Historic Site (Simcoe County) contains the largest and best-preserved wooden fish weirs known in eastern North America. Learn about the site’s history, its importance and the Indigenous communities looking after it.
12.   Research Casting International (Quinte West) specializes in the fabrication of paleontology displays for some of the world’s biggest museums, including the Royal Ontario Museum, as well as feature films like Jurassic Park.
13.   Sleeping Giant Provincial Park (Thunder Bay) is a massive lakeside park with over 100 km (62 miles) of incredible trails and excellent wildlife viewing opportunities – experience the thrill of the climb and aerial views of the park through their videos.
14.   Devil’s Monument (Northern Bruce Peninsula) is home to the only complete flowerpot rock formation on land along the east side of the Bruce Peninsula – get a bird’s eye view of the site and take a virtual hike.
15.   Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society and Black Mecca Museum (Chatham-Kent) is dediated to the discovery, research and preservation of Chatham-Kent’s Black history and the contributions of Black Ontarians in shaping Southwestern Ontario.

Explore collections and resources
Reconnect with museums, archives and heritage sites online by exploring their collections and available resources. It’ll feel like you’re already there.

16.   McMichael Canadian Art Collection (Vaughan) collects the art of Canada, including the Group of Seven and their contemporaries as well as First Nations, Métis and Inuit artists. Their eMuseum has more than 6,500 searchable artworks for you to discover.
17.   Uncle Tom’s Cabin Historic Site (Chatham-Kent) commemorates the life and work of Reverend Josiah Henson, one of the persons who inspired the anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin – delve deeper into Ontario’s Black heritage with their resources and recommended reads.
18.   Archives of Ontario (Toronto) is the largest provincial archives in Canada with records that date back to the 16^th century – browse stories from their online exhibits and search through their digital image database for snippets of Ontario’s past.
19.   Canadian War Museum (Ottawa) has approximately 500,000 military-related objects and thousands of photos that tell the stories of Canada’s military in fascinating details – explore through curated exhibitions or use their research guide to get started.
20.   Timmins Public Library (Timmins) houses a comprehensive local history collection, including online resources and digitized local newspapers that explore the community’s rich history of mining in Northern Ontario.

Stay tuned for more digital content drops throughout the coming weeks and months.

SOURCE Ontario Heritage Trust

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