Museum Events
Events at the Great Lakes Museum
Family Day Weekend
This Family Day weekend, escape the cold at the Great Lakes Museum! Drop by for hands-on, family-friendly activities like printmaking, and stamp your own nautical adventure. Activities are included with admission.
Date: Saturday, February 14 – Monday, February 16, 2026
Time: 10 AM – 1 PM
Location: Great Lakes Museum, 55 Ontario Street, Kingston, Ontario
Sunday Fun Day at the Museum
Looking to cure the winter blahs? Drop by the Great Lakes Museum for activities, crafts, and games that the whole family will love, all included with the price of admission.
Dates: Every Sunday, starting Jan 25
Hours: 10 AM–1 PM
Location: Great Lakes Museum, 55 Ontario St., Kingston, ON K7L 2Y2
Cost:
- Adults (18+): $11
- Seniors (65+): $6
- Youth (5-17): $6
- Kids(4 and under): Free
The Story of the Coteaudoc: From the Great Lakes to D-Day
Did you know the Coteaudoc played a vital role in the war effort? Ron Beaupre shares the remarkable story of the steamer Coteaudoc—from its peacetime service on the Great Lakes to its heroic WWII missions supporting Allied troops during D-Day. Discover how this vessel lived multiple lives under different names before its final voyage.
Light refreshments will be served.
Date: Thursday, February 19, 2026
Time: 7-9 PM, doors open 6:30 PM
Location: Great Lakes Museum, 55 Ontario Street, Kingston, Ontario
Cost: $15 per person
Seasickness: Exploring Disease on Boats
Ever wonder what sailors feared more than storms? Join Rowena McGowan from the Museum of Health Care as she reveals the secrets behind two diseases that haunted every sailor: scurvy and seasickness. Discover the strange medical experiments, surprising mistakes, and lucky breakthroughs that finally solved these mysteries. This talk shows how doctors of the past paved the way for medicine today. Sometimes the answers were right in front of them all along…
Light refreshments will be served.
Date: Monday, February 2, 2026
Time: 10:30-11:30 AM
Location: Great Lakes Museum, 55 Ontario Street, Kingston, Ontario
Cost: $6 per person, includes Museum Admission
March of the Museums
This March Break, we’re diving deep into Navy heritage at the Great Lakes Museum. We’ll be open all week as part of the Kingston Museum Association’s March of the Museums. The best part? It’s completely FREE! Drop in anytime for fun, family-friendly activities and the chance to explore the museum.
Location: Great Lakes Museum, 55 Ontario Street, Kingston, ON
Date: Monday, March 16 – Friday, March 20, 2026
Time: 10 AM – 5 PM
Cost: Free
Registration: Not required
Parking: Free parking on-site
Daily Activities
- Think you can outsmart a U-boat? Test your strategic skills in our custom Canadian version of Battleship.
- Take our test to see if you are “Fit to Serve” in the Canadian Naval Reserve.
- Master the art of knot tying with Sea & Navy Cadets. It’s trickier than it looks!
- Ever wondered what sailors really mean when they’re talking shop? Play Salty Dog Talk and discover how to speak like a sailor!
- And nautical crafts that everyone can enjoy!
Special Performances
Monday, March 16 at 2 PM – Paddling Puppeteers
Tuesday, March 17 at 1 PM – Indigenous Drumming
Upcoming Events
Nautical Nights
From Wired to Wireless
Speaker: Rick Reeve, Amateur Radio Operator
Date: Thursday, March 5, 2026
Uncover the mysteries of Guglielmo Marconi’s first spark transmissions and explore the electrifying world of early radio!
Learn More »
Unearthing Lake Ontario’s Untouched Shipwreck
Speaker: Heison Chak, Diver
Date: Friday, May 1, 2026
Discover the incredible tale of an untouched shipwreck found just off Toronto’s shore—a discovery that made headlines across Canada!
Learn More »
Lifelong Learning Club
Monday, March 2: Mythological Stories of the Great Lakes
From Indigenous creation stories to European settlers’ legends, explore the tales inspired by these waters we call home.
Learn More »