 The Canadian Canoe Museum new building (2024) | |
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| Established | 1997 |
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| Location | Peterborough,Ontario, Canada |
| Coordinates | 44°17′54″N78°18′05″W / 44.2982°N 78.3013°W /44.2982; -78.3013 |
| Type | sport museum |
| Founder | Kirk Wipper |
| General Manager | Carolyn Hyslop |
| Curator | Jeremy Ward |
| Website | www |
The Canadian Canoe Museum, located inPeterborough, Ontario, Canada, is a museum dedicated tocanoes. The museum's mission is to preserve and share the culture and history of the canoe's enduring significance to the peoples of Canada through an exceptional collection of canoes, kayaks, and paddled watercraft."
It was founded as theKanawa Museum, which was also called theKanawa International Collection of Canoes, Kayaks and Rowing Craft,[1] in 1957 byKirk Wipper atCamp Kandalore, north ofMinden, Ontario, when a friend presented Professor Wipper with adugout made circa 1890. Over the years, the collection grew. It was housed inadequately in wooden buildings at Kandalore, and by the late 1980s it was becoming clear that a new home would be needed. Wipper transferred control of his historic collection in 1994 to the organization now called the Canadian Canoe Museum. The museum now holds the largest collection of its kind, with more than 600 canoes and kayaks, and a thousand related artifacts. The museum opened its doors to the public at its new location, a formeroutboard motor factory in Peterborough,[2] onCanada Day in 1997.
In May 2006,Prince Andrew, as a member of theCanadian Royal Family, accepted the invitation to become the royalpatron of the museum, and visited on May 11 to celebrate its 10th anniversary. He also donated three canoes, originally built in the area of Peterborough, and gifted to the Royal Family between 1947 and 1981, on long-term loan.[3]
Transport of the collection to a new facility still under construction began in July 2023.[2] The new building is located on the edge of Little Lake near theTrent–Severn Waterway canal lock.[2] The new facility opened to the public 11th May, 2024, with dignitaries present and a video message from the Prime Minister of Canada.[4][5]
The Canadian Canoe Museum's exhibits explore how the canoe defines the Canadian character and spirit. As well as the canoe collection, the museum features a dramatic waterfall, and a traditionalMi'kmaqwigwam where visitors can hear creation stories. Visitors can also try their hand at building a birch bark canoe in the Preserving Skills Gallery, plan a prospecting expedition like in thegold rush days, feel what it was like to be a voyageur during thefur trade era, and enjoy the cottaging lifestyles of the early 20th century.
A notable exhibit started in October 2001, when the museum gained further prominence with the launch ofReflections: The Land, the People and the Canoe. This landmark exhibit featuredPierre Trudeau's famous buckskin jacket and birch bark canoe on public display for the first time, along with the personal artifacts of other significant paddlers, includingBill Mason, Victoria Jason and Eric Morse.
The Canadian Canoe Museum, located on 2077 Ashburnham Drive, Peterborough, Ontario, is open daily from 10 am until 5 pm.[6]
The museum is affiliated with:Canadian Museums Association,Canadian Heritage Information Network, andVirtual Museum of Canada.
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