10 Specialty Museums in Region of Waterloo That You Shouldn't Miss

Stroll alongside 1000's of free-flying butterflies in an indoor tropical garden at Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory. Visit our two galleries with mounted displays of insects and butterflies then witness butterflies as they emerge from their chrysalides and embark on their first flight.

Built in 1850, the Brubacher House depicts the domestic lifestyle of a Pennsylvania German Mennonite family in Waterloo County during the mid-19th century. Come visit us today for a free guided tour of the house and grounds (suggested donation $2).

Like food and shelter, clothing is a necessity as well as a cultural expression. The fashion industry employs millions of people around the world and is a driving force behind the global economy. But fashion is also ephemeral, whimsically responding to changes in technology, taste, the economy, and social mores. The journey fashion takes from inception to production and from popularity to outdated is a fascinating story worthy of being told. The Fashion History Museum is a charitable not-for profit organization, founded in 2004, that captures the story of fashion through exhibitions using its collection of over 10,000 garments and accessories dating from the 1660s to the present. Alongside historical dress, the museum is building a contemporary Canadian designer collection as well as a comprehensive library and archives of fashion related publications and documents. Since 2004 we have been creating exhibitions that have travelled throughout Canada and as far afield as Hong Kong and Bahrain. In June 2015 we opened galleries in the old post office in the former town of Hespeler Ontario, now northern Cambridge. Three galleries in the museum are each changed once or twice a year to feature different topics and eras of fashion history.

St. Jacobs & Aberfoyle Model Railway is North Americas finest "O" Scale Layout. Over 3000square feet showcasing Southern Ontario during the 1950's. Come see our huge world renowned display accurately portrayed to every last detail.

The City of Waterloo Museum is located in Waterloo's largest shopping centre, Conestoga Mall. Access to the Museum is off of the food court or exterior from the parking lot between the Bay and Galaxy Cinemas. The Museum annually showcases three exhibitions for the public. Information on the latest exhibition and hours of operation can be found on the City of Waterloo's website. The City of Waterloo Museum's collections is the comprised of the Seagram collection which relates to the former operations of the famous Seagram distillery and bottling operation, including historic glassware, ceramic vessels, scientific instruments and technological equipment used in the production, storage and service of alcohol. The collection also includes objects related to our municipal history including sports memorabilia, souvenir ware and archival documents.

We are THEMUSEUM - oneword, UPPERCASE. We are a new kind of museum - one of ideas and experiences. No dusty objects, no collections, and no velvet ropes here. We are dedicated to presenting fresh, relevant cultural content from around the globe in unique and interactive ways that intersect art, science, culture and technology. We are a premier cultural destination and a hub for creative thinking and inspired play. From Andy Warhol to Jane Goodall to Titanic to Yoko Ono, THEMUSEUM is the only museum around that is bold enough to feature such a wide range of cultural content under one roof. We offer a diverse array of exhibitions, programs, and events for children, youth, families and adults guaranteed to awe, inspire and enlighten all audiences. Featuring five floors and 55,000 square feet of interactive exhibitions, THEMUSEUM has a little bit of everything and a whole lot of imagination, education, and good ol' fashion family fun. The public hours for THEMUSEUM are subject to change.

The exhibition traces the development of the Waterloo rail network and its builder, Mr. Asa Belknap Foster, that we nicknamed "King of the Road to Canadian iron", will tell his story as well as the history of Waterloo through various explanatory and with an illustrated comic book style section to compliment the child visitation panels.