Programs
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Children’s Discovery Program
| Museum Services offers programs for Daycare centers. |
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This outreach program provides daycare ages children (12 month - 4 years) with an introduction to history! Through a variety of fun and interactive activities, including a song and dance, a story and a wiggly Jell-O treat, children will learn about the Jell-O factory that was located in Bridgeburg in the early 1900s.
Duration: 1/2 hour
Contact the Museum for further details. |
| Museum Services offers programs for children during July and August. |
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Fort Erie Railway Museum, 400 Central Ave.: hands-on activities, take home craft projects, and local history trivia
Date: August 20
Contact the Museum for further details. |
School Programs at the Museum
The Museum’s curriculum-based programs are designed to engage students in local history. Our goal is to provide opportunities for learning, discovery, and fun. School programs include:
| The Fenian Raids and Confederation |
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This program provides your students with an exciting and innovative look into the 1866 Battle of Ridgeway and why it is called the catalyst to Canada’s Confederation. Two programming options exist:
Students will interact with art and artifacts while participating in hands-on learning activities.
Contact the Museum for further details. 905-894-5322 |
| Archaeology Adventures |
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In this program, students get a glimpse into the lives of the area's Indigenous peoples with artifacts dating back 11,000 years. This includes hands-on activity in which students become "history detectives" and determine which artifacts are real or fake and how the objects were used. Two programming options exist:
Duration: 90 Minutes
Contact the Museum for further details. |
| Fort Erie’s Early Settlers |
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This in-school outreach program offers interactive experiences to explore pioneer life in Fort Erie. Students will learn about early settlers' homes, occupations, and communities in the early 1800s. In addition, they can try on a piece of this history using the Museum's reproduction costume collection.
Contact the Museum for further details. |
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Self-Guided Museum Tours |
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Bring your class to one of our Museum sites for a visit to learn more about our "community of communities" and its rich history. Please be sure to contact the Museum at least a week prior to your visit so we are aware of the approximate class size and can ensure staff will be available to answer questions. Duration: 30 minutes - 1 hour Cost: admission is by donation
Contact the Museum for further details. |
Museum Edu-kits – History in a Box
Museum Edu-kits come complete with artifacts and/or reproductions, activities, and lesson plans designed to make local connections to wider topics addressed by the Ontario Curriculum. Our goal is to provide your students with opportunities for learning, discovery, and fun. These can be rented for 1-2 weeks and are also an idea for homeschooling. Topics include:
| The Fenian Raids and Confederation |
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This Edu-kit includes art and artifacts, hands-on learning activities, an educator’s resource guide containing lesson plans and other resources. This program provides your students with an exciting and innovative look into the 1866 Battle of Ridgeway and why it is called the catalyst to Canada’s Confederation.
Contact the Museum for further details. 905-894-5322 |
| Fort Erie’s Early Settlers |
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This Edu-kit explores everyday life 200 years ago – where Fort Erie citizens lived, what their homes were like, what they ate, and what they wore. This program provides your students with interactive experiences using artifact reproductions, an educator’s resource guide containing lesson plans, and other resources. Duration: Kit can be rented for 1-2 weeks Cost: $50 for one week / $75 for two weeks Curriculum Connections:
Contact the Museum for further details. 905-894-5322 |
After-school History at the Museum – Girl Guides of Canada and Scouts Canada
The Museum offers after-school programs for most levels of Guiding and Scouts with interactive activities geared towards badge requirements. After school programs include:
| Local History Connections |
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Learn about the history of our local community while touring the Museum. Guides and Scouts will explore early Canadian art and artifacts, listen to stories, and experience aspects of early settler life. This program concludes with a family tree workshop. Fort Erie Historical Museum, 402 Ridge Road Badge Connections: Guides and Scouts
Contact the Museum for further details. |
| Archaeology Adventures |
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Learn about Indigenous peoples who lived here thousands of years ago! Examine archaeological artifacts and take part in a hands-on discovery activity. Fort Erie Historical Museum, 402 Ridge Road Badge Connections: Brownies, Cubs and Beavers
Contact the Museum for further details. |
| Celebrate and Share Your Stories | ||||||||||||||||
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Museum Services celebrates various heritage months by encouraging residents to share their photographs and written oral histories related to these communities. This information will become part of the Museum’s archives and will be available to the public.
