The 1st Hussars Museum is located in one of the last remaining original buildings at the Forks of the Thames. The museum illustrates the history of the 1st Hussars militia regiment and those who served during the South African War, the Great War, the Second World War and peacