30 for 30: Power the Next 30 Years of the Museum of Health Care

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Canadian Museum of Health Care

The Canadian Museum of Health Care preserves and shares stories of health, medicine, and community in Canada, revealing how the past shapes our experiences of care today.

Step into the story of medical imaging 🩻This Friday, January 30th, the Canadian Museum of Health Care is hosting a children&rsquo;s workshop all about X-rays. Looking for a fun and educational activity for you and your family this upcoming PA day? Join us to explore some authentic historical X-ray equipment and participate in an interactive activity to learn about your bones and muscles.&nbsp; Register to reserve your spot 🎟️This activity is free with the purchase of a regular admission to the Canadian Museum of Health Care. Sessions are running at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm.

Seeing Right Through You

Join the Museum of Health Care for a free night of creating and learning! 2025 Margaret Angus Research Fellow, Shaelagh Cull, will tell the story of occupational therapy through craft objects from the Museum&rsquo;s collections and explore how craft was used in rehabilitation programs in local institutions such as Rockwood Asylum and the Mowat Tuberculosis Sanatorium.&nbsp; As part of her research, Shaelagh is recreating a handwoven project from Museum&rsquo;s collections. During the hour-long lecture, she will demonstrate weaving techniques and invite visitors to help reproduce a textile from Rockwood (no experience necessary!).&nbsp; Light refreshment will be served and you are encouraged to bring your own craft projects (knitting, crotchet, needlework, etc.) to work on during the lecture.

Healing Threads: Occupational Therapy in Canada, 1850-1980

Step into the shadows of the Museum of Health Care for an unforgettable Halloween night designed just for adults. Wander through eerie galleries, take part in hands-on challenges, and test your wits against bizarre cures, ghostly tales, and gory history. In our main galleries, you&rsquo;ll hear chilling ghost stories, uncover quack remedies, puzzle through apothecary charts, match historic trade cards under UV light, and even try your hand at pumpkin surgery. Descend into the basement for the Dance of the Shadows, where the spirits demand movement before they&rsquo;ll let you escape. Then slip into the secret stairwell for the Final Diagnosis Challenge. Only those who solve the puzzle and collect all tokens will break the curse and enter the Cursed Cauldron Prize Draw. Drinks will be flowing all night courtesy of the one and only Daft Brewing (available for purchase), and hauntingly good music will set the tone for a spirited celebration. Spirits, stories, music, and mystery &mdash; this is Halloween, museum-style. Ages 19+ | Only 50 Tickets Available Disclaimer: Please note that photos will be taken during this event. By purchasing a ticket, you consent to the Museum of Health Care using these images for promotional purposes.

Sips & Spirits: A Haunted Night at the Museum (19+)

The Museum of Health Care and Murney Tower Museum are teaming up for Escape the Museum 3!&nbsp; Join us for two time-travelling adventures!&nbsp; Fix Doctor Vexmore&#39;s scrambled medical clinic and save Mr. Murney from a magical pumpkin mishap before time runs out! Tickets grant you access to both Murney Tower and the Museum of Health Care. Visitors can start at either site and then proceed to the other during their scheduled time. Tickets: $8 per person, free for children under 5 Location: Museum of Health Care (32 George Street) and Murney Tower Museum (2 King Street)&nbsp;

Escape the Museum 3

<p fr-original-style="width:100%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(15, 14, 91);" style="width: 100%; margin: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(15, 14, 91); line-height: 1.5;">Step back in time to discover Kingston&#39;s rich medical history! This guided outdoor walking tour traces the successes and sacrifices to establish one of Canada&rsquo;s oldest public hospitals and the Queen&rsquo;s School of Medicine. This tour weaves through the city&#39;s historic streets to offer a unique look at the people and places that kept the city&#39;s heart beating.&nbsp;<p fr-original-style="width:100%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(15, 14, 91);" style="width: 100%; margin: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(15, 14, 91); line-height: 1.5;"> <p fr-original-style="width:100%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(15, 14, 91);" style="width: 100%; margin: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(15, 14, 91); line-height: 1.5;">Details: Offering tours Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 10:30am and 2:00pm.<p fr-original-style="width:100%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(15, 14, 91);" style="width: 100%; margin: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(15, 14, 91); line-height: 1.5;"> <p fr-original-style="width:100%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(15, 14, 91);" style="width: 100%; margin: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(15, 14, 91); line-height: 1.5;">This walking tour is 1 hour in duration&nbsp;and runs rain or shine (tours will be cancelled in the event of a thunderstorm). Please dress for the weather and protect yourself from the sun.<p fr-original-style="width:100%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(15, 14, 91);" style="width: 100%; margin: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(15, 14, 91); line-height: 1.5;"> <p fr-original-style="width:100%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(15, 14, 91);" style="width: 100%; margin: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(15, 14, 91); line-height: 1.5;">Cost:&nbsp;$10 adult and $5 for students, seniors, and children 5 and older. Tickets also include admission into the Museum of Health Care.<p fr-original-style="width:100%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(15, 14, 91);" style="width: 100%; margin: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(15, 14, 91); line-height: 1.5;"> <p fr-original-style="width:100%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(15, 14, 91);" style="width: 100%; margin: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(15, 14, 91); line-height: 1.5;">Refunds will be issued with 24 hours notice.<p fr-original-style="width:100%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(15, 14, 91);" style="width: 100%; margin: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(15, 14, 91); line-height: 1.5;"> <p fr-original-style="width:100%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(15, 14, 91);" style="width: 100%; margin: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(15, 14, 91); line-height: 1.5;">Tour Route:&nbsp;The tour begins and ends at the Museum of Health Care, Ann Baillie Building, National Historic Site, 32 George Street.<p fr-original-style="width:100%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(15, 14, 91);" style="width: 100%; margin: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(15, 14, 91); line-height: 1.5;"> <p fr-original-style="width:100%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;box-sizing:inherit;color:rgb(15, 14, 91);" style="width: 100%; margin: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(15, 14, 91); line-height: 1.5;">Content Warning: This tour addresses subjects that some may find upsetting including: racism, sexism, discrimination, and descriptions of historic medical practices.

