Tourism in the Peterborough Area will receive a boost thanks to funding by the Government of Ontario for the redevelopment of The Canadian Canoe Museum. The larger museum will be able to display more pieces of importance to Canadian and world history.
Ontario is supporting cultural attractions, festivals and events to showcase the province as a vibrant place to live and visit during the province’s 150th anniversary. Investing in local tourism is part of a plan to create jobs, grow the economy and help people in their everyday lives.
“This investment from the Province of Ontario is nothing short of transformational for the future of The Canadian Canoe Museum, as well as for Peterborough, the region, the province and the country as a whole,” said John Ronson, Chair, Board of Directors. “On behalf of all those from around the world, who will be inspired by the museum’s world-class collection from its new high-profile headquarters, we are grateful.”
Established in 1997, the Canadian Canoe Museum is now home to the world’s largest and most significant collection of canoes, kayaks and paddled watercraft. The Museum stewards the world’s largest and most significant collection of canoes, kayaks and paddled watercraft. More than 600 in number, the craft and their stories of national and international significance have a pivotal role to play in our collective future.
The approximately 75,000 square-foot museum will be built next to the Peterborough Lift Lock and the Trent-Severn Waterway (both National Historic Sites), creating new cultural experiences and a dynamic destination. Via our highways, railways, waterways and by air, the new museum will draw tourists from across the province, the country and around the world.
The new museum is designed by an award-winning team of heneghan peng architects (Dublin, Ireland) with Kearns Mancini Architects (Toronto, Canada). The elegant serpentine glass pavilion, graced by a rooftop garden, was chosen from among 100 submissions as part of a two-stage international design competition. The new museum, purpose-built for the collection, will emerge from the drumlin – complementing the lift lock and contouring the waterway. The site-sensitive facility will offer stunning views of its one-of-a-kind surroundings.
An inspired visitor experience, engagement with Indigenous Peoples, and 21st-century sustainable design are among the principles that will inform and inspire the planning process.