Cumberland Heritage Village Museum

Step back in time to the 1920s and 1930s while exploring an historic village just a 30-minute drive outside Ottawa's downtown core. See dozens of heritage buildings and true-to-era reproductions. Find a quiet escape or join us for a special event. The Cumberland Heritage Village Museum offers unique opportunities to create unforgettable moments for visitors of all ages. 

Alone in the Dark - The Haunted Walk

Various dates and times - October 30 to November 14
Ages 16 and up
Cost: $64.99 + tax (per person)
Tickets: Available online from The Haunted Walk.  Bookings must be made in advance.  

Step into the shadows at Cumberland Heritage Village Museum for one of the city’s most unique activities—a spine-tingling paranormal adventure! Get exclusive access to explore and investigate four heritage buildings, each steeped in history and chilling tales from the past.

Please note that this program is delivered by The Haunted Walk. For more information and to book tickets, please visit The Haunted Walk online. Contact: info@hauntedwalk.com.

*Schedule subject to change.

Visit the museum on a school field trip

Program description - Village Life

Step into the past to better understand how people lived, worked and supported one another in rural Eastern Ontario during the 1920s and 1930s through an immersive, discovery-based experience at Cumberland Heritage Village Museum. Explore the site independently through interactive demonstrations, self-guided exploration and encounters with costumed villagers, learning by being in the spaces where history happened. Village Life offers a curriculum-based program for school groups from Kindergarten to Grade 6. The experience includes a tractor-pulled wagon ride (weather dependent), reserved picnic seating and a drink and snack for each child. 

Program delivery

Cumberland Heritage Village Museum uses its historic buildings, landscapes and artefact collection to spark curiosity and meaningful connections to the past. Village Life emphasizes learning by doing, using stories, prompts and clues to encourage students to explore freely, ask questions of the villagers, including farmers and tradespeople, and draw their own conclusions based on observation and participation. Through these activities, students experience history as something lived and dynamic while having fun!  

Learning outcomes

Students will identify changes and continuities between past and present community life and explore how daily activities were shaped by available technologies, resources and social relationships. Students will investigate characteristics of living things and natural resources, including plants and animals, and examine the ways people depended on and interacted with their environment. By inspecting buildings, tools, landscapes and village spaces, students will apply inquiry and observation skills to gather information and draw conclusions. Through scavenger hunts, conversations with villagers and immersive role-play, students will strengthen oral communication and active listening skills while developing historical imagination. 

Curriculum links

• Social Studies: Communities, heritage and identity, roles and responsibilities and how people lived and worked in the past and present.
• Science / STEM: Observation and inquiry; needs and characteristics of living things, everyday materials, tools and simple machines; growth and changes in plants, human interaction with the environment and natural resources.
• Language: Oral communication, listening and interpreting visual and material texts found on buildings, artefacts and printed materials.
• Arts: Drama and role-play; visual representation through drawing. 

Availability, duration and cost

Availability: Mid-May to Thanksgiving. Visits can be booked to begin between 10 am and 3 pm. Teachers should expect to spend a minimum of 2 hours on site. The museum is open until 4 pm, however heritage demonstrations, wagon rides and canteen services are not available after 3 pm.  

Cost per child (2026): $6.57, taxes included. A one to seven (1:7) adult to child ratio is required. There is no charge for adult chaperones. 

Reservations

Plan ahead and secure your field trip early! Online booking form. Your visit can be booked a maximum of 100 days in advance. By submitting the booking form, you confirm that you have read, acknowledged, and agreed to the information provided below ("Preparing your class," "Your health and safety" and "Other items to be aware of").

After submitting the booking form, you will receive an automated confirmation email. If additional information is required to help prepare for your visit, a member of the museum team will follow up with you directly.

Preparing your class

Talk to your class about what you think you’ll see at the museum. Will there be farm animals, old cars or machines? Imagine what schools were like 100 years ago and whether all children attended. Think of questions to ask the blacksmith, tinsmith, printer, carpenter and leatherworker so you can learn about their trades. Be ready to spend lots of time outside, exploring the buildings, gardens and all the interesting corners of the museum. Remember to remind your students to stay with your group, watch their step and follow staff instructions onsite so everyone has a fun and safe visit. 

