Enjoy self-guided and guided tours of more than 100 different models of aircraft, as well as a variety of historical and aviation-related photographs. Explore and learn the history of the London airport and early flights. Try the self-operated computer flight simulators for children and adults. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.

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Come and experience the unique ambience of one of Canada's top acoustic halls. Take a guided tour through the historical Donor Room, where guests can enjoy classical and jazz music. Wander through the catacombs and learn about the 135-year history of the Hall. Or enjoy a drink on the patio while watching for one of the Hall’s famous ghosts.

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Enjoy a tour of a local literary landmark and learn about antiquarian books and printing. Attend a talk given by Jennifer Grainger, author of From the Vault: A Photo-History of London to 1950 and Early London 1826-1914, and learn about London's past. Meet Dan Mezza, a local bookbinder, and Jennifer Robertson from Books and Paper Conservation Services and see demonstrations.

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Experience the life and career of one of our most celebrated international heroes, and the man voted Canada’s fourth-greatest Canadian – Frederick Banting. Enjoy a self-guided tour with commentary from volunteers. See the bedroom where Banting conceived his idea that led to the discovery of insulin. View exhibits devoted to his art and service during both World Wars.

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Take a stroll through one of London’s oldest pioneer cemeteries and enjoy theatrical presentations that bring history to life. Meet some of the earliest settlers south of the River Thames: American colonists fleeing the Revolution, British soldiers taking up land grants, and Scots and Irish in search of a better life. Children can also enjoy a scavenger hunt!

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Stand amid the laureate portrait gallery and watch a video or read about over 100 remarkable Canadians and their contributions to medicine and health care. Explore fascinating exhibits featuring ground-breaking medical discoveries. Activities for kids include puzzles that highlight the importance of teamwork and scavenger hunts. Self-guided tour books are available, and there are also mini guided tours.

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Fanshawe College invites you to take a behind-the-scenes tour of their Centre for Digital and Performance Arts, which works to create new opportunities for arts and culture in the city. Visitors will see the inner workings of motion capture, theatre costumes designed by the costume production program over the past four years, and the newly added video game research lab.

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Come and experience firsthand an Ontario heritage building as a living, breathing piece of history. Visitors will delight in a tour of this artists' studio and gallery, as well as participate in a fun and creative workshop. There will be food and beverages available in a friendly, welcoming environment – with the opportunity to purchase works of art.

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Enjoy a guided tour of Western University's Don Wright Faculty of Music – including performance, rehearsal and research spaces – and watch the New Horizons Adult Band rehearse. As London prepares to welcome the 2019 JUNO Awards, come and learn more about Western's long musical history in education, research, performance and composition.

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Visit London’s oldest residence and view the family heirlooms, furnishings and priceless treasures of the Harris family. Tour the house and participate in a garden party on the grounds, with historical games and lemonade. Garden tours will occur at 1 and 3 p.m. daily. Or join the London Dance Festival in learning historical dances typical for a 19th-century garden party.

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This club is often referred to as the hidden gem of Wortley Village. Come and learn about the club’s history through a tactile exhibit. A knowledgeable club member will give an overview of the game and hold a question-and-answer period. Then, go outside and try the sport of lawn bowling yourself, with a member coach to give you helpful tips!

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Take a guided tour of this Spanish colonial-style house, which was given to Elsie Perrin Williams by her father as a wedding gift in 1905. Walk through rooms that will be set up as they were in Elsie’s day, and then enjoy a series of short vignettes depicting episodes in the life of Elsie and her husband.

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Take a guided tour and learn about the historical and architectural significance of Western’s University College. Enjoy mini-performances on stage by Theatre Studies students. Then dive into the costume collection and take to the stage as your favourite literary character. Medieval and Renaissance costumes and props will be on hand for plenty of lively play to inspire future young thespians!

