Cumberland Heritage Village Museum

Step back in time to the 1920s and 1930s while exploring an historic village just a 30-minute drive outside Ottawa's downtown core. See dozens of heritage buildings and true-to-era reproductions. Find a quiet escape or join us for a special event. The Cumberland Heritage Village Museum offers unique opportunities to create unforgettable moments for visitors of all ages. 

Hop into Spring

April 19 from 10 am to 4 pm (final entry by 3 pm)
Cost: $26.38 per group. Maximum of 6 people per group; children under 2 years of age are not counted toward the maximum group size.
Advance registration is required.(link is external)

Spring has arrived and we’re hosting a day of fun, hands-on, family-friendly activities to celebrate the season’s arrival! Say hello to some baby animals with the Heritage Livestock Club of Eastern Ontario, help Henrietta Hen find her lost chicks (scavenger hunt), hop like a bunny or waddle like a duck as you challenge your friends and family to a race, get your face painted, meet a firefighter from Ottawa Fire Services, and more. You might even spot the Easter Bunny and collect a small treat or two along the way! Activities are best suited for children ages 3 to 8; younger or older siblings are also welcome to join the fun.

Notes:

• Registration is non-refundable and non-transferable.
• This program runs rain or shine and takes place both indoors and outdoors. Please check the forecast and dress for weather conditions, including proper footwear for wet, snowy, or muddy conditions.
• All reasonable attempts will be made to ensure any candies or chocolate distributed as part of this program are nut free. However, we cannot guarantee a 100% nut free environment.
• Visitors move between buildings using packed gravel pathways. Most buildings have accessible entrances, however, due to the building standards of their time, a small number of heritage buildings may not be accessible to all. Designated accessible parking spots are in front of the train station.
• If you have event participation questions due to disability or have concerns regarding the accessibility of the event, please contact the museum by phone at 613-580-2988 or by email at museecumberlandmuseum@ottawa.ca(link opens email application). Additional information about accessibility can be found on the museum web page.
• Access to some buildings or exhibitions may be limited as we prepare for our summer operating season. Thank you for helping us reduce the impact of water, salt and mud on our heritage spaces!

Makers at the Museum is a beginner-friendly workshop series hosted by the City of Ottawa Museums and Historic Sites which introduces participants to traditional handicrafts through sessions hosted by skilled artisans.

Notes:

• The primary language of delivery for this program is English.
• Advance registration is required. Workshops with insufficient registration may be cancelled. If an alternative cannot be offered, a refund will be issued.
• Visit the Ottawa Hand in Hand web page for information on available financial supports to facilitate participation in recreation and culture programs.
• Unless otherwise noted, workshops at Cumberland Heritage Village Museum are hosted in the Loyal Orange Lodge (Community Hall). Please check-in at the Train Station (adjacent to the parking lot) on arrival at the museum. The pathways between buildings are packed gravel.
• If you have questions or concerns regarding accessibility, please contact the museum by phone at 613-580-2988 or by email at museecumberlandmuseum@ottawa.ca(link opens email application). Additional information about accessibility can be found on the museum web page.

Introduction to leatherworking

Saturday, February 22 or Sunday, March 30 from 1 pm to 5 pm
Ages 16 and up
Cost: $102.95 + tax (per person)
Advance registration is required(link is external)

Learn the basics of leather work and create your own journal slipcover under the guidance of a skilled artisan from Cumberland Heritage Village Museum. In this beginner-friendly workshop, you will layout, emboss, and stitch a heritage style slipcover that will fit a 4 x 6 notebook. Supplies are included in the cost of registration. Light refreshments will be served.

Introduction to printmaking

Saturday, March 29 from 1 pm to 5 pm
Ages 16 and up
Cost: $77.21 + tax (per person)
Advance registration is required(link is external)

Discover the basics of linocut printmaking and create your own Easter cards. Participants will familiarize themselves with the tools of the trade and learn beginner-friendly techniques to transfer an image onto an engraving block, carve the design, ink a block, and print the final product. You’ll leave with six cards to share with friends and family. All skill levels, including beginners, are welcome. A selection of design templates will be provided to spark inspiration. Supplies are included in the cost of registration. Light refreshments will be served.

Alone in the Dark - The Haunted Walk

Various dates - February 8 to May 17
Ages 16 and up
Cost: $64.99 + tax (per person)
Tickets: Available online from The Haunted Walk(link is external).  Bookings must be made in advance.  

