Museum Exhibits
The Smiths Falls Heritage House Museum was built in 1860 - 1861 for Joshua Bates and his family, who were relocating from the nearby town of Athens (formally known as Farmersville). The museum's first floor features restored Victorian period rooms, furnished with artifacts that have been purchased, donated or loaned to the museum. The artifacts in the first floor period rooms reflect the cultural heritage of the town of Smiths Falls, during the 1860's - 1870's time period. This house has two unique architectural features to take note of when touring the first floor. The first is a mirror image facade (the front and the back of the house are identical) and the only two storey privy remaining in Ontario.
The second level of the museum features changing exhibit rooms and galleries. These spaces are used to highlight the cultural history of Smiths Falls and display art from local artists. Exhibits in these rooms are changing.
2024 Exhibits & Art Shows
| 2024 Remarkable Women of Smiths Falls Traveling Exhibit - March 2024 |
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The Smiths Falls Heritage House Museum is excited to announce the opening of the Remarkable Women of Smiths Falls traveling exhibit, beginning on March 1, 2024. The Museum has coordinated with the Smiths Falls Downtown Business Association to feature the panels from the exhibit in public locations throughout Smiths Falls for the month of March, in honour of International Women’s Day on March 8th.
The women featured in this exhibit live, work or are involved in the Smiths Falls community and have been chosen and nominated by the public for their service to the community.
The exhibit panels will be on display throughout several locations in Town , until March 31, 2024. The locations are:
• The Craft Witch • The Cozy Cottage Gift Shop • Yarn’s Aplenty • Curated Finds • Smiths Falls Public Library • Beautiful Full Figure Boutique • Salon Aurora • Blue Door Spa • Special Greetings • Bone Appetit Pet Company • The Vault • Modern Thymes Health & Bulk Foods • Royal Lepage Advantage Brokerage • Fresh Ink Studios • C’est Tout Bakery and Bistro • Michele’s Doorway to Splendor • The Lighthouse Café • Uplifted Medical Spa • Gather Wellness • Dawn’s Closet • Great Waterway Hearing • RE/MAX Affiliates Realty Ltd. The Heritage House Museum will be deferring additional nominations for the exhibit to October, 2024, in honour of Canadian Women’s History Month.
For information on the Remarkable Women of Smiths Fall exhibit, please contact Megan McIlvenna at the Smiths Falls Heritage House Museum at 613-283-6311 or mmcilvenna@smithsfalls.ca.
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| "The Glorious Colours of Nature" from artist Renate "Nadi" Wesley - Opens April 3, 2024 |
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The Glorious Colours of Nature from artist @Renate “Nadi” Wesley invites viewers to feast their eyes on Mother Nature’s glory and take in the joy and excitement of colour! Through the medium of paint, artist Renate “Nadi” Wesley finds joy in nature and depicting their view of the natural world. “The whole essence of colorful nature is food for the soul...’eye candy’ as they say. Sharing to my audience the possibilities of seeing beyond the obvious, and perhaps seeing the world in technicolor and appreciating what surrounds us is my goal.”
The Glorious Colours of Nature opens, Wednesday, April 3, 2024, at the Heritage House.
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| "Recent Paintings" from artist Craig Carty - April 17 - May 1, 2024 |
| Recent Paintings from Artist Craig Carty explores the recent works that have been created from 2019 – 2024. Craig began his art journey in Montreal in 1987, studying graphic design. Throughout the years, Craig’s art has transformed from his original roots to paint. Currently a Smiths Falls resident, Craig continues his art journey, searching and discovering through painting, his art and himself. Recent Paintings will be on display at the Heritage House from April 17 – May 1, 2024. |
| "Beatlemania": Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of RCA Pressing Beatles Records in Smiths Falls - Opens June 1, 2024 |
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The Smiths Falls Heritage House Museum is excited to announce "'Beatlemania": Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of RCA Pressing Beatles Records in Smiths Falls", opening June 1, 2024 at the museum. The exhibit features Beatles memorabilia from local private collectors, helping to tell the history of RCA bringing Beatles records to the North American market. On June 1, 2024, the exhibit opening will include live music on the Museum's grounds, food and entertainment. More information will follow. For information about this exhibit, please contact the Smiths Falls Heritage House Museum. |
| 2024 Rideau Artist of the Year Showcase - September 15 - October 11, 2024 |
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The Rideau Artist of the Year Showcase features the art created during the Rideau Artist of the Year Competition on September 7 and 8, 2024. More information regarding the Rideau Artist of the Year Competition and Showcase is to follow. |
| 2024 Smiths Falls Annual Art Show - November 10 - December 15, 2024 |
| The show features a variety of mediums, subjects and styles from artists based throughout the Ottawa Valley. Some of the pieces from the show will be for sale, at the discretion of each artist. More information about the 2024 Smiths Falls Annual Art Show is to follow. |
Museum Tours
Visits to the Smiths Falls Heritage House Museum can include either a guided tour with one of the museums knowledgeable staff members or a self guided tour through the museum. Larger groups (10 or more people) are asked to contact the museum ahead of visiting to prepare for your visit.
| House Tour |
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Taking visitors through the museum's restored period rooms, museum guides will show you how the Bates and Ward families lived in the 1860's and 1870's. Both families were former residents of the home and were rival mill owners in Smiths Falls. Regular tour admission rates apply. |
| Old Slys Outdoor Tour |
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The Old Slys Outdoor Tour takes visitors through the grounds of the Smiths Falls Heritage House Museum, leading to the Old Slys rapids, located at beside the museum. During this tour visitors will learn about the geography of the area, the significance of the land and the flora and fauna of the area.
The tours will be done by appointment only. Old Slys Outdoor Tours cost $10 per person.
For any questions regarding the ground tours, please contact the Heritage House Museum at 613-283-6311 or by emailing us at heritagehouse@smithsfalls.ca.
*Please note that we do ask participants to wear long pants as there may be some areas with longer grass. Also, we ask that you do dress according to the weather for the day of your tour.
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| Smiths Falls Ghost Tours |
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Tip toe through the candlelit corridors of the Smiths Falls Heritage House as a costumed interpreter leads you through tales of local ghost sightings, oral traditions and mysterious happenings of the Smiths Falls area and the museum. Each story has been discreetly shared by local residents, carefully selected from local news articles or experienced by museum staff and volunteers working in this eerily beautiful 1860's home.
Pre-registration for Ghost Tours is required. Tour costs are $10 per person.
For more information, please contact the museum by phone at 613-283-6311 or by email at heritagehouse@smithsfalls.ca.
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Self-Guided Tour Options |
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The Smiths Falls Heritage House Museum offers Ipad tours (available due to limited access to the top floor of the house), as well as self-guided tour books in English, French, German, Simplified and Traditional Mandarin. |
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