Museum Windsor

 

Museum Windsor plays a regional role as an educational institution, a community organization, a leisure services provider, and is an integral part of the tourism industry. Our Mission is to inspire passion, arouse curiosity and promote learning about the unique history and the natural, social, technological and cultural development of the City of Windsor and area for the benefit of our community’s residents and visitors. Museum Windsor acquires, preserves, documents, illustrates and promotes local history at three unique locations in the community

Museum Windsor ecompasses three museum facilities within the City of Windsor. The Chimczuk Museum and Maision Francois Baby House are both located in the Downtown Core, while the Duff-Baby Interpretation Centre is located in Old Sandwich Town.

The Chimczuk Museum is a premier museum destination that houses permanent exhibits on the history of the Windsor area, the Original People’s Culture and Legacy, and the development of The City of Windsor. The site also features a state-of-the-art Children’s Gallery and Learning Space with opportunities for hands-on exploration for our young and young at heart, two galleries for travelling and temporary exhibitions, and a gift shop with fantastic souvenirs for guests of all ages.

The Maison François Baby House is an historic residence that was owned by the prominent local politician François Baby. The house was known as La Ferme locally and was a French-Canadian ribbon farm that has historical ties to the War of 1812 where it was used as a headquarters by both the American and British forces. Today, the François Baby House has been designated as a National Historic Site of Canada and, as part of Museum Windsor, houses permanent galleries on Francophone Heritage, the War of 1812, the Battle of Windsor, the history of the home itself, visible storage, and museum archives.

The Duff-Baby House was built in 1798 and is named for its first two owners – Alexander Duff and James Baby. Recognized among the most significant late eighteenth-century landmarks in Upper Canada, today the Duff-Baby Interpretation Centre is used for educational programs and public meetings. Les Amis Duff-Baby, a local volunteer group, works with Museum Windsor to provide access to the centre, the house and the site. Museum staff utilize this facility for community outreach programs, local heritage meetings, and other Sandwich Town community activities.

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