Scarborough Museum
Scarborough Museum
4
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
Set along the walking trails of beautiful Thomson Memorial Park, Scarborough Museum traces the story of this community's rural roots and two centuries of immigration. The museum is situated on property first granted to David and Mary Thomson, who settled in Scarborough about 1798. Originally the farm fields of Scarborough's first settlers, Thomson Memorial Park is now the setting for the Scarborough Museum and its gardens. Every year, the staff of the Scarborough Museum faithfully re-create 19th Century gardens to enhance the surroundings of the museum buildings. Scarborough Museum is one of 10 historic museums operated by the City of Toronto. Toronto's Historic Sites engage visitors, inspire passion, challenge ideas and connect the past to the present. ADMISSION By donation * Some fees apply to special ticketed events and workshops Summer Hours July and August we are open Tuesday to Sunday from 12 noon to 8pm.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Scarborough
Situated astride Lake Ontario, Scarborough is a district heavily influenced by immigration. With a number of low-rent shopping and dining options making it a highly affordable part of town, and boasting one of Toronto's largest shopping malls, the otherwise green suburban neighborhood is a good place to go for bargains and discounts. It also draws in photographers. The spires, archways, and cavernous rooms of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Palace are filled with breathtaking art, architecture, and detailed reliefs – it’s like entering a different world, The ruins of columns and installation art at the Guild Inn makes a free-for-all exploration site, while the big-name draw for young photographers is the menagerie at the Toronto Zoo. While many visitors shirk Scarborough as too suburban, its houses are some of Toronto's most mystical and haunting architectural beauties. And for adventure lovers, it has river-rafting and some unique hiking trails.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
13 reviews
Excellent
3
Very good
10
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Lisa A
Toronto, Canada31 contributions
May 2022
The staff was very knowledgeable and friendly. If you love history this museum let you go back in time and see what family life was like.
There is also next to the museum a great park for the kids and family to spend the day.
There is also next to the museum a great park for the kids and family to spend the day.
Written May 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Victorious_Vi
Singapore, Singapore523 contributions
Nov 2015 • Solo
When I visited this museum, two of the main houses are open for viewing.
The houses will give you an idea how people live 150 to 200 years ago.Some of the furnitures/artifacts are even over 200 years old.
The houses highlights stoves where they cook/bake their food.They also showcased wooden toys and a big & deep wok which also serve as the bath tub for early settlers.
I like the staffs, they are warm,cheerful and make you feel at home as they tour you.They are dressed in 19th century area.They even show how scones were prepared in the past, using the old but still functioning oven cum fireplace in the 150 years plus house (McCowan cabin house).Scones served to school children.
Worth the walk and visit.
The houses will give you an idea how people live 150 to 200 years ago.Some of the furnitures/artifacts are even over 200 years old.
The houses highlights stoves where they cook/bake their food.They also showcased wooden toys and a big & deep wok which also serve as the bath tub for early settlers.
I like the staffs, they are warm,cheerful and make you feel at home as they tour you.They are dressed in 19th century area.They even show how scones were prepared in the past, using the old but still functioning oven cum fireplace in the 150 years plus house (McCowan cabin house).Scones served to school children.
Worth the walk and visit.
Written November 6, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kwasind
Toronto27 contributions
Aug 2011 • Solo
I made the mistake of going while they were hosting a summer camp, so felt a bit weird looking around until the staff member who gives the tours found me. After that, however, I had a wonderful solo tour of this neat museum in a beautiful park in Scarborough. The staff member was knowledgeable and for a PWYC donation, it was totally worth it!
Written February 20, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Caro R
12 contributions
Feb 2018 • Solo
I went on a very snowy day. Took me some time to find the entrance, even I saw on the internet it was open, once I was there was difficult to see.
I think they weren’t expecting a large amount of people, because the tour was a little spontaneous. It is a very small place so I understand that the weather didn’t help that day.
More than that, I had a great time. The staff and volunteers are super friendly. They were baking with a historical recipe and giving samples, so tasty!
A good place to go on a rainy or cold day, the place is super cozy. Also if the weather is better there is a park just in front.
I think they weren’t expecting a large amount of people, because the tour was a little spontaneous. It is a very small place so I understand that the weather didn’t help that day.
More than that, I had a great time. The staff and volunteers are super friendly. They were baking with a historical recipe and giving samples, so tasty!
A good place to go on a rainy or cold day, the place is super cozy. Also if the weather is better there is a park just in front.
