Visiting Us
 resized.png)
 resized.png)
 resized.png)
 resized.png)
 resized.png)
| Date | Time | Event | Description | Cost | Drop In or Pre-Register |
| July 26th, 2025 | 2:00 - 4:00pm | Jeopardy! The Callander History Edition |
Ready to test your knowledge of local history? Join us for a fun-filled afternoon of Historical Jeopardy! Whether you're a history buff or just looking for an entertaining way to learn new facts, this event is perfect for all ages 12 and up. Compete with friends or go solo as we test your knowledge of Callander's history.
Gather your team, brush up on your history, and get ready for an afternoon of strategy, learning, and lots of fun! Prizes will be awarded to the top contestant.
The event will run from 2:00 - 4:00pm, but from 1:00 - 2:00pm will be free museum admission for participants to study up! Teams will be up to 4 people, if you're going solo not to worry we will pair you up with a team. Cost is $3 per person, or $12 per team and we ask for everyone to register in advance by emailing us at museum@callander.ca or calling us at 705-752-2282; ages 12 and up.
|
$3 each | Pre-Register |
| July 29th, 2025 | 10:30 - 12:00pm | Historical Walking Tour |
Back by popular demand, we are running our historical walking tours this year! Each year we tweak the tour a bit, so if you have done it before we hope you will join us again.
FREE
Please meet at the museum at 10:15am with all necessary items (sunscreen, waterbottle, comfortable shoes, umbrella, etc).
It is approximately 1km in length. Every Tuesday starting July 8th until August 26th.
$2 admission to the museum to those who attend the tour!
|
Free | Drop In |
| July 29th, 2025 | 1:00 - 2:00pm | Sketching the Past |
Join us for a unique and inspiring event that brings history to life through art! Sketching The Past invites teens to spend time in the museum’s galleries, observing and drawing from real artifacts in the collection.
This relaxed session offers the chance to connect more deeply with the museum’s objects—from ancient tools to vintage textiles, natural specimens to historical curiosities, participants will find inspiration in the stories these artifacts hold.
This event is for ages 13 - 18 and we ask that you please pre-register by emailing us at musuem@callander.ca or calling at 705-752-2282. The cost is $15 per person. All supplies included.
|
$15 | Pre-Register |
| July 31st, 2025 | 10:30 - 11:30am | Coffee and Conversation: The Monetization of the Dionne Quintuplets |
Feel free to bring your own mug!
Many are aware that not only did the Dionne Quintuplets make a lot of money as young children, but that everyone benefitted from their birth. From the midwives and parents, to the doctor and nurses everyone prospererd because of those babies - they were worth approximately $14 billion dollars to the Province of Ontario as a tourism asset.
How much money did they really make and how much did they get? How much money was made off of them and by who? Let’s learn and chat about the Monetization of the Dionne Quintuplets.
|
Free | Drop In |
| August 5th, 2025 | 10:30 - 12:00pm | Historical Walking Tour |
Back by popular demand, we are running our historical walking tours this year! Each year we tweak the tour a bit, so if you have done it before we hope you will join us again.
FREE
Please meet at the museum at 10:15am with all necessary items (sunscreen, waterbottle, comfortable shoes, umbrella, etc).
It is approximately 1km in length. Every Tuesday starting July 8th until August 26th.
$2 admission to the museum to those who attend the tour!
|
Free | Drop In |
| August 7th, 2025 | 10:30 - 11:30am | Coffee and Conversation: Analyzing Historical Phtographs |
Feel free to bring your own mug or your own photographs!
Going through an old family photo album and nothing is dated? It can be difficult to date photographs, but we have some tips and tricks to help you out. In this presentation we will discuss some of the history of the photograph and various clues to look out for to help you figure out when a photo was taken.
Let’s learn and chat about Analyzing Historical Photographs!
|
Free | Drop In |
| August 12th, 2025 | 10:30 - 12:00pm | Historical Walking Tour |
Back by popular demand, we are running our historical walking tours this year! Each year we tweak the tour a bit, so if you have done it before we hope you will join us again.
