---
title: "Ottawa Valley museums: 10 unique Ontario hidden gems"
url: https://stacklist.com/card/4b293caa-04d4-4128-bce4-f1cff59bec4b
source_url: "https://www.insideottawavalley.com/things-to-do/ovlife-museums-ottawa-valley/article_bac9fbe3-2330-515a-9bbd-b0ba8f7b964f.html?source=newsletter&utm_content=a02&utm_source=ml_nl&utm_medium=email&utm_email=675895A24831F10B4378EB6E588B81D1&utm_campaign=ovhp_99742&utm_term=latest"
stack: https://stacklist.com/stack/ad9ad0b5-0c0c-4fb6-9e0c-91f837cdd41d
summary: "Exploring Museums in Ottawa Valley showcases 10 unique museums across the region, from the Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario to the Canadian Clock Museum, each preserving distinct aspects of local heritage and community history. These museums, housed in historic buildings like former train stations and cottages, offer immersive experiences featuring artifacts ranging from maple syrup collections to Canadian-made clocks and period rooms."
tags: "ottawa-valley, museums, heritage, ontario, travel-guide, historic-sites, cultural-attractions"
key_entities: "Ottawa Valley (location), Ontario (location), Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario (organization), Canadian Clock Museum (organization), Wheeler's Maple Heritage Museum (organization), Upper Ottawa Valley Heritage Centre (organization), Waba Cottage Museum & Gardens (organization), Smiths Falls (location), Deep River (location), Pembroke (location), Vernon Wheeler (person), Samuel de Champlain (person), STEAM education (concept)"
classification: "reference"
content_hash: "sha256:7c783433ef52e6e965e1602438de4cca0f12292908d83da46c871395a8c85544"
acp_version: "0.2"
token_counts_approximate: 2165
visibility: public
agent_accessible: true
status: "final"
---

# Ottawa Valley museums: 10 unique Ontario hidden gems

Home Things To Do Planning an Ontario road trip? Discover 10 unique Ottawa Valley museums, from local heritage centres to fascinating national historic sites. "/> Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email The Canadian Clock Museum holds hundreds of Canadian-made and Canadian label clocks. This wall features Canadian-made clocks from the 1960s and ‘70s. Canadian Clock Museum photo Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save When it comes to the history of a region, it’s not always major events, but often the smallest artifacts and tiniest details that tell us the most about its past. The Ottawa Valley is home to fascinating museums that tell the stories of our communities and the notable people who shaped them. These stories are personal and deeply rooted in place, teaching us how the past has shaped our future. The museums are tucked into unlikely places like former train stations, mills, cottages and on country roads. From maple syrup artifacts to clocks, hockey legends to textile traditions, they invite you to take a closer look. Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario (RMEO) ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 90 Williams Street West, Smiths Falls rmeo.org The Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario is housed in a restored 1912 Canadian Northern Ontario Railway station. It’s a designated National Historic Site that brings you deep into the history of Canada’s railway and how railways connected communities, industries and families. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Climb aboard historic railcars, explore hands-on exhibits designed to introduce children to Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (S.T.E.A.M.) through the lens of railway history. If you’re looking to turn history into an immersive experience, you can enjoy an overnight stay in a restored caboose. Visitors of all ages can explore the historic rail cars and station grounds at the Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario, where hands-on discovery brings Canada’s railway history to life. Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization photo ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Wheeler’s Maple Heritage Museum ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 1001 Highland Line, McDonald’s Corners 613-278-2090 wheelersmaple.com/maple-heritage-museum Wheeler’s Maple Heritage Museum is home to an impressive assortment of antique maple-related items, holding a Guinness World Record for the largest collection of maple syrup artifacts. Founder Vernon Wheeler spent his whole life in the area and decades collecting artifacts from across Canada, as well as making maple syrup. Plan to enjoy a pancake breakfast and a stop in the sugar bush. Upper Ottawa Valley Heritage Centre 1032 Pembroke Street East, Pembroke 613-735-0517 uovheritagecentre.ca/visit The Upper Ottawa Valley Heritage Museum offers a vivid look at life in Pembroke at the turn of the century. Originally founded in 1955 and rebranded in 2022, the museum hosts traditional exhibits and thoughtfully recreated spaces. