Museum and Heritage

Discover the history of New Tecumseth and South Simcoe by visiting our community museum! 

The Museum on the Boyne

Plan Your Visit

The Museum on the Boyne is located at 250 Fletcher Crescent in Alliston. It is located next to Riverdale Park. Open hours are Wednesday to Saturday 10:00am-3:30pm

Limited parking is available along Fletcher Crescent. Additional parking may be available at the Doner baseball diamond and the Lions Pavilion. 

Admission is by donation. Donations can be made by cash, debit or credit at the front desk. Donations help us to build and expand our exhibit and program offerings.

The museum has a small gift shop that carries local honey, books, unique gifts, candy, and more! 
"Alliston on the Boyne: The Legacy of a Mill Town" by Carolyn Knowles is now available at the Museum on the Boyne!

When visiting the area, you might also like to visit other local heritage sites such as the Banting Homestead & Heritage Park

Contact Us

Contact the Museum on the Boyne by email or by phone at 705-415-1875 (office line) or 705-435-3900 (Town of New Tecumseth). Please note that voicemail messages are checked between Wednesday and Saturday.

Staff Contacts:
Katie Huddleston, Supervisor of Culture | 705-415-3122

Kira Halonen, Collections Lead | 705-415-2965

Julie McNevin, Program Lead | 705-415-3019

Exploring the Museum

Take a glimpse into the Museum on the Boyne on YouTube.

Our gallery showcases glimpses into bygone times through vignettes of local life. Celebrate the Indigenous heritage of our region, learn about local leaders and landmarks, take in the variety and beauty of Alliston Pottery (Maple Leaf Pottery), admire the work of local artists, and more! For more information on the featured artists on display at the museum please visit the South Simcoe Arts Council website.

We offer search and find (scavenger hunt) activities for children and families to help explore the museum and hands-on arts and crafts activities in our back classroom.

The MOTB is also home to the McDonald log cabin, built circa 1865 and the Jeffery family barn, built in 1858. Staff are happy to open these buildings to visitors upon request and weather depending. Take a Sneak Peek into the log cabin.

Tour groups: We offer more in-depth introductions to the museum for groups of 10 or more people. Please book your visit in advance so we can make sure a staff member is available. Email us to schedule your visit.

Programs & Events

The Museum offers a variety of programs to educate and entertain visitors of all ages!

Use the button below to find detailed information about upcoming programs and registration.

Program Information & Registration

Our current program offerings include: 

  • Museum Spuds and Sprouts (pre-k toddler and guardians)
  • Back in Time PA Days (ages 7-12)
  • Time Traveler's Toolbox (all ages)
  • Museum Makerspace Workshops (18+)
  • Heritage Highlights Talks (18+)

For program related questions please contact Julie McNevin, Museum Program Lead at jmcnevin@newtecumseth.ca or 705-415-3019.

Online Stories & Exhibits

The Museum on the Boyne has a selection of featured stories available online. Access the blog site through the links below: 

Recipes from the Museum's Kate Aitken Collection

Artifact Donation

Thank you for considering a donation to the Museum on the Boyne. Your contribution helps preserve and celebrate our shared heritage! 

What We Collect: 

The Museum on the Boyne collects items relating to the history of the five municipalities of South Simcoe: Adjala-Tosorontio, Bradford-West Gwillimbury, Essa, Innisfil and New Tecumseth. We also have an education collection, and we may select donated items for this collection. 
We are looking to grow our Maple Leaf/Alliston Pottery collection! If you have any items you would be interested in donating, please let us know! 

Museum staff will carefully assess the items you wish to donate and determine if we can care for them. Unfortunately the Museum has limited space and cannot take in every item. Items that are accepted into the collection may be interpreted or displayed in accordance with the Museum's needs. We cannot take in any items with conditional requirements such as loans. 
For more information on donating an item, please fill out this form and email it to Kira Halonen, Museum Collections Lead. If you have questions, email or call 705-415-2965. 

Wall of Honour

We celebrate Museum month in Ontario by honouring a citizen or organization from South Simcoe for their contribution to the preservation and promotion of history. Nominate a person or organization today!

Photo Gallery: Wall of Honour Recipients will appear here on the public site.

Heritage New Tecumseth

Cemeteries

Learn about cemeteries in the Town of New Tecumseth. 

Create a Family Tree

 Create a Family Tree! 

Heritage Designation

Learn about heritage designation.

Local History

Learn more about the local history of how Tecumseth Township, the Town of Alliston, Village of Beeton and Village of Tottenham became the Town of New Tecumseth.

Indigenous History

Discover Indigenous history within the community of New Tecumseth.

Learn how to be an ally to Indigenous peoples

Research Fees 

The Museum on the Boyne is please to offer research services to its patrons. View fees related to research requests here. 

Self-Guided Tours 

Enjoy a walking tour of the communities within New Tecumseth.