The Peterborough Museum and Archives is a family friendly facility. We offer exhibits and events all year round that all members of the family can enjoy.
Exhibits
Each year we offer several temporary exhibitions presenting a variety of topics. View our list of past exhibitions to see what we have previously hosted. You can also find out what is currently on display by visiting our featured exhibitions.
Our permanent exhibition tells a chronological history of Peterborough.
The story begins in Nogojiwanong (which translates to "The place at the end of the rapids") and the Indigenous communities that lived off the land and waterways in this area. We then learn about the early relationships that formed with Europeans during the fur trade. Later, in 1825, Irish immigrants settled here under the supervision of Peter Robinson – a member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada. Twenty-five years later, Peterborough is incorporated as a town, with a population of 2,191. Agriculture and lumber industries are the two major reasons for growth at this time. Peterborough would also see extensive industrial growth as it begins generating hydro electrical power - known to be one of the first Canadian cities to do so. This proved to be an attractive and cheap resource harnessed by companies such as Edison General Electric Company (later, Canadian General Electric) and the American Cereal Company (later to become Quaker Oats).
Upcoming exhibits
| Dates | Exhibit title | Curated by |
| Late November 2023 to March 24, 2024 | Hanging Out With Marionettes: Vignettes from the Peterborough Puppet Guild |
Peterborough Museum & Archives |
| March 30 to June 16, 2024 | Communications-themed exhibition (title TBD) |
Fleming College's Museum Management and Curatorship students |
| June 22 to September 15, 2024 | Chinese Languages in Canada | |
| June 21 to October 5, 2025 | Ojibwe Language: The Michi Saagiig Dialect |
Upcoming events
Give 'em Hell
Public shows Friday, September 15 through to Saturday, September 23
Presented by Theatre Direct, created by Prairie Fire, Please, and written by local playwright Madeleine Brown.
Inspired by real-life student activism, Give 'em Hell is a new play that retells the final school year leading up to the 2012 closure of Peterborough Collegiate and Vocational School (PCVS). This play explores the power of youth activism, the perils of self-discovery and what it costs to stand up for a cause. The Peterborough Museum & Archives will be at each performance with an exhibition of archival materials that reflect this monumental turning point in the school's history.
For more information including venue location, performance times, and how to get tickets, visit Theatre Direct's website following the link below.
Give 'em Hell