FREE
Please meet at the museum at 10:15am with all necessary items (sunscreen, waterbottle, comfortable shoes, umbrella, etc).
It is approximately 1km in length. Every Tuesday starting July 8th until August 26th.
$2 admission to the museum to those who attend the tour!
|
Free | Drop In |
| August 13th, 2025 | 10:00 - 12:00pm | Beginner Watercolour Workshop |
Ever wanted to try watercolour paints, but were unsure of where to start? Join us at the Callander Museum & Alex Dufresne Gallery for this Beginning Watercolour Workshop!
Participants will learn about the history of watercolour paints and three fun watercolour painting techniques. All supplies provided.
$15 per participant or $5 for full museum members
As seats are limited, participants are encouraged to sign up and pay in advance to reserve their spot, please email us at museum@callander.ca or call us at 705-752-2282
|
$15 or $5 for museum members | Pre-Register |
| August 14th, 2025 | 10:30 - 11:30 | Coffee and Conversation: Shipwrecks of Callander Bay |
Feel free to bring your own mug!
We are bringing back this talk with a few updates - did you know there are shipwrecks in Callander Bay? Have you ever heard of the John Fraser? In this talk we will discuss some of the ship remains that can be found as well as their history. This was our most popular talk last year!
Let’s learn and chat about the Shipwrecks of Callander Bay!
|
Free | Drop In |
| August 19th, 2025 | 10:30 - 12:00pm | Historical Walking Tour |
Back by popular demand, we are running our historical walking tours this year! Each year we tweak the tour a bit, so if you have done it before we hope you will join us again.
FREE
Please meet at the museum at 10:15am with all necessary items (sunscreen, waterbottle, comfortable shoes, umbrella, etc).
It is approximately 1km in length. Every Tuesday starting July 8th until August 26th.
$2 admission to the museum to those who attend the tour!
|
Free | Drop In |
| August 21st, 2025 | 10:30 - 11:30am | Coffee and Conversation: Remedies of the 1900s |
Feel free to bring your own mug!
We are bringing back this talk with a few updates - did you know there are shipwrecks in Callander Bay? Have you ever heard of the John Fraser? In this talk we will discuss some of the ship remains that can be found as well as their history. This was our most popular talk last year!
Let’s learn and chat about the Shipwrecks of Callander Bay!
|
Free | Drop In |
| August 26th, 2025 | 10:30 - 12:00pm | Historical Walking Tour |
Back by popular demand, we are running our historical walking tours this year! Each year we tweak the tour a bit, so if you have done it before we hope you will join us again.
FREE
Please meet at the museum at 10:15am with all necessary items (sunscreen, waterbottle, comfortable shoes, umbrella, etc).
It is approximately 1km in length. Every Tuesday starting July 8th until August 26th.
$2 admission to the museum to those who attend the tour!
|
Free | Drop In |
| August 28th, 2025 | 10:30 - 11:30am | Coffee and Conversation: The Development of Quintland |
Feel free to bring your own mug!
From a winding country road to a bustling circus-like atmosphere, the area in Corbeil near Nipissing Manor was completely transformed in the mid 1930s. The birth of the Dionne Quintuplets put Callander and Corbeil on the map as international hot spots thanks to their explosion of popularity. This talk explores how the area transformed over time and the impact of the tourism industry.
Let’s learn and chat about the Development of Quintland!
|
Free | Drop In |
Community Events Directory
Browse through other events going on in Callander.
2022
Cheers to 40 Years - Day 1 - August 9, 2022
We were thrilled to celebrate 40 years of operations in 2022! OVer the course of two days we had lots of fun and many activities. Special thanks to the Nipissing Rock and Mineral Club for bringing their geological mini putt, awesome rock display, and panning for gold activity! We also hope everyone got a kick out of our photograph cut-out boards :)
Cheers to 40 Years - Day 2 - August 10, 2022
On day two of our 40th anniversary celebrations we welcomed a variety of partners to join us for the day! Special thanks to the North Bay Museum, Callander Public Library, Dokis First Nation, Nipssing Township Museum, Sturgeon River House Museum, and Incandescent Glass Studio, as well as Eagle Tree Services for donating a commemorative tree for the event.
