Heritage Events

Doors Open Peterborough - September 13, 2025

Every year in September, buildings and sites not normally open to the public welcome visitors as part of Doors Open Peterborough. Peterborough’s event is part of Doors Open Ontario in partnership with the Ontario Heritage Trust and funded by the Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (PACAC) as an opportunity for community engagement and education on our built heritage.

The Doors Open program originated in France in 1984 and since 2002, this annual celebration of heritage and culture has allowed us to see inside everything from the Peterborough Lift Lock, City hydro generating stations, Victorian mansions and modern architectural gems such as Trent University. We also offer guided tours highlighting the city’s historical, architectural, and social history.

Peterborough is a small city, but its heritage is rich, its community is vibrant, and its neighbourhoods are diverse. Doors Open Peterborough is always looking for new places that tell Peterborough’s stories through the sites and voices of the community.

Doors Open Peterborough 2025 will take place on Saturday, September 13, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

For an interactive map and list of sites and guided tours from 2024, please visit peterborough.ca/DOP2024.

For the latest on Doors Open, follow the City’s Heritage Preservation Office on Facebook (HeritagePTBO) and Instagram (@heritageptbo), or visit the Doors Open Ontario website, doorsopenontario.on.ca.

Submit a Site

Do you own a heritage building or other cultural landmark not often open to the public? We are asking the local community to submit their sites to be considered for inclusion in this year’s program.

Criteria to consider

We are interested in buildings, sites and tours that:

• have some outstanding architectural features and/or historical, social or cultural significance. They can be buildings not usually open to the public or often open to the public, such as churches, banquet halls, theatres.
• are celebrating significant anniversaries
• have won heritage, urban design and/or architectural awards
• have original interior features
• have been adapted for reuse
• feature innovative green or sustainable building elements or design
• represent Peterborough’s diversity (cultural, social, etc.)
• tell a story about a certain neighbourhood in Peterborough

 The submission deadline is Wednesday, April 30, 2025.

Submit a Site

Doors Open Peterborough Steering Committee

Are you looking for an opportunity to learn about our city’s rich heritage, engage our community and gain valuable skills? The Doors Open Peterborough Steering Committee is looking for new members to join its team. The committee oversees and undertakes the planning and implementation of the annual Doors Open Peterborough event.

Volunteers must be available for monthly meetings approximately 1 hour in length and to assist with the day of coordination of the event. Meetings will be held in a hybrid format. Reliable access to a telephone or computer with an internet connection will be essential.

Applicants must be over 16 years of age. Applicants will be contacted individually for a short interview and information session.

The application deadline is Friday, February 28, 2025.

Apply here

Heritage Hunt

The Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (PACAC) launches an annual Heritage Hunt contest inviting residents to test their knowledge of Peterborough’s architectural heritage for the chance to win great local prizes.

The contest involves identifying architectural details on buildings in a defined area of the city. All details are visible from the sidewalk and both sides of the street are in play.

The 2024 Hunt was held from October 23 to November 29. Follow the City’s Heritage Preservation Office on Facebook (HeritagePTBO) and Instagram (@heritageptbo) for information about next year's event. See our social media for the answers from the 2024 Hunt.

House History Workshop

The House History Workshop features an overview of helpful tools, resources, and strategies for researching the history of your house – whether it is a rental, your family home, or even just a house you’ve always walked past and wanted to learn more about. At the workshop, you’ll learn about what heritage is and how it relates to the world around us. You’ll also learn how to use local resources to find the information you’re looking for. Friendly experts from local and county libraries, archives, and museums will be on hand to discuss what’s in their collections and how to access them.

The skills and resources you’ll learn about at the House History Workshop will be incredibly useful to anyone interested in history, architecture, archaeology, arts and culture, environment and nature, Indigenous Studies, and urban planning and development. Whether you’re starting your first year at Trent or enjoying retirement, now is the time to start exploring your community’s history! 

This workshop is free. Stay tuned for information about upcoming workshops.