Step into the shadows at Cumberland Heritage Village Museum for one of the city’s most unique activities—a spine-tingling paranormal adventure! Get exclusive access to explore and investigate four heated heritage buildings, each steeped in history and chilling tales from the past.

Please note that this program is delivered by The Haunted Walk. For more information and to book tickets, please visit The Haunted Walk(link is external) online. Contact: info@hauntedwalk.com(link opens email application).

Dates (program duration – 2 hours):
February 8, 14, 15, 22 at 7:30 pm and 8:30 pm
March 1, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29 at 7:30 pm and 8:30 pm
April 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26 at 8 pm and 9 pm
May 2, 3, 9, 10, 16,17 at 8 pm and 9 pm

*Schedule subject to change.

Visit Ottawa’s own heritage village for your next school field trip. At Cumberland Heritage Village Museum, students will experience daily life in rural Eastern Ontario during the 1920s and 30s. Explore the village through interactive demonstrations and self-guided, curriculum-based activities. Enjoy a tractor-pulled wagon ride (weather dependent), reserved picnic seating for lunch, and a drink and snack for each student.  

Cost per student: $6.46 taxes included. A one to seven (1:7) adult to student ratio is required. There is no charge for adult chaperones.  

Availability: Mid-May to Thanksgiving. Heritage demonstrations, wagon rides, and canteen services are offered between 10 am and 3 pm. Visiting groups are welcome to use the grounds for self-guided activities between 10 am and 5 pm.

New! The online booking form will open soon.

Representing a fascinating period in our history - the 1920s and 1930s - the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum's collection represents the social, cultural, technological, and economic changes of the era between the First and Second World Wars. Textiles, mass communication devices, agricultural equipment, recreational items, and furnishings are just a few examples of the more than 19,000 objects in our care in this collection, with many of them on site as part of the museum's immersive exhibition experience.

Permanent exhibition

Nestled next to fields of hay, corn, and barley, the entire museum is an immersive exhibition that tells the story of rural life as new technologies, transportation, and cultural trends were emerging. As you stroll through the village and explore its many buildings and spaces, you and your family will learn the stories of a fascinating part of history and see thousands of historic objects, machinery, and equipment that may seem in some ways so different from today, and in other ways very much the same.

The City of Ottawa Museums are committed to offering residents meaningful and rewarding volunteer experiences.

Heritage volunteers play an invaluable role in preserving our unique heritage and in providing museum visitors of all ages with opportunities to appreciate our shared story.

Thank you to all our volunteer team members for their continued support.

The museums are not currently accepting new volunteers. If you have any questions about the volunteer program or would like to be notified when volunteering resumes, please contact MuseeCumberlandMuseum@ottawa.ca(link opens email application).

A vintage rural setting with dozens of historic and true-to-era buildings, acres of greenspace, and gardens provide a nostalgic and picturesque backdrop for your special events.

For more information, please contact our Customer Service Booking Clerk. Call 613-580-2988 or email museecumberlandmuseum@ottawa.ca(link opens email application).

Work with us to shape your experience. Contact the museum before your visit to discuss your needs. Information about the accessibility of the facility, or our programs and services, is available upon request.

The accessibility features of this facility are detailed below. While the City of Ottawa is constantly working to improve access, please note that not all parts of every facility are necessarily 'accessible for all' as facilities were built to meet accessibility standards of their time.

• Parking
  • 4 designated parking spaces
  • Accessible path of travel from the parking lot to entrance
  • 22 metres from parking space to the door
• Entrance/Exit
  • Ramp
  • Direct access to the main floor and admissions.
• Interior
  • Ramps in 16 of 20 buildings
  • Automatic door access to Train Station and Canteen
  • Wheelchair available to patrons
• Reception desks
  • Accessible counters
  • Floor area for maneuvering a wheelchair
• Signage
  • Directional signs
  • High contrast signage
  • Large lettering
• Floor Surfaces
  • Slip resistant surfaces
  • Low pile carpet, Wooden floor boards and G-floor covering
• Washrooms
  • Accessible washroom (Canteen)
  • Automatic door opener
  • Lowered sink counters
  • Large stalls to allow transfers
• Stairs
  • Good colour contrast (Train Station)
  • Continuous hand rails (Train Station & Duford House)
• Museums/Galleries/Archives
  • 14 exhibitions spaces are accessible

Learn more about special needs and accessible services.