MT Davidson Public School Visit
We were pleased to welcome a class from MT Davidson Public School to hang out with us for the afternoon checking out cool artifacts and taking a look at some awesome artwork!
We were excited to welcome the Callander Girl Guides to the museum for an evening of fun with the Nipissing Rock and Mineral Club!
North Bay Art Association Workshop - May 11th, 2022
The North Bay Art Association led a workshop making models and dioramas using potatoes and other materials to make the modelling clay!
2021
TD Summer Reading Program - August 17, 2021
The Callander Museum and Callander Public Library teamed up for the library's annual TD Summer Reading Program! The Museum brought some cool artifacts to go along with some awesome crafts
2020
Wire-Wrapping with the Nipissing Rock and Mineral Club - February 29, 2020
The Nipissing Rock and Mineral Club took over the Alex Dufresne Gallery for the afternoon and taught participants the art of wire-wrapping rocks to make beautiful pieces of jewelry!
Rockin' Into 2020: Rocks Up Close - January 3 and 4, 2020
We were pleased to welcome back the Nipissing Rock and Mineral Club to run their event "Rockin into 2020" with us again! We were also thrilled to have the Crystal Cave here with their augmented reality and virtual reality to show off to our guests. Over two days we had over 100 people through the museum and gallery to learn all about rocks and minerals, make some jewelry, and go on a scavenger hunt through the museum! Special thanks to all of our volunteers for their assistance over the two days.
2019
Closing Gala for Adventures in Art - October 26, 2019
To end our Adventures in Art art show we co-hosted a closing gala with Community Living North Bay and L'Arche North Bay with the majority of the proceeds benefitting the Community Living's Outcomes Fund. Attendees enjoyed live music, hors d'oeuvres and each took a painting home.
Cranberry Day - September 28, 2019
We had a lot of fun down at the trail for Cranberry Day! Special thank you to Kandyd of the Nipissing Rock and Mineral Club for bringing along some awesome rocks and for creating a treasure trail that could only be found by using a metal detector!
Adventures in Art Painting Classes - September 12, 26, October 10 and 24, 2019
We welcomed staff from Community Living and L'Arche North Bay to lead their successful Adventures in Art painting classes at the gallery throughout the fall. These classes were open to those with and without disabilities as a way of bridging the gap that separates us.
Book Launch for "The Miracle and Tragedy of the Dionne Quintuplets" - August 27, 2019
We welcomed international author Sarah Miller to the museum for the launch of her new book, a book signing and a Q and A session. Books are still available for sale at the museum.
.jpg)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
Jack Lockhart Painting Workshops - July, 2019
We were pleased to welcome internationally-known artist Jack Lockhart to the gallery to lead a couple of painting workshops!
.jpg)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
Child and Guardian Paint Day - June 8, 2019
Children and their parents and/or guardians enjoyed time in the gallery creating a painting together!
.JPG)
.jpg)
.JPG)
Toddler Drop Ins - Thursdays all summer, 2019
We welcome adults and their little ones every Thursday morning all summer for some fun activities!
 resized.jpg)
 resized.jpg)
 resized.jpg)
Quintland Now and Then Presentation - May 28, 2019
On the 85th birthday of surviving Dionne quintuplets Annette and Cécile, we led presentations on the transformation of Highway 94 near Nipissing Manor from country road to a bustling tourist attraction. Presentation still available on request.
.jpg)
.jpg)
Families had fun creating different crafts while searching throughout the museum for a single golden egg!
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
 - Copy 2.jpg)
 - Copy 2.jpg)
Rockin' Into 2019 - January 4-5, 2019
Special thank you to the Nipissing Rock and Mineral Club for running this amazing event that featured geological mini-putt, jewellery-making, a magical rock table and a rock gizmo!
 resized.jpg)
 resized.jpg)
 resized.jpg)
 resized.jpg)
 resized.jpg)
 resized.jpg)
 resized.jpg)
 resized.jpg)
Métis Days - July 11 and August 1, 2018
We welcomed back the Métis Nation of Ontario to run their Summer Youth Cultural Program for two days to teach participants all about Métis culture!
