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. 

2940 Old Montreal Road 
Cumberland, ON K4C 1G3 

Tel.: 613-580-2988 
Email: museecumberlandmuseum@ottawa.ca

Facebook: @CumberlandMuseum
Instagram: @CumberlandMuseum
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Hours of operation:

Wednesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm
Activities and demonstrations – 10 am to 3 pm

General admission:

• Adult - $8.88
• Students and seniors - $6.28
• Play free: free general admission for children and youth (aged 17 and under) and accompanying adults.

*Please note that registration or admission fees may apply for programs and special events. 

At Cumberland Heritage Village Museum, you will explore a recreated 1920s and 30s village. Meet the stationmaster at the Train Station and receive an introduction to the site, a souvenir train ticket, and see how a telegraph office operates. Drop by the General Store and help the merchant with their daily tasks. Visit Taylor Barn for carpentry demonstrations, see how letterpress printing works in the Print Shop, or chat with the leathersmith in Spratt House. Get a glimpse into domestic life as you move between Duford House and Foubert House. Check out a working forge in the Blacksmith’s Shop (excluding Saturdays) and enter the automotive era at Watson’s Garage. See an authentic 1927 fire truck in the Fire Hall and take a quiet moment in Knox Church. Don’t forget to say hello to the heritage breed farm animals who call the museum home each summer.  

Pack a lunch to enjoy on the front green, where you’ll find heritage inspired games and a community picnic atmosphere or grab a small treat at the canteen (Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 2 pm).

Visit the museum’s gift shop (Train Station) to discover handmade souvenirs crafted with care by the museum’s tradespeople.

Scheduled Activities

(Excluding special event days)

School day experience – Wednesday to Sunday at 11 am and 1:30 pm
Take a seat at a desk in the one-room schoolhouse and participate in a lesson inspired by early 20^th century curriculum. Experience how life in the classroom has changed over the past 100 years. Families with kids and adults of all ages are encouraged to take part together.

Tractor-pulled wagon rides – Wednesday to Sunday at 11:30 am and 2 pm
Enjoy a tour of the museum grounds.

Meet a farm animal – Wednesday to Sunday at 1 pm
Learn more about a specific animal and how they are cared for.

Sawmill – Wednesday to Saturday at 12 pm and 2:30 pm
See the sawmill in action. Learn about the history of this trade, the techniques used, and how the equipment is maintained. 

Farm animal tour - Wednesday to Sunday at 3 pm
Join an interpreter as they feed and shelter the heritage breed farm animals at the end of each day.

*Please note that scheduled demonstrations and activities, including wagon rides and farm animal tours, may be adjusted, or cancelled without notice in the event of unsafe weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances. Thank you for your understanding.

Memories of Childhood

Saturday and Sunday, September 14 and 15 from 10:00 am to 4 pm
Cost: Free for adults 50 years of age and older. Family - $22.49 (2 adults and accompanying children under 18); Adult - $8.88; Child/Student - $6.28; Child 5 or younger – Free.

Heritage demonstrations! Music! Art! Mark your calendars and join us for a very special weekend celebrating memories of childhood at Cumberland Heritage Village Museum – September 14 & 15.

Travel through the decades, with sights and sounds from the 1920s to the 1970s. Enjoy fun and creative activities for visitors of all ages. Express your inner artist. Dance to music from years past. Play a classic lawn game. Reminisce about vintage cars. Check out toys and tools from the past century.

Pack a picnic and spend the day exploring a recreated heritage village. See authentic trade demonstrations, visit with farm animals, and more!

Saturday, September 14

• Art activity (leatherwork using recycled materials) with Louis Mercier
  • 10:30 am to 11:30 am
  • 11:45 am to 12:45 pm
  • 1:15 pm to 2:15 pm
  • 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm
• Music with the Four Seasons Brass Band
  • 11 am to 12:30 pm

Sunday, September 15

• Art activity (“Shadow and Light” – mini graphite portraits) with Emily Rose Michaud
  • 11 am to 12 pm
  • 12:15 pm to 1:15 pm
  • 1:45 pm to 2:45 pm
• Music and phonograph demonstration with Will Desjardins    
  • 10:00 am to 4 pm
• Music with the Four Seasons Brass Band
  • 11 am to 12:30 pm

Arts and culture programming is presented in partnership by MASC. 

Free admission for older adults (50+) is supported by a grant from the City of Ottawa’s Older Adult Plan.

*If you have event participation questions due to disability or have concerns regarding accessibility, please contact the museum by phone at 613-580-2988 or by email at museecumberlandmuseum@ottawa.ca. Additional information about accessibility can be found on the museum web page.

Discovery Sundays

May 26, June 30, July 28, August 25, and September 29 from 11 am to 3 pm
Cost: Family - $22.49 (2 adults and accompanying children), Adult - $8.88, Child - $6.28, Student/Senior - $6.28. Free for children 5 and under.  

The Ottawa Valley Live Steamers and Model Engineers are back at Cumberland Heritage Village Museum for the summer season! Join us on the last Sunday of every month from May through September for a day filled with special themed programming and activities, including a chance to see the OVLSME’s large-scale model locomotives in action—always a fan favourite for kids and adults alike!

*The train demonstrations are weather dependent. In the event of inclement weather, the program may be adjusted or cancelled without notice.

Plan your next school field trip to Cumberland Heritage Village Museum! Travel 100 years back in time and discover daily life in a rural Eastern Ontario community. Explore the 1920s and 30s village using a curriculum-based aid, visit with farm animals, enjoy a tractor-pulled wagon ride, see a heritage trade demonstration, and take part in a history-inspired race. 

Optional grade-specific activities are offered for students from kindergarten to grade six. Programming is offered in both English and French.  

For more information and to request a booking form, please contact the museum by email.  

Contact information 
Cumberland Heritage Village Museum 
2940 Old Montreal Road 
Email: museecumberlandmuseum@ottawa.ca 
Phone: 613-580-2988, ext. 40952 

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.

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.

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.