Written February 13, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
travel_guru_r_us
Southern Ontario206 contributions
Sept 2013 • Family
Here, in the middle of an extremely large public park, with playgrounds, waiting pool, tennis courts, walking paths, picnic areas, ponds and creeks, is a blast from the past, with 4 historical dwellings, each almost 150 years old. The buildings are also furnished with late 19th century furniture and had been relocated from their original locations to Thomson Memorial Park. Just outside the park (Thomson Memorial Park), on the north end on St. Andrew's Dr, you can find other historical homes and buildings, in their original locations, such as James Thomson's House (built in 1840) and St. Andrew's Church (built in 1849) as well as a couple of others.
It is free to tour the buildings in Thomson park (but you are encouraged to make a donation), but the historic builds on St. Andrew's drive are actually privately owned buildings, and not able to be toured, but can see them from the outside on the street.
It is free to tour the buildings in Thomson park (but you are encouraged to make a donation), but the historic builds on St. Andrew's drive are actually privately owned buildings, and not able to be toured, but can see them from the outside on the street.
Written September 11, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sedusa D
2 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
Staff were all very friendly and knowledgable. Lots if activities, including story telling,scavenger hunt, toasting marshmallows.... and there is a park right there too
Written February 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anna L
Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium55 contributions
Jul 2019 • Solo
I visited this tiny museum on Canada Day, because I wanted to learn more about Canadian history. They had live demonstrations of, among other things, how to bake scones and maple cookies, and I had a good time chatting with the people who were there, and learning about the settlers to whom these cottages belonged.
But: the absolute highlight was the blacksmith demonstration. This guys deserves a medal! I must have spent about an hour learning so much about blacksmithing! He just kept talking in this waterfall of information, joking all the way, with a voice loud enough to carry over all the hammering, while performing his magic on the steel. I was sad to have to leave at some point to go back to work, but this blacksmith demonstrations was definitely the highlight of my week :D.
He offered me a small horse shoe he made himself (while we were watching), but I couldn't accept it, unfortunately, because it would mess with my baggage allowance... Oh well, I hope it made someone else very happy, and lucky :)
But: the absolute highlight was the blacksmith demonstration. This guys deserves a medal! I must have spent about an hour learning so much about blacksmithing! He just kept talking in this waterfall of information, joking all the way, with a voice loud enough to carry over all the hammering, while performing his magic on the steel. I was sad to have to leave at some point to go back to work, but this blacksmith demonstrations was definitely the highlight of my week :D.
He offered me a small horse shoe he made himself (while we were watching), but I couldn't accept it, unfortunately, because it would mess with my baggage allowance... Oh well, I hope it made someone else very happy, and lucky :)
Written July 3, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katalin R
Toronto, Canada68 contributions
Mar 2019 • Family
My husband and I took the grandkids (aged 5 and 8) on a Saturday afternoon in March. We were wandering around the site, trying to find an entrance, when a friendly chap peeked out of one of the open doors. He greeted us with a warm smile and confirmed that yes, this was the place. He explained that if the kids were willing to go on a treasure hunt, they would get a little prize at the end. They were handed a sheet with a clipboard with a dozen modern conveniences (such as a cell phone, toilet, washing machine) and we were guided through 3 old buildings to find the equivalent old-timey contraptions. All the while, our cheerful guide told us about each house we were visiting, where in Scarborough it was moved from, who had live there and a bit of local history. Throughout our visit, the kids were kept alert, involved and interested. Upon completion of our tour, each child could choose a trinket from a basket. These were probably Dollar store finds but it's the thought that counts. We all had maple butter tarts (baked on site, in one of the old ovens) and maple lemonade. These were delicious and printed recipes were available to take home. We were amazed that all these goodies and kindness were offered for free. My husband and I were also thoroughly entertained and learned a few things about Scarborough and the ways of life here in the 1800s. The staff were super friendly and enthusiastic, we definitely plan a return visit.
Please be aware that paths are uneven, occasionally muddy, and there are stairs to climb so this is not the best place for visitors with reduced mobility.
Please be aware that paths are uneven, occasionally muddy, and there are stairs to climb so this is not the best place for visitors with reduced mobility.
Written March 20, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ziad A
Toronto, Canada13 contributions
Jul 2015 • Friends
These houses and barns were moved here from all around Scarborough. It is neat to see how people lived just a hundred years ago.
Written July 12, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Createwithmom
Toronto, Ontario, Canada137 contributions
Aug 2014 • Family
This museum is located within the Thompson Park. It is nice for the whole family to take a guided tour of the house and learn about the pioneers and their life. They also have camps that children will enjoy taking part in.
Written February 24, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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