Exhibits

Highlights

the 1840s doctor’s study with medical instruments, books and furnishings
the Sir Sandford Fleming room with one of his original maps of Peterborough, his sextant and other surveying tools
an early Victorian parlour
the historic open hearth kitchen with period cooking utensils
a children’s bedroom with toys from the 1880s
Period gardens, including a cooking and medicinal herb garden

Dr. Hutchison's study with period medical instruments — Dr. Hutchison’s study with period medical instruments

Sir Sandford Fleming's sextant — Sandford Fleming’s sextant

Open hearth kitchen with period cooking utensils

Children's bedroom with period toys — Children’s bedroom with period toys

Youth volunteers working in one of our period cooking and medicinal herb gardens

Virtual Exhibits

Growing Up in Peterborough: A Century of Stories

When the City of Peterborough, Ontario celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2005, reminiscing about the way things used to be was an important part of the occasion. “Growing Up in Peterborough: A Century of Stories” is a collection of these reminiscences, memories of how the city came to be the city it is today.

This Hutchison House Museum exhibit looks back at the lives of 11 citizens born, raised and still residing in Peterborough. Some left for one reason or another, such as war or school, but all returned to testify that there is no place in the world they would rather live.

The Life and Times of Dr. Hutchison in the Backwoods of Upper Canada

In 2010 Hutchison House Museum received funding to create a virtual exhibit for the Community Memories section of the Virtual Museum of Canada. After a year of hard work by staff and volunteers the result was the creation of ‘The Life and Times of Dr. Hutchison in the backwoods of Upper Canada’.

The museum would like to thank Peterborough Museum and Archives, Trent University Archives, Royal Ontario Museum, Library and Archives Canada, Jean Cole, Ann Baker, Gale Fewings and Erin Panepinto for all their help in the creation of this exhibit.

Temporary Exhibits

Together From Apart: Stories of Immigration April 2025 to October 2025

Fleming students from the Museum Management and Curatorship program invite you to come visit the new exhibit, “Together From Apart: Stories of Immigration.”

The exhibit will explore themes of travel, opportunity, and community that all worked together to make Peterborough what it is today.

There will be fun for the whole family, including a scavenger hunt and many other activities that will keep everyone entertained. Visitors are invited to bring stories, photographs, and culinary recipes from their culture to be featured in a community cookbook that they can fill out on the day or at a later time via a QR code. We look forward to hearing about your stories and trying your culinary delights. The exhibit is included with the price of admission.