FunFest at the Museum - June 30, 2018
We welcomed the Nipissing Rock and Mineral Club to lead activities such as using a metal detector and panning for gold at the museum during Callander's Canada Day FunFest Celebrations! We also opened our new exhibits "Callander Rocks! Callander's Geological Journey" co-created by the Rock Club as well. Despite losing power near the end of the day that didn't stop our guests from improvising by using their phone lights to view our exhibits!
"The Northern Coney Island" Exhibit Opening Reception - May 26, 2018
In commemoration of Annette and Cécile Dionne's 84th birthday, we opened our new exhibit which explores Quintland as a physical site itself and examines the different buildings and shops that filled the landscape.
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
Darlene's Silver Streak and the Bradford Model T Girls - July 4, 2017
We welcomed the "Silver Streak", a 1926 Ford Model T, back to the museum 80 years after it first visited with a group of woman from Bradford, Illinois, who had roadtripped to Callander to see the the Dionne quintuplets and meet Dr. Dafoe in 1937.
.jpg)
.jpg)
25 year old time capsule opening - July 1, 2017
On July 1st 1992, during Canada’s 125th celebration, the community of Callander gathered at the North Himsworth Museum (now the Callander Bay Heritage Museum) to fill a case with objects of their present for people of the future to open. Now, 25 years later, the time came to cut the lock, open the box and step back to the early 90s!
Calendar Quintuplets Exhibit Opening – May 27, 2017
In commemoration of Annette and Cecile’s 83rd birthday on Sunday May 28th, the Callander Museumshowcased a special exhibit on Saturday May 27th.
Beginning in 1936, the largest calendar company in the world at the time, Brown and Bigelow, licensed the image of the girls and commissioned 2 painters to create yearly illustrations to be distributed in calendar form. The Callander Museum has, in its collection, calendars from 1936 until 1955. In addition, on display is one of the original paintings by Andrew Loomis that was then printed into calendar form for the 1942 illustration “Springtime” (as seen in the cover photo). The exhibit will have the calendars on display, background information on the artists, and it will explore how the media portrayed the girl’s through promotion and endorsements such as these calendars.
CTV Northern Ontario Clip from the day → http://northernontario.ctvnews.ca/mobile/video?clipId=1134296
Carol Pretty Retirement Luncheon - September, 2016
It is with sad hearts and warm regards that the Callander Museum says “Happy Retirement!” to our long standing Curator, Carol Pretty. Over the past 19 years, Carol has dedicated herself to promoting the arts and heritage of Callander, and the surrounding area. Visitors to the museum and gallery will always remember Carol’s kind and welcoming personal-ity, as well as her vast knowledge of the region—there were few questions she didn’t know the answer to! With her dedica-tion to preserving the history, objects and stories of the town and the relationships she forged with local artists, Carol served an important role in the Callander community and will be sorely missed.
Beau Bridges and Brooke Shields Visit the Museum - February, 2016
It was a pleasant surprise in February when actors Beau Bridges and Brooke Shields took a break from filming in the area to visit the museum. Back in the 1930s and 1940s all the celebrities of the time came here to visit Dr. Dafoe, but in 2016 it looks like Hollywood Came to Callander.. again!
Quintland site tours (80th anniversary commemoration) – May 28 and 31, 2014
On May 28th and May 31st, 2014 the Callander Bay Heritage Museum commemorated the 80th Anniversary of the Birth of the Dionne Quintuplets with two historic tours of Quintland in Corbeil.
The original location of the Dionne Homestead (now the Dionne Quints Museum in North Bay), the Dafoe Hospital & Nursery, the Quint Observatory and several souvenir shops were all discussed with the help of historic photographs. Over 50 people attended these tours to learn more about this major historical event, and where it all happened.
Thank yous go out to Clarke Heipel with Cogeco North Bay News and Kate Adams with Bay Today for covering the event! We also pass our regards along to Mr. Wentworth Graham and Nipissing Manor for allowing us to tour the grounds. A big thanks to Madison Maitland, Roch and Linda Legros, and Russel Robinson for helping with the tours.