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Explore Fanshawe’s downtown campus! This is the public’s first opportunity to visit the newest Fanshawe building, located at 130 Dundas Street. Explore the modern labs, bright and open classrooms, and see how they've incorporated restored heritage features from the former Kingsmill’s department store. Fanshawe’s teaching restaurant, The Chef’s Table, will also be open.

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Commemorate the Richard Talbot Settlement’s 200th anniversary with Fanshawe Pioneer Village! Complete your settlement duties and get your deed stamped as the history of the Talbot Settlement comes alive. On Saturday, actors will re-enact the hanging of London’s most notorious convicts – including Peg Leg Brown, axe murderess Phoebe Campbell and the first (and second!) man hanged in London: Cornelius Burleigh.

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Join an exciting walking tour and learn the stories behind the tree carvings on Hamilton Road. Come and see these beautiful tree carvings – including the Trafalgar Bear, the Baptist Church Deer Family, the Crouch Library Honey Bear, the Accutax squirrel and more!

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During the day, look safely at the sun with a solar telescope, viewing sunspots and prominences on the surface. Take a basement-to-dome tour of the observatory, including a re-creation of observatory director H.R. Kingston’s office, as well as a 1960s-era control room and exhibit on the life of astronomical model-maker extraordinaire W.G. Colgrove. Public stargazing available, starting 7 p.m.

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Hutton House Association for Adults with Disabilities is a registered charity that has facilitated the goals and aspirations of adults with disabilities for over 65 years. Attend a live theatre performance, written and presented by people with disabilities. Visit the Pottery Studio and add your touch to a collaborative community art piece, do crafts or enjoy a guided tour.

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Enjoy a curator-led tour of this facility and learn about London's music history and Hall of Fame inductees – including Guy Lombardo, Tommy Hunter, Garth Hudson, Priscilla Wright and others. View musical treasures, such as the gold records that Richardson was awarded for producing The Guess Who’s American Woman and Bob Seger’s Night Moves. Musical entertainment and refreshments will be provided.

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Watch history take flight as friends of the museum display their artifacts, tell stories and fly their aircraft! Learn about early jet-age pilots, designers and maintainers. Explore Cold War exhibits and see classic Canadian and British jets. For an adrenaline rush, you can purchase a flying membership in the museum’s Jet Provost or CT-133 Red Knight!

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Discover the fascinating history of sports at Western University and view their special collection of artifacts and memorabilia, some of which will be displayed especially for Doors Open. Artifacts include leather football helmets, vintage uniforms and rare photographs. You can also take a guided tour with the curator.

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Watch history come alive as you discover the wonders of the natural world! Touch a narwhal tusk, visit the resident polar bear and even hold some dinosaur poop as you explore artifacts from our natural history collection. Visitors will have the opportunity to get an up-close look at animal, plant and mineral specimens from around the world and throughout time.

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Come and be part of history in the making as London prepares to be the first city in Canada to elect its mayor and city council using a ranked choice voting method. Take part in a tried-and-tested kid-friendly demonstration of ranked choice voting. Then head outside to take in the beauty of the recently refurbished cenotaph in Victoria Park.

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Learn about the unique history of London's gardens, parks, nature and wildlife through interactive displays presented by the Friends of the London Civic Garden Complex, Nature London, Garden Club of London, London Horticultural Society and the London Middlesex Master Gardeners. Visitors can also enjoy a stroll through the conservatory, greenhouse or take tours of the surrounding woodlands and gardens.

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Did you know that clay was once used to make canning jars, pickle crocks, cider jugs and bricks? Working in clay was once an important industry in London. Visitors here will learn about the history of bricks and pottery in the area. There will be wheel demonstrations, clay activities for children and guided tours of the historical brick building.

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Come and learn about the role of milling and woodworking in establishing the City of London! See demonstrations by expert woodworkers creating pieces without the use of modern tools. Try your hand at using traditional hand tools, and see an exhibit on the history of woodworking in London. This is a family-friendly activity and demonstrations will occur throughout the day.

