Programs

The museum offers outreach programs to care facilities and community groups. These programs are designed to bring our area's past to life through artifact study and interactive discussion led by museum staff. Themes include:

• "Lumbering and Lumber Barons"
• "War and Remembrance"
• "Early Penetanguishene"
• "General stores and everyday life in pioneer times"

These programs can also be adapted for classes and schools with especially tight budgets.

$50 per 1-hour session

Grade Two Curriculum-based program. $1.00 per student (proceeds to the Royal Canadian Legion).

Participants can expect to:

• Be able to relate to the acts of war as a form of bullying.
• Attain knowledge of the operation on Juno Beach on D Day through representation.
• View firsthand actual veterans' personal memorabilia including flight plans, medals and more.
• Listen to the poem Flander's Fields and learn about the significance of the poppy.
• Take pride in their heritage and feel a sense of respect for veterans.

It's Time to Remember flyer

Happy Birthday to us focuses on the Grade Two curriculum requirement - Traditions and Celebrations. It will cover three specific expectations: identifying the structure of family culture, investigating family history, and cultural traditions.

During the program students will:

• be able to identify what constitutes a family in today's society;
• learn the basics of genealogy and apply them by creating a "classroom family;"
• identify various cultures and recognize the variety of ways people celebrate;
• recognize the one celebration that links us all together -  our birthdays;
• discuss the elements of a birthday party and the history of cake, candles, balloons and the birthday song;
• experience five different celebrations around the world - Ecuador, Ghana, Holland, Mexico, and Vietnam. Each component will be a hands-on activity pertaining to that country's tradition.

The cost per student is $5.00, program duration is 2 hours.

The history of Penetanguishene is rich in the diversity of its' settlers. The growth and strength of the community is based upon the pride of heritage shared by the generations that followed and stayed.

Students will participate in the following:

• share in the knowledge of the First Nation Peoples' survival in the area;
• learn the origin of Penetanguishene's settlers;
• experience their journey here from Drummond Island by boat;
• decide what to pack in your trunk and what to leave behind;
• discover the importance of the lumber mill in the growth of the town;
• get to know Mr. Charles Beck and "shop" in his store sing "Beck Dollars";
• participate in a museum treasure hunt searching for items used in a lumbering business;
• make a sawdust dough bowl to take home.

The cost per student is $5.00, program duration is 2 hours.

Come and have your Birthday Party at the Penetanguishene Centennial Museum & Archives for children 4 to 10 years of age. Cost is $10 per child (minimum 5, maximum 15) plus room rental and insurance rates. Your first hour will be spent with museum staff and will include a scavenger hunt plus two activity options chosen from below:

• Candle dipping
• Soap making
• Quill writing with a wax initial seal
• Butter making

Please note food, room set up, decorations and clean-up are the responsibility of the renters. 

Parents and Tots come on adventure with us during our Museum Tots program as we experience our senses through play, crafts, and activities this Winter!  Running in two consecutive sessions starting January 15th, 10:30-11:30am, for ages 2-4 years old. Pre-registration is required, $40.00 per child. Session #1: January 15th to February 5th, Session #2: February 12th to March 5th.

Travel back in time at the Museum! Running every other Wednesday in the summer, join us to make and take a fun historical item and learn about the lives of the past! Each week will be a different theme (soap, butter, paper, and candles). For ages 5-12 years old. Guardians are not required to attend. $10.00 per person. Pre-registration is required.