Your health and safety

1. Cumberland Heritage Village Museum is mainly an outdoor facility with hard packed gravel pathways between buildings. Visitors may encounter uneven ground. In winter, please wear proper footwear for snowy or icy conditions.
2. It is important to dress for the weather. Weather conditions might require the adjustment of activities, up to and including the cancellation of certain activities.
3. Please notify the museum of any allergy concerns prior to your visit.
4. If a member of your group gets separated, they should inform the closest member of staff that they cannot find their group.

Other items to be aware of

1. The heritage buildings on site were built to the standards of their time and some may not be accessible to all. If you have questions or concerns regarding accessibility, contact the museum .
2. Please do not bring food or open drinks, other than water, into the buildings.
3. It is recommended not to drink water from the taps. The museum provides water coolers on site; please ensure everyone brings refillable water bottles.
4. The host for your visit will be bilingual and all handouts and signage are available in both English and French. However, we cannot guarantee that all experiences will be delivered in both languages.
5. Your host will greet you up to 5 minutes before your booking time. If you arrive before this time, please have the students wait on the bus and proceed to the train station (green and beige building by the parking lot) to inform staff that you have arrived. Please note that the building may not be open before 9 am.
6. If your group is larger than 120 students, please contact the museum before making your booking to ensure there is available capacity to accommodate your group.
7. Be sure to fill out the booking form as completely as possible. This ensures that the museum is prepared to give you the best possible experience.

If you have any questions about the information on this page or about the visit, please contact the museum.

Group visits

Travel back in time at Cumberland Heritage Village Museum!

We welcome visits from summer camps, daycares, homeschool organizations, senior residences, Girl Guide units and other community groups. We’ll work with you to suggest programming options, available dates and applicable admission fees. Museum operating hours, building and grounds access, and activities/demonstrations vary by season. Please contact museecumberlandmuseum@ottawa.ca to start planning your visit. 

Summer camps

Are you planning a field trip for your summer camp group? Experience daily life in an Eastern Ontario village during the 1920s and 30s through interactive demonstrations, self-guided exploration and encounters with costumed villagers. Complete a scavenger hunt, see the farm animals, explore heritage spaces, take a wagon ride and learn more about historic trades, skills and pastimes. Cumberland Heritage Village Museum offers a living history experience in a recreated rural community featuring dozens of heritage and true-to-era buildings with acres of greenspace for recreation and relaxation. 

Availability and duration: Mid-May to Thanksgiving. Visits can be booked to begin between 10 am and 3 pm. Groups should expect to spend a minimum of two hours on site. Heritage demonstrations, wagon rides and canteen services run until 3 pm and the museum is open until 4 pm. 

Cost per child (2026): $6.57. A one to seven (1:7) adult to child ratio is required. There is no charge for chaperones. 

Book your visit: Book online (up to 100 days in advance) or contact museecumberlandmuseum@ottawa.ca.

Before booking, please review the information outlined below.

Your health and safety

1. Cumberland Heritage Village Museum is mainly an outdoor facility with hard packed gravel pathways between buildings. Visitors may encounter uneven ground. In winter, please wear proper footwear for snowy or icy conditions.
2. It is important to dress for the weather. Weather conditions might require the adjustment of activities, up to and including the cancellation of certain activities.
3. Please notify the museum of any allergy concerns prior to your visit.
4. If a member of your group gets separated, they should inform the closest member of staff that they cannot find their group.