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Come and take a guided tour of Engine No. 4 with a retired fire officer and members of the in-service crew (when they are not responding to alarms, of course). Learn about fire safety. And bring the kids for free colouring books and stickers. Firefighters will even slide down the fire pole!

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In the 1840s, before today’s watering holes, soldiers from the London Garrison quenched their thirst in Richmond Street’s "grog shops." Today, Richmond Row is a popular storied shopping street with over 200 businesses. This year at Doors Open, London Life presents the stories of Richmond Row using video, audio, rare photographs and live storytelling.

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Come and see one of the largest and oldest O-scale model railroads in Canada! The layout features 1,524 metres (5,000 feet) of hand-laid tracks. Along the tracks, there are passenger stations and freight yards. The three lift bridges are scratch built. Cars, locomotives and bridges are driven by electric motors and operated remotely. A true kid-friendly experience!

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Enjoy an engaging and educational tour of this mosque through the prayer halls and library. Have your name written in Arabic calligraphy – an art form based on the Arabic script with flowing arabesque and geometric designs. Decorate your hands with an artistic henna tattoo. Or learn how to wrap a hijab. During Doors Open, food and refreshments will be available!

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Take a guided tour of the London Police Headquarters. See a heritage police vehicle, the firearms range and displays from early police interventions. Meridian will be hosting the bear program for the 5th year in a row. The program enables community children to be a part of donating bears to charity by helping them dress the bears in different clothing.

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The old hanging ground was behind the Middlesex County Administration Building. Many infamous convicts – including cop-killer Peg Leg Brown, ax murderess Phoebe Campbell and the first (and second!) man hanged in London, Cornelius Burleigh – gasped out their last breaths and were buried under what is now a parking lot. Onsite actors will be on hand for reenactments.

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Join Museum London for activities based on their contemporary art and history exhibitions. Hear Indigenous history come to life in the Voices exhibition in which century-old wax cylinder recordings of songs and stories are played and translated for the first time. Take in the bright imaginations of the comic artists of southwestern Ontario in this display of words and pictures.

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Come and enjoy the annual Harvest Festival and Powwow – a celebration of Aboriginal art, music and culture. Visitors can experience a traditional Indigenous powwow that takes place next to the museum in a 500-year-old village where Neutral Iroquoians once lived. Visitors will also enjoy hands-on cultural workshops and demonstrations, shop for First Nations hand-crafted items, and taste traditional foods.

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See history come alive as you travel back in time to this unique pop-up escape room. You and your group of explorers have been whisked back in time to the late 1800s. Do you have what it takes to solve all of the puzzles and escape in time, or will you be stuck in the 1800s forever?

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This museum tells the story of the first infantry regiment established in Canada within the permanent force. Come out and discover the history of the Royal Canadian Regiment, experience military life and explore the Wolseley Barracks! There will be plenty of hands-on activities, including reenactments, a military fashion show and a theatre performance. A family-friendly experience!

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Housed in a former veterans’ care residence, The Secrets of Radar Museum preserves the history of Canadian Second World War radar personnel. Join the museum for a special storytelling tour and hear secrets and stories that veterans were forbidden to tell for over 50 years! Tours occur every hour, beginning at 10:30 a.m., with the last one at 2:30 p.m.

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Over 161 years ago, Benjamin Cronyn was elected as the first bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Huron. Enjoy a historical re-enactment of Bishop Cronyn’s return to his cathedral church, where he will recount the momentous event when he became bishop and share his recollections of his early days in London.

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This walking tour will be led by Grace Blackburn, a former newspaper reporter from the London Free Press, who will bring a character from London’s past to life at each of five stops that are now parking lots. Travel through time to discover the businesses and buildings that were there before. Hosted by the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario.

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Come behind the scenes of Western’s Archives and Research Collections Centre to see selected highlights from the university’s archives, rare books and special collections. Items on display will include rare first editions, architectural plans of major London landmarks, early photographs from the London Free Press, and authors’ literary papers. During Doors Open, take part in an archival scavenger hunt!

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