Doors Open 2025: 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 16 and 17 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 16 and 17, 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: Sunday, 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.
Christ Church Seaway, Long Sault
- - 1959 church, built to replace churches lost during the St. Lawrence Seaway Project.
  - Hours: Saturday only, 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 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.
DEV Hotel & Conference Centre
- - 70,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, amenities, and scenic St. Lawrence River views for events and stays.
  - Hours: Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. to 4 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 County Archives, Alexandria
- - Eastern Ontario’s most significant historical records repository.
  - Hours: Saturday and Sunday: Noon 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.
Glengarry Nor’Westers and Loyalist Museum, Williamstown
- - A depiction of Sir John Johnson and other Loyalists’ story.
  - Hours: Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Glengarry Sports Hall of Fame
- - Celebrates local athletes and teams, showcasing memorabilia.
  - 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.
Maison Shalom House
- - Shalom House, in Alexandria since 2008, is a bilingual retreat centre offering nearly 50 years of prayer, reflection, and gatherings.
  - Hours: Saturday only: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Martintown Grist Mill, Martintown
- - Explore the mill’s stone walls and history.
  - Hours: Saturday: 8 a.m. to Noon; Sunday: 10 a.m. to 3 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.
Springfield Farm (Gunpowder Golf & Country Club)
- - This family-owned farm blends historic stone architecture with a restored two-storey home featuring original walls, a wood cook stove, and a Victorian-style veranda.
  - Hours: Saturday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday: 10 a.m. to Noon
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.
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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