I love art galleries, museums, and historic sites and Kingston has so many great ones. As a grad student, I am always working within a tight budget, and it can be hard to justify these extra expenses. Luckily, , is happening on July 20th, August 24th and September 28th from 10 am - 4 pm offering free admission or programming to many of Kingston鈥檚 historic sites.
Saturday July 20th, 2024
On Campus
Medical Quadrangle, Kathleen Ryan Hall, 50A Arch St, Kingston
Guided Tours of the archives and vaults.
This is where Queen鈥檚 University archives and records our university鈥檚 history dating back to the first archived item in 1869. They hold, 鈥10 kilometres of textual records, 2 million photographs, tens of thousands of architectural plans and drawings, and thousands of sound recordings and moving images鈥. I have researched in this space but have yet to visit the vault. I hear it鈥檚 like a giant fridge, might be a nice place to cool off!
32 George St, Kingston
Tours at 11am, 1pm, and 3pm
The Museum of Health Care at Kingston highlights Canadian health and medical history. They have a number of mini exhibitions on display: The Century: Medical Innovations of the 1800s, Electricity and the Invisible Ray: The 1930鈥檚 Doctor鈥檚 Treatment Room, For Service to Humanity: Nursing Education at KGH, Custodial to Curative Care: Rockwood and the Evolution of Mental Health Treatment, Selling Hope: A History of the Medical Marketplace, Toothless: A History of Dentures, Trench Menders: Health Car during WWI, Vaccines and Immunization: Epidemics, Prevention and the Canadian Innovation. As my father was a physician and my grandmother and mother were both nurses, I enjoyed seeing the inventions, medicine bottles and the nursing uniforms. I would love to see Indigenous medicine valued and exhibited.
Near Main Campus
2 King St W, Kingston
Guided Tours
Murney Tower is staged to highlight 19th C domestic and military artifacts. They offer guided tours to learn about the Martello Tower and its function as a military fortification. In 2025 they are celebrating their 100th birthday making them Kinston鈥檚 oldest Museum. My art piece Space Craft Parking Here is on display on their flagpole outside creating an aerial parking lot for spacecrafts. The flag is humorous at first glance but hopes to challenge us to consider our imagined futures for our planet Earth. Ask for a spacecraft parking pass at the front desk. I was told it was especially fitting to have my piece here given the 1865 novel, From the Earth to the Moon by Jule Verne.
Near West Campus
555 King St W, Kingston
Free Self-Guided Tour
The Penitentiary Museum was built between 1870-73 by convict labour and functioned as 鈥Canada's oldest and most notorious maximum-security prison鈥. I learned online that in the early days, children as young as 8 years old were housed here! There is a fascinating yet troubling history here and I am curious how they represent this and the inmates鈥 stories. Canada鈥檚 Penitentiary has been functioning as a museum since 2013 and many films have been filmed here including Blues Brothers 2000.
Downtown Kingston
23 Ontario Street, Kingston
For Doors Open Kingston, they are offering an outdoor guided tour along Ontario Street: Brewers, Bakers and Boilermakers 1930-1970. *No free admission until Sept. Doors Open event. If you visit The Pump House Museum, you will be able to view Kingston鈥檚 first steam-driven pumps along with the current exhibition Soil Superhero鈥檚. My favourite part of the museum is in the back room where they have an impressive working model featuring The Friendly Giant.
270 King St E, Kingston
Both guided and self-guided tours.
St. George鈥檚 Cathedral was built in the Georgian and Neoclassical style in 1825. I live close to downtown, and I don鈥檛 know if I hear St. George鈥檚 Cathedral or St. Mary鈥檚 Cathedral bells ringing on the hour. It has become one of my favourite things. If you plan on visiting the cathedral this weekend, consider going a little before 12, noon and then staying for their Summer Concert Series on King St. steps. Playing July 20 are The Limestone Jazz Collective and playing the following Saturday, July 27 are The Saxobelles.
279 Johnson St, Kingston
Guided tours are available.
St. Mary鈥檚 Cathedral is the tallest building in Kingston. It is built of limestone in the Gothic style 175 years ago. Like St. George鈥檚 Cathedral, I have admired St. Mary鈥檚 from the outside and look forward to seeing the beautiful stained glass with the light shining through. If you can鈥檛 make it this time, they have tours 1-4 Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
334 Princess St, Kingston
Self-guided tour
I was surprised to see Gallery Raymond on the list because it is a commercial gallery, meaning they sell art as their business. It is a great place to see local art as they represent 18 locals. Opening on July 19, from 7-9 are Barb Sohn鈥檚 new acrylic landscape paintings.
East End:
Guided Tour
I have never been to Barrifield Village and I would like to visit and check out the architecture. It is located across the water from downtown Kingston near Fort Henry. The historic village was established in 1914 by Richard Cartwright and includes, Bill Robb Barriefield Rock Garden, Main Street, Barriefield House, Frontenac County Schools Museum, Barriefield Antiques, Barriefield Market (deli for lunch) and Green Bay. Guided tour at 1pm outside the Frontenac County Schools Museum
414 Regent St, Kingston
Guided Tour and Crafts
As the name suggests, the museum is set up like an old country one-room school room with desks, slates, and books. The museum has collected artifacts and memories from the past 100 years. Ask them about the Trippensee Planetarium and Chautauqua Industrial Art Desk.
Fort Henry
1 Fort Henry Dr, Kingston
Like the TV show, Agnes Roadshow, offers consultations on fine arts and decorative arts at this pop up event. Do you have something that is collecting dust that you think might be of value? Sign up for your spot to consult a specialist. There will also be a pop-up art exhibition where you can view some of the treasures.
Also on by Agnes Etherington Art Centre today (but not officially part of Doors Open Kingston) is the Launch / curated by Sunny Kerr. There is a bus taking people to and from the No.9 Gardens, 1516 Summers Road, Lyndhurst, ON. There is a cost for the bus and dinner.
Outside of Kingston
97 Thomas St E, Napanee
Self-guided tour
This museum looks like a hidden gem rich with history. It is housed in the County Gaol (jail) and its collection includes over 12000 artifacts. Current exhibitions include, Roots Unveiled, The Beat Goes On, What the Night Brings, Macpherson House & Park, On The Map and A Place to Call Home: Life in Lennox & Addington County. The archives are available to visit with an appointment going as far back as 18th c.
5595 Rd. 38, Hartington, ON
Guided Tours, arts and crafts projects.
The South Frontenac Museum seems to be bursting with nostalgia full of classic toys like tin tea sets and wooden pull toys. It is volunteer-run and located in the old schoolhouse. This could be a fun day trip!
If you enjoy art, history or are looking for a fun break from writing, be sure to check out some of these free local gems during Doors Open Kingston!