The Canadian Canoe Museum Moves Grand Opening To 2024

Due to nationwide construction industry issues, the Canadian Canoe Museum (CCM) has announced that they will be pushing back the official grand opening date of its highly anticipated new museum. The new museum will open in winter 2024, followed by a grand opening celebration in May, marking the culmination of years of planning and ushering in a new era for the CCM and the paddling community.

Material and labour availability, supply chain disruptions, and scheduling and sequencing complexities have caused unavoidable delays in completing the impressive two-story, 65,000-square-foot museum and its five-acre lakefront campus at 2077 Ashburnham Drive in Peterborough, Ontario.

The CCM and its project team remain committed to ensuring the new museum meets the highest quality standards, including a Class “A” controlled museum environment, and delivers an exceptional visitor experience. The new world-class facility will open in winter 2024 once it is complete and will officially celebrate after the ice melts by launching canoes into the water.

Executive Director Carolyn Hyslop looks forward to celebrating this momentous occasion with the CCM’s community of supporters from coast to coast to coast. “I am thrilled to announce that we will welcome our supporters to the new museum and campus the weekend of May 11th for our grand opening celebrations! While the pandemic and its impacts on the construction industry have affected our timeline, it has not affected the spirit and enthusiasm for this project. It will be worth the wait when visitors can explore this beautiful facility and our many new offerings and then continue to the lakefront for a memorable paddling experience!”

The weekend of May 11th will see donors, partners, members, volunteers, and esteemed dignitaries gather to celebrate the grand opening of the new museum and Lang Lakefront Campus, which coincides with the start of the paddling season. It will also mark the launch of the CCM’s full visitor experience with on-water activities to honour Canada’s enduring paddling legacy. A schedule of events will be released closer to the date.

When the new museum opens, it will feature exciting opportunities for new and returning visitors to immerse themselves in the rich histories and diverse cultures of the canoe and kayak. All programming will offer hands-on indoor and outdoor experiences connecting visitors and locals to the land, water, and canoe.

Visitors can explore 20,000 square feet of new exhibits featuring stories from around the world at their own pace or on a guided tour, peek into the integrated Collection Hall to witness the incredible depth and diversity of the collection, learn new skills in an artisan workshop, and enjoy food and drinks from the Silver Bean Café.