Doors Open 2026: Discover Secret Attractions of Cornwall and SDG Counties For Free This Weekend

Cornwall and SDG Counties, renowned as one of Ontario’s oldest regions, open their doors wide on August 15 and 16 for an event that promises to peel back the layers of history and offer intriguing insights into their storied past.

Parks of the St. Lawrence

The annual “Doors Open” event is a free, two-day spectacle that beckons residents and visitors alike to immerse themselves in the area’s cultural, historical, and architectural heritage.

While many sites participate on both August 15 and 16, some have specific operating hours or are open only for a day.

Explore Cornwall This Summer: Gateway to the St. Lawrence and SDG Counties

Attractions to Visit:

Aultsville Theatre, Cornwall
- - Founded in 1976, Aultsville Theatre is a 680-seat venue offering backstage tours and diverse events.
  - Hours: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Bishop’s House of Glengarry, St. Raphael’s
- - Originally Father Macdonell’s presbytery, this landmark became Iona Academy in 1924 with additions.
  - Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Carman House Museum, Iroquois
- - Georgian-era limestone cottage built around 1815.
  - Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cline House Gallery, Cornwall
- - Home to rotating visual arts exhibitions.
  - Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cornwall Armoury
- - A buff-brick federal heritage building with towers and a drill hall, reflects Canada’s militia expansion between the World Wars and now houses the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders.
  - Hours: Saturday and Sunday: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cornwall Community Museum
- - A dive into the history of Cornwall and the surrounding counties.
  - Hours: Saturday and Sunday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cornwall Historical Walking Tour
- - Six-kilometre self-guided tour explores Cornwall’s heritage through nearly 30 plaques across historic neighbourhoods and waterfront.
  - Hours: Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cornwall Public Library
- - A designated heritage property with guided tours.
  - Hours: Saturday only, 09:45 a.m. to 03:00 p.m., tours at 9:45 a.m. and 2 p.m., must be booked online
Crysler’s Farm Battlefield Memorial Building
- - Memorial building commemorates 1813 battle with artifacts, murals, and dioramas.
  - Hours: Saturday & Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m
Galop Canal Iroquois Landing Marina
- - Iroquois Marina occupies historic Galop Canal walls along the St. Lawrence River, preserving local heritage.
  - Hours: Saturday: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Glengarry Celtic Music Hall of Fame
- - Explore contributions to the county’s Celtic music culture and preserve related memorabilia.
  - Hours: Saturday and Sunday: 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Glengarry Nor’Westers and Loyalist Museum
- - Georgian-style museum showcases Sir John Johnson, Loyalist history, Williamstown Fair, and War of 1812 exhibits.
  - Hours: Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Glengarry Pioneer Museum, Dunvegan
- - Eight pioneer buildings, including a barroom, thought to be among the oldest in Eastern Ontario.
  - Hours: Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Heritage Centre, Chesterville
- - Originally a multifunctional town hall, it is now a historical center maintained by North Dundas Township.
  - Hours: Saturday only: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Historic SDG Jail, Cornwall
- - A former maximum-security facility turned museum.
  - Hours: Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Judy Neville British Home Child Museum, Morrisburg
- - Aultsville Train Station exhibits artifacts and histories of British Home Children, indentured servants.
  - Hours: Saturday and Sunday: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Lost Villages Museum, Long Sault
- - A collection of 10 heritage buildings representing villages submerged due to the St. Lawrence Seaway project.
  - Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Paroisse de la Nativité-de-la-Bienheureuse-Vierge-Marie, Cornwall
- - A landmark of Cornwall’s Francophone heritage, the Paroisse de la Nativité, designed by Father Paul-Antoine de Saunhac, has graced the skyline since its first mass on Christmas Day 1891.
  - Hours: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Priest’s Mill Arts Centre, Alexandria
- - Priest’s Mill Arts Centre, in 1902 building, originally 1819 grist mill, now houses art gallery.
  - Hours: Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saunders Hydro Dam Visitor Centre, Cornwall
- - Chronicles the history of the St. Lawrence Seaway and Power Project.
  - Hours: Saturday and Sunday: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sir John Johnson Manor House, Williamstown
- - One of Ontario’s oldest homes.
  - Hours: Saturday and Sunday: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
St. Columban’s Church, Cornwall
- - A Catholic church from 1829 with a distinctive spire.
  - Hours: Saturday only: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
St. Finnan’s Basilica
- - Founded in 1833, features distinctive architecture, stained-glass windows, and was named a minor basilica by the Pope in 2021.
  - Hours: Saturday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday: Noon to 5 p.m.
St. John’s Presbyterian Church
- - Built in 1889, the church traces its origins to early Eastern Ontario settlement and Rev. John Bethune, exemplifying Romanesque revival architecture.
  - Hours: Saturday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday: Noon to 4 p.m.
St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church, Lancaster
- - An architectural gem surrounded by parks.
  - Hours: Saturday and Sunday: 1 to 4 p.m.
St. Raphael’s Ruins, South Glengarry
- - The ruins of one of the earliest Roman Catholic churches.
  - Hours: Saturday and Sunday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Trinity Church
- - Historic Gothic church features stained glass, marble floors, memorials, Casavant organ, and centuries-old graves outside.
  - Hours: Saturday only: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary
- - Wildlife-rich bird sanctuary offers camping, hiking trails, handfeeding opportunities, and over 150 diverse bird species.
  - Hours: Saturday: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
YourTV Cornwall
- - Get a behind-the-scenes look at community television.
  - Hours: Saturday only, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Doors Open Cornwall and SDG Counties is part of the larger Doors Open Ontario. Since its inception in 2002, the provincial initiative has witnessed over 7.3 million visits to heritage sites, allowing the public to explore the vast and diverse history of the province, including sites that had previously remained cloistered from the general populace.

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