Contact the Museum for further details. |
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| Anniversaries and Festivities at the Museum | ||||||||||||||||
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Museum Services celebrates the following anniversaries and festivities with exhibits in the Town Hall atrium and open houses. February - Black History Month (exhibit in Town Hall) February 19 - Heritage Week (online local history trivia) May 18 - International Museums Day (online artifacts featured from the Museum’s collection) May 26 - 50th Anniversary – Fort Erie Railway Museum (exhibit in Town Hall and Open House at the Railway Museum, 400 Central Avenue) July 6 - 150th Anniversary – Bertie Township Hall (exhibit in Town Hall and Open House at the Historical Museum, 402 Ridge Road)
Contact the Museum for further details. |
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| Mondays at the Museum Volunteer Program | ||||||||||||||||
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Museum Services offers a volunteer program for those interested in transcribing historic land records. The goal is to have the information within these documents accessible to the public. The Museum’s land records collection includes deeds dating back to the 1800s from Bertie Township, the Village of Crystal Beach, Bridgeburg, and Fort Erie. Mondays from May to October (end date to be determined) Fort Erie Railway Museum, 400 Central Ave.
Contact the Museum for further details. |
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| Researching Your Family Tree | ||||||||||||||||
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If you’re working on researching your family tree, the Museum may be able to help. This interactive program will cover topics such as: getting started; primary vs. secondary sources; local, regional, and online resources; how to evaluate information; and record keeping. Date: July 24
Contact the Museum for further details. 905-894-5322 |
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| Celebrate the Fort Erie Railway Museum’s 50th Anniversary | ||||||||||||||||
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In 1974, the Fort Erie Railway Museum opened to the public. At that time, it featured the CN 6218 steam locomotive and caboose. In 2024, this museum opens for the summer season on May 24 and will celebrate 50 years with an open house, give-aways, and plaque unveiling. Date: May 26
Contact the Museum for further details. 905-894-5322 |
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| Celebrate Bertie Township Hall’s 150th Anniversary | ||||||||||||||||
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In 1874, Bertie Township Hall was built and it served as the seat of local government until 1970. The building has been the home of the Fort Erie Historical Museum since 1972. Built from locally quarried limestone, it was designated as a heritage site in 1988. The Museum will host an open house to celebrate this 150th anniversary with children’s activities and give-aways. Date: July 6
Contact the Museum for further details. |
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| Local History and Genealogy Q&A | ||||||||||||||||
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Receive assistance with your questions about local history or genealogy. Email or call the Museum with your inquiry — staff respond to research requests on a "first come, first served" basis. Depending on the nature of the inquiry, staff may determine that an in-person research session is required. Those sessions will be scheduled on Tuesdays at the Fort Erie Railway Museum, 400 Central Avenue.
Contact the Museum for further details. |
| Photographs and Memories – Stories from the Museum’s Archives |
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Every other Wednesday, Museum Services will post on the Town’s social media account local history stories and photographs from the Museum’s archives. Learn about what makes Fort Erie unique. Impress your friends with this local history trivia! |
| 24 in 24 – Highlighting 24 artifacts from the Museum’s collection |
| Every other Wednesday, Museum Services will post on the Town’s social media account artifacts from the Museum’s collection. Learn about what makes Fort Erie unique. Impress your friends with this local history trivia! |
| Historical Reading Series at Senior’s Residences |
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Museum Services will be sharing local history stories and photographs with Fort Erie’s Senior Citizens. This reading series will take place at each of the local senior's homes three times a year. Topics could include: Crystal Beach Amusement Park, general local history, Battle of Ridgeway and Fenian Raids, Railway History, Fort Erie's industries, Peace Bridge and more
If you are interested in booking a program at your senior's residence contact: |
| History Happened Here – Weekly Self-guided Heritage |
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There are over 80 heritage plaques and monuments in Fort Erie. Every Saturday, Museum Services will highlight one of these sites and stories on the Town’s social media page. Residents are encouraged to do a self-guided walking, biking, or diving tour. Learn about what makes Fort Erie unique and stand in the spot where history happened! Full listing of the plaques, monuments, and directional map
Contact the Museum for further details. |
| Fort Erie Museum & Cultural Services Contact: |
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(905) 894-5322 |
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