Other items to be aware of

1. The heritage buildings on site were built to the standards of their time and some may not be accessible to all. If you have questions or concerns regarding accessibility, contact the museum.
2. Please do not bring food or open drinks, other than water, into the buildings.
3. It is recommended not to drink water from the taps. The museum provides water coolers on site; please ensure everyone brings refillable water bottles.
4. The host for your visit will be bilingual and all handouts and signage are available in both English and French. However, we cannot guarantee that all experiences will be delivered in both languages.
5. Your host will greet you up to 5 minutes before your booking time. If you arrive before this time, please wait on the bus and have your group leader proceed to the train station (green and beige building by the parking lot) to inform staff that you have arrived. Please note that the building may not be open before 9 am.
6. If your group is larger than 120, please contact the museum before making your booking to ensure there is available capacity to accommodate your group.
7. Be sure to fill out the booking form as completely as possible. This ensures that the museum is prepared to give you the best possible experience.

Representing a fascinating period in our history - the 1920s and 1930s - the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum's collection represents the social, cultural, technological, and economic changes of the era between the First and Second World Wars. Textiles, mass communication devices, agricultural equipment, recreational items, and furnishings are just a few examples of the more than 19,000 objects in our care in this collection, with many of them on site as part of the museum's immersive exhibition experience.

Permanent exhibition

Nestled next to fields of hay, corn, and barley, the entire museum is an immersive exhibition that tells the story of rural life as new technologies, transportation, and cultural trends were emerging. As you stroll through the village and explore its many buildings and spaces, you and your family will learn the stories of a fascinating part of history and see thousands of historic objects, machinery, and equipment that may seem in some ways so different from today, and in other ways very much the same.

Volunteer at Cumberland Heritage Village Museum

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with us. By joining our team, you will play a vital role in bringing Ottawa’s local history to life. Our volunteers help deliver interactive educational programs, demonstrate heritage skills, and assist with various activities throughout the museum. We look forward to welcoming you to our volunteer team and working together to create memorable experiences for our visitors!

Cumberland Heritage Village Museum - volunteer opportunities

Cumberland Heritage Village Museum is a recreated 1920s and 30s village offering a vintage rural setting just 30 minutes from downtown Ottawa. With dozens of historic and true-to-era buildings, acres of greenspace, and gardens, the Museum provides a nostalgic backdrop for your special occasion. 

Use the rental search tool to find an event space that meets your needs. 

• Community Hall
• Knox Church
• Gazebo, picnic shelter and tent (Trio)

For more information, please contact our Customer Service Booking Clerk. Call 613-580-2988 or email museecumberlandmuseum@ottawa.ca.

Work with us to shape your experience. Contact the museum before your visit to discuss your needs. Information about the accessibility of the facility, or our programs and services, is available upon request.

Access Guide and Sensory Bag Program

Planning a visit to Cumberland Heritage Village Museum? We know that museum visits can be a stressful experience for visitors with sensory sensitivities, and their families. The following resources may help you prepare for your visit:

Access guide (Ottawa Museum Network)
Sensory bag program (Ottawa Museum Network)

Accessibility features

The accessibility features of this facility are detailed below. While the City of Ottawa is constantly working to improve access, please note that not all parts of every facility are necessarily 'accessible for all' as facilities were built to meet accessibility standards of their time.

• Parking
  • 4 designated parking spaces
  • Accessible path of travel from the parking lot to entrance
  • 22 metres from parking space to the door
• Entrance/Exit
  • Ramp
  • Direct access to the main floor and admissions.
• Interior
  • Ramps in 16 of 20 buildings
  • Automatic door access to Train Station and Canteen
  • Wheelchair available to patrons
• Reception desks
  • Accessible counters
  • Floor area for maneuvering a wheelchair
• Signage
  • Directional signs
  • High contrast signage
  • Large lettering
• Floor Surfaces
  • Slip resistant surfaces
  • Low pile carpet, Wooden floor boards and G-floor covering
• Washrooms
  • Accessible washroom (Canteen)
  • Automatic door opener
  • Lowered sink counters
  • Large stalls to allow transfers
• Stairs
  • Good colour contrast (Train Station)
  • Continuous hand rails (Train Station & Duford House)
• Museums/Galleries/Archives
  • 14 exhibitions spaces are accessible

Learn more about special needs and accessible services.