Oakville Museum Exhibitions and Collections
The beautiful historic home and gardens of the Erchless Estate were once the home of our town’s founding family, but are now the setting for Oakville’s Community Museum. You can also visit our satellite exhibition gallery at Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre.
The museum holds a diverse collection of objects reflecting the history of Oakville from its establishment to the present day including costumes and textiles, fine and decorative arts, ethnological artifacts and Chisholm family-related materials. Artifacts that are not currently part of our permanent or temporary exhibits are carefully stored to ensure their preservation. For information on donating artifacts to the collection, please visit the support page.
WHAT'S YOUR TYPE?
May 6, 2022 to Spring 2023
Erchless Estate, 8 Navy Street
Often found hiding in attics and lurking in basements are two of the most revolutionary machines to come out of the 1800s. Typewriters and sewing machines helped change the role of women as they entered the working world with new skills. The machines share complex relationships with women, their societal roles and their voices.
The pairing of machines dating from 1875 to 1975 shows the evolution of technological advances and material design of these working tools. The juxtaposition also provokes questions about their role in history and helps tell the stories of the women who used them.
Read Me a Story: Fables and Fairytales
Ongoing
Oakville Museum @QEPCCC, 2302 Bridge Road
Elders have tried to teach children important life lessons through storytelling since time began. Through museum artifacts we take a whimsical look at reoccurring themes found in fables and fairytales from a long, long time ago.
Preserving Peace: Souvenirs of Peacekeeping
Now on at Erchless Estate, 8 Navy Street
Since the invention of Peacekeeping by Lester B. Pearson in response to the 1956 Suez Crisis, Canada has assumed a leading role in missions around the world. Learn about Canada’s contribution to global peace and how Canadian peacekeepers faced considerable risks while operating in some of the most challenging environments. This exhibit is co-curated by Michael Johnson.
Freedom, Opportunity and Family: Oakville’s Black History
Permanent Exhibit at Erchless Estate, 8 Navy Street
Artifacts, pictures, text and a documentary video tell the stories of many of the African-American families who settled in Oakville and were important to the development of our community. Visitors will discover the story of Branson Johnson, a freeborn African-American, who arrived in Oakville with his family in 1855. His Certificate of Freedom from a Maryland court and the pocket watch in which it was hidden for many years are featured. Passed down from one generation to the next, the certificate shows how subsequent generations defined and preserved evidence of freedom.
The Underground Railroad: Next Stop Freedom
Permanent Exhibit at Erchless Estate, 8 Navy Street
In this exciting and moving multi-media presentation, the ghost of Deborah Brown tells the true story of her heroic flight from a life of slavery in Maryland to her new life of freedom in 19th-century Toronto.
The exhibit was created by Parks Canada in partnership with the Ontario Black History Society and the Royal Ontario Museum.
Presentation available in French and English.
History of Sledge Hockey
Now on at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex, 3070 Neyagawa Blvd
What is sledge hockey? Sledge Hockey of Canada (SHOC) was established over twenty-five years ago. Learn about the history of the sport, the rules of the game and get introduced to some of its leading athletes, some of which call Oakville home.
Past Exhibitions
For more information about previous listings, visit our past exhibition page.
Community Outreach Presentations
Throughout the year, museum staff present a series of mini exhibits coupled with conversational-style presentations to seniors’ residences in our community. Various themes are covered including oddities in the museum’s collections, an overview of Oakville’s history, vintage quilts and cocktail party gowns. If you are interested in booking an outreach exhibit at your facility, please call 905-338-4400 or email carolyn.cross@oakville.ca.