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Highlights of the museum include a replica of Samuel de Champlain’s astrolabe, period rooms inside a Victorian home, and an early doctor’s office. The museum’s central gallery rotates themed exhibits that reflect Pembroke’s evolving identity, so every visit brings you something unique. The Canadian Clock Museum 60 James Street, Deep River 613-584-9687 canclockmuseum.ca Time slows at the Canadian Clock Museum, a hidden gem in Deep River. The museum focuses on two centuries of Canadian-made and Canadian label clocks from the 1820s to the 1990s, charting the evolution of timekeeping. In addition to the clocks, visitors can see other artifacts and hear both 78 records and Edison cylinder music playing on original record players. The intimate setting invites visitors to linger and fully appreciate the exhibit and delicate designs of each piece. Waba Cottage Museum & Gardens 24 Museum Road, White Lake 613-623-8853 mcnabbraeside.com ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Waba Cottage Museum & Gardens celebrates cottage life, preserving historic cottages and landscaped gardens, offering visitors a glimpse into leisure culture from another era. With its lakeside setting and relaxed atmosphere, this museum is as much about learning how to slow down as it is about its artifacts. Mississippi Valley Textile Museum 3 Rosamond Street East, Almonte 613-256-3754 mvtm.ca When you enter the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum, you’re stepping into Almonte’s industrial past. Built in 1867, the museum is housed in the former Rosamond Woolen Company and is now a National Historic Site of Canada. The museum houses three venue spaces — the Norah Rosamond Hughes Gallery, the Wool Hall Gallery and the Millsworkers’ Learning Centre. Exhibits explore mill work, textile production and labour history, as well as contemporary textile art. Since the museum is steps away from Almonte’s downtown, you can explore the cafés, boutiques and a riverside walk after your visit. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Murray L. Moore Hydro Museum 283 Pembroke Street West 613-732-3687 The Murray L. Moore Hydro Museum may be compact, but it tells a powerful story of hydroelectric development. Learn how electricity transformed the industry, infrastructure and everyday life for people in the region. This museum is a must for visitors interested in engineering, innovation and the behind-the-scenes systems that powered the Ottawa Valley’s growth. NHA/NHL Birthplace Museum 1 Ma-Te-Way Park Drive, Renfrew 343-361-0202 nhanhl.ca Not everyone knows that Renfrew is the birthplace of the National Hockey Association. The NHA/NHL Birthplace Museum is a must stop for hockey fans. It’s dedicated to the origins of professional hockey, and traces the evolution of the sport from its early days to the modern NHL. Explore memorabilia, photographs and personal stories that connect the local history to a global game. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The NHA/NHL Birthplace Museum is located at the myFM Centre in Renfrew. NHA/NHL Birthplace Museum photo Middleville & District Museum 2130 Concession Road, Lanark 613-239-5462 middlevillemuseum.org The Middleville & District Museum offers an intimate look into rural life in Lanark County. Housed in a former one-room schoolhouse, the exhibits focus on education, farming and community life, leaving visitors with a strong sense of how small settlements functioned and flourished. With its modest scale and friendly atmosphere, this museum is welcoming to families and those seeking a quieter heritage experience. Mill of Kintail Museum Highway 511, Almonte 613-256-3610 mvc.on.ca/museum ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The Mill of Kintail Museum, housed in a restored 19th century gristmill, tells the story of rural industry while celebrating the life and work of Canadian sculptor R. Tait McKenzie, whose former home and studio are preserved on site. Exhibits reflect on the region’s agricultural and industrial roots, and showcase McKenzie’s work. Visitors can also enjoy the walking trails that follow the river, gardens and green space. A.M. Headlines Newsletter Get our free morning newsletter. Top local headlines delivered to your inbox every morning. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. Please enter a valid email address. Sign Up This newsletter is only available for subscribers. If you are already a subscriber, please login now . If you want to become subscriber, please click here Yes, I'd also like to receive customized content suggestions and promotional messages from InsideOttawaValley.com. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. A.M. Headlines Newsletter You're signed up! You'll start getting A.M. Headlines in your inbox soon. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page . From the pages of Ottawa Valley Life magazine. View our PDF editions online: Ottawa Valley Life . Subscribe to have our magazines delivered to your door: email sales@metrolandnorthmedia.com . For advertising information, email us at sales@metrolandnorthmedia.com . 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