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

Homage: October 2025 to March 31 2026

Our new temporary exhibit called ‘Homage’ by Don Stuart will open on October 20^th. ‘Homage’ is a collection of 41 framed neckpieces created as a celebration and tribute to Canadian women throughout the ages and across the country in a wide range of professions and contributions to our society –mothers and artists; businesswomen and philanthropists; actors and athletes; inventors and scientists. Curator, Susan Benson, CM, RCA, sketched portraits of each of the women to accompany the pieces, which, along with short bilingual biographies, add so much to the educational aspect of the exhibition. As a contemporary jewellery artist, Donald Stuart has used the familiar form of the necklace to explore history from a fresh perspective. This exhibit will be on display October 20, 2025 to March 31, 2026. Companion books for Homage are on sale in the bookshop for $30 each and include professional photographs of each piece as well information on each necklace.