What to Expect
Planning your visit to The Canadian Canoe Museum and wondering what exactly to expect?
Details about our facility, general information, and frequently asked questions will address any questions or curiosities you have before visiting.
Facility Features and Amenities
- Just 90 minutes east of Toronto.
- Accessible onsite parking, building, boardwalk, and adaptive canoe and kayak launch.
- Nearby access to Highway 115, campground (including RV), hotels, restaurants, Peterborough Lift Lock and downtown Peterborough.
- Signage and exhibits are presented in Anishnaabemowin, English, and French.
- Onsite cafe with adjacent indoor and outdoor lakefront terrace and fireplace.
- Beautiful waterfront campus intersected by the Trans Canada Trail, which connects to nearby parks.
- Daily canoe and kayak rentals available.
- Shop the gift store for your home, cottage, or next adventure featuring an array of clothing, books, and one-of-a-kind creations by Canadian artists.
- You’ll love the Après Canoe atmosphere happening at The Canadian Canoe Museum!
Accessibility
The Canadian Canoe Museum is committed to accessibility and is thrilled that our new home was built with accessibility at the forefront of our minds.
The Museum is fully accessible to those using mobility devices. Entrances, ramps, elevators, and washrooms are accessible, and the Lakefront Campus features a year-round accessible boardwalk that connects all outdoor areas to the Museum. We are also proud to feature an adaptive canoe and kayak launch station!
The Museum features visual, tactile, and auditory experiences throughout the indoor and outdoor spaces to engage visitors who have hearing and visual impairments, as well as all types of learners. Educational resources are available in a variety of formats.
Seating is available throughout indoor and outdoor spaces.
A support person who holds an Access 2 Card and is accompanying a visitor with disabilities is provided free admission to The Canadian Canoe Museum.
Service animals are welcome in all public-facing areas of the museum, including the Silver Bean Cafe. Service animals must have visible identification and those without visible identification may be asked for documentation from a healthcare provider. We request guests with non-traditional service animals to contact the Museum in advance of their visit.
While pets are not permitted inside the Museum or the Silver Bean Cafe, leashed pets are welcome on our outdoor campus and on the patio of the Silver Bean Cafe. We kindly ask that you pick up after your pets, and that they don’t disrupt any programming or other café or Museum patrons.
Can’t find what you’re looking for?
- Info about admission and tickets, rates, and hours of operation can be found on our Admission & Tickets page.
- Info about our maps, how to get here, and parking details can be found on our Getting Here page.
- All details about our Exhibition Tours can be found on our Tours page.
- All details about our waterfront campus and its facilities can be found on our Lakefront Campus page.
- If you’re looking to get out on the water during your visit, explore your options on our Paddling Experiences page.
- If you’re looking to try your hand at a new skill or craft, explore your options on our Workshops page.
- Want to plan your visit around an upcoming event? Discover what’s coming to The Canadian Canoe Museum soon on our Events page.
- Arriving as a large group? Visit our Groups page so we can best accommodate your visit.
- Are you an educator planning a trip? Visit our Educators page so we can best accommodate you and your students.
- You won’t want to miss making a stop at our store and the Silver Bean Cafe! Details can be found on our Shop and Cafe page.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Canadian Canoe Museum is open and welcomes visitors on the following holidays, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM:
- Victoria Day (May 20, 2024)
- Canada Day (July 1, 2024)
- Civic Holiday (August 5, 2024)
- Labour Day (September 2, 2024)
- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (September 30, 2024)
- Thanksgiving (October 14, 2024)
- Remembrance Day (November 11, 2024)
The Canadian Canoe Museum is closed for the following days each year:
- Christmas Day (December 25)
- Boxing Day (December 26)
- New Year’s Day (January 1)
Most visitors spend about an hour exploring the Exhibition Hall. Visitors who enjoy reading panels in-depth, watching all videos, and listening to all audio recordings will likely take longer than an hour, while visitors who prefer to take a quick peek at everything and will likely take less than an hour.
It is easy to spend a full day at the Museum if you’re interested in exploring more than the Exhibition Hall. Rent a canoe or kayak for an hour, a half day, or a full day and enjoy Little Lake. Plan your visit around a workshop and craft something with your hands or sign up for a certification course and further your skills. Discover upcoming events and enjoy something unique. Enjoy the shop and cafe to fuel your adventures. Spend some time on the outdoor campus or in a beautiful indoor space and connect with likeminded individuals. However you choose to spend your day, we can’t wait to welcome you!
We recommend packing the following items for your trip to the Museum:
- Wear a comfy pair of shoes and comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing that you can move in
- A hat for the sun
- Sunscreen
- A water bottle (you can refill at our water bottle refill station)
- Insect repellent
- Sunglasses
Bags, backpacks, and purses are welcome. Museum staff have the right to check bags at any time.
Umbrellas are permitted but must be closed inside the Museum. Strollers and wagons are permitted.
PROHIBITED ITEMS include weapons of any kind, aerosols, paint, markers, speakers and musical instruments (with the exception of at events if organized with Museum staff), or any illegal items in Canada. Museum staff have the right to prohibit an item at any time.
Service animals are welcome in all public-facing areas of the museum, including the Silver Bean Cafe. Service animals must have visible identification and those without visible identification may be asked for documentation from a healthcare provider. We request guests with non-traditional service animals to contact the Museum in advance of their visit.
While pets are not permitted inside the Museum or the Silver Bean Cafe, leashed pets are welcome on our outdoor campus and on the patio of the Silver Bean Cafe. We kindly ask that you pick up after your pets, and that they don’t disrupt any programming or other café or Museum patrons.
We do not have an ATM. We do, however, accept cash, debit, credit, and Apple Pay.
Absolutely! We would love to see you regularly. We encourage frequent visitors to consider membership.
Yes! Please visit our Paddling Experiences page for more information.
Voyageur Canoe Tour participants AND those renting a canoe or kayak MUST wear PFDs at all times while on the water.
It is very unlikely that you will fall into the water if you are taking a Voyageur Canoe Tour since these canoes are built to be large, stable, and host groups. If you are concerned about getting in and out of the canoe, please ask for assistance, and we are happy to help!
Renting a canoe, however, might be slightly riskier when it comes to staying out of the lake but this is predominately based on your own paddling abilities. If you have been in a canoe many times, you will know your stuff! If you are new to canoeing, you will still likely stay dry, but there is always a chance of tipping, especially with quick movements.
Part of your brief ability assessment and paddle training by dock staff will include explaining how to right your canoe if you tip. Little Lake is also quite a little lake (surprise!) so we are happy to come pick you up if you need assistance.
If you do fall in, don’t worry! We will be impressed that you went the extra mile in your adventure, and our staff team will ensure you receive proper care. We have a shower inside the Museum and emergency heat solutions for situations like these.
