The Niagara Historical Society was established in 1895 to foster an appreciation of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s rich heritage. Within a year, the Society had a significant collection of artefacts that it decided to open a Museum in the local Courthouse. In 1907, under the leadership of the Society’s President, Janet Carnochan, they opened Memorial Hall, Ontario’s first purpose-built Museum.
The Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum contains one of Ontario’s most important local history collections. Located 20km north of Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake was an important home and terminus for Indigenous peoples, provided a safe haven for refugees and United Empire Loyalists, was the capital of Upper Canada, was in the middle of a war zone and visited by millions as a place of recreation for over 160 years. These stories play a major role in the development of Canada. The galleries host a permanent exhibition, titled Our Story, chronicling the history of our community. Two temporary exhibitions are mounted each year and over 80 engaging programs are enjoyed by the young and the young at heart.