Pulse of the Past- A Walk Through Kingston's Medical History

🎉 You asked and we listened! Our Teddy Bear Hospital is accepting new summer patients on June 27, 2025 from 9am to 4pm. Children and their families are invited to bring their teddy bears or other favorite stuffed animals to the museum for a check-up with trained &ldquo;teddy specialists.&rdquo; This fun and interactive event offers an opportunity for children to learn and discover that doctors aren&rsquo;t so scary after all.&nbsp; Tickets are $5 per person and a timed entry is required.&nbsp; Please note, there is no onsite parking at the Museum of Health Care. We recommend street parking or &nbsp;nearby municipal lots.

Teddy Bear Hospital

The Museum of Health Care and Murney Tower Museum, two of your favourite local museums, are inviting families to visit both sites on Saturday, April 12th between 9am-4pm for their third annual Egg-stream Easter Fun at the Museum. Eggs-tream Easter Fun is a family-friendly event designed for kids of all ages! Participants will visit both sites and enjoy special activities, including an Easter egg scavenger hunt, Easter- themed crafts, and Special  Easter goodies provided by our friends at Rapport CU. Families will also have a chance to venture inside both sites to earn a prize. Tickets for a timed entry is required, and tickets are $5 per person.  Families can choose which site to start their hunt at, as Murney Tower Museum and the Museum of Health Care are just a short “hop” (3 minute walk) from each other. Time slots: 9am, 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm.

Egg-Stream Easter Fun at the Museum

<span fr-original-style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Roboto; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit">Join the <a href="https://www.museumofhealthcare.ca/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing:inherit;color:inherit;text-decoration:inherit;user-select:auto" target="_blank">Museum of Health Care</a> for a spine-tingling Halloween event…if you dare!⁠ Try to escape Kingston’s spookiest museum by solving puzzles and following clues that will set you free. Back by popular demand, this is a spooktacular event for all ages! <span fr-original-style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Roboto; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit">Every participant will receive a prize! Costumes are encouraged! <span fr-original-style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Roboto; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit">⁠Date:<span fr-original-style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Roboto; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit"> Saturday, October 26, 20234<span fr-original-style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Roboto; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit">⁠<span fr-original-style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Roboto; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit">Location:<span fr-original-style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Roboto; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit"> Museum of Health Care, 32 George Street<span fr-original-style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Roboto; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit">⁠<span fr-original-style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Roboto; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit">Cost:<span fr-original-style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Roboto; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit"> $5 per person. All those 16 and under must be accompanied by an adult.<span fr-original-style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Roboto; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit">Time: <span fr-original-style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Roboto; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit">3pm-8pm.<span fr-original-style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Roboto; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit"> <span fr-original-style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Roboto; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit">This is a timed entry event. Walk-ins will not be allowed.<span fr-original-style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Roboto; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit">Cancellation Policy: Cancellations made 24 hours or more in advance of the event date, will receive a 100% refund.

Escape the Museum 2

On Monday, February 16th, from 9-4 pm, the Canadian Museum of Health Care will host its annual Teddy Bear Hospital Event.&nbsp; Children and their families are invited to bring their teddy bears or other favourite stuffed animals to the museum for a check-up with trained &ldquo;teddy doctors and nurses,&rdquo; who will examine and treat any bumps, lumps, and bruises. This fun, interactive event offers an opportunity for children to learn, laugh, and discover that doctors and hospitals aren&rsquo;t so scary after all.&nbsp; This event is suitable for all ages 0-10. Tickets are&nbsp;$5 per person, and pre-registration for a&nbsp;time slot is required.&nbsp; Please note: there is no on-site parking. The City of Kingston has a number of street and municipal parking lot options. The closest options are street parking on George Street or Waterfront parking at the base of George Street.

On March 12, 2026, you are invited to the University Club for a symposium on Teaching and Learning with Cultural Heritage: The Things of Health and Care, the second year of an annual health humanities symposium in Kingston. During this one-day event, academics, writers, healthcare professionals, students, museum workers, and more will come together for a series of lightning explorations of the intersection of health, the humanities, and things. What is a thing? This year, that is what the symposium asks as well. Must a thing be an object, or can it be a practice or a belief? And how can things be used to teach, learn, and heal? Attendance is free, and participants are welcome to drop in and out all day. Refreshments will be served. Schedule available at <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.museumofhealthcare.ca/2026symposium" rel="noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">https://www.museumofhealthcare.ca/2026symposium</a>.&nbsp; This symposium is a collaboration between the Canadian Museum of Health Care and Queen&#39;s University, including The Hannah Chair in the History of Medicine, the Faculty of Health Sciences, the School of Nursing, the Department of Art History and Art Conservation, and the Department of History.

Canadian Museum of Health Care

Canadian Museum of Health Care

Events

Events

Teddy Bear Hospital

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Teaching and Learning with Cultural Heritage: The Things of Health and Care

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