City of Ottawa Museums - Holiday Events

Get Ready for the Holiday Season at Your Local Museums!

Play in the past. Make happy memories for the future.

Visit the Vintage Village of Lights

Enjoy the magic of the Twelve Days of Christmas at the Vintage Village of Lights. On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights from November 25 until December 18, the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum is transformed by thousands of Christmas lights and beautiful decorations, as well as fun for all ages. Decorate gingerbread in the Schoolhouse, take a ride on a horse-drawn wagon, challenge your friends and family with our special Twelve Days of Christmas-themed scavenger hunt, and, of course, meet Santa Claus! Whether it's your first time or an annual tradition, be sure to visit the Vintage Village of Lights at the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum this holiday season and make some new Christmas memories.

A Nepean Christmas

Kids aged 5 to 12 are invited to the Nepean Museum on Sunday, December 11 for A Nepean Christmas. They'll learn about different Christmas traditions through fun hands-on activities like making a Christmas card, decorating a gingerbread house, and creating a doll or teddy bear to bring home or give as a gift. Santa will even stop by to read a story or two.

Fun for Elves

Do you have an aspiring elf at home? Bring the kids to Billings Estate National Historic Site on Saturday, December 17 for Elves of the Estate. Enjoy the Victorian Christmas decorations while the children practice their elf skills by making a surprise Christmas present for their grown-ups and a little craft for themselves. Naturally, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on site to supervise and meet their new recruits!

Experience a Victorian Christmas

Take a break from your Christmas shopping and visit Fairfields Heritage House on Sunday, December 18 for an evening celebrating the spirit of the season.  Admire the Victorian-style decorations, listen to your favourite carols, enjoy a sampling of Christmas treats, and take a tour of this family home.

Artefact Showcase

This oil heater from the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum artefact collection has just returned from getting some special treatment! For over ten years, the City of Ottawa Museums have partnered with Algonquin College's Applied Museum Studies program. This partnership allows artefact conservation students to learn practical skills as they perform minor conservation work on some of the metal objects in our museums' artefact collections. Over the years, the students at Algonquin College have completed work on over 600 objects, which are then returned to the museums for further research and exhibition.

Celebrate Hockey at the Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame

Did you know that next year isn't just Canada's 150th anniversary, but also an important year in hockey history? In 2017, we'll be celebrating 125 years of the Stanley Cup, and 25 years of the Ottawa Senators. A special exhibition will be installed in the Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame this December honouring these two milestones. Next time you're at City Hall at 110 Laurier Avenue West, be sure to swing by the Heritage Building and check it out!

Volunteer Appreciation Event

The annual volunteer appreciation event for the City of Ottawa Museums and Historic Sites was held on November 9. We enjoyed getting together and recognizing the contributions of the many volunteers who help us bring our museums to life whether on the front-line or behind the scenes. We couldn't do it without you! For more information about volunteering for the City of Ottawa Museums, please contact us.

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Get the most up-to-date details about special events and programs, and lots of other neat information by following us on Facebook. Billings Estate National Historic Site Cumberland Heritage Village Museum Fairfields Heritage House Nepean Museum Pinhey's Point Historic Site Doors Open Ottawa Do you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for our newsletter? Please contact Melissa Lansing at melissa.lansing@ottawa.ca or call 613-580-2424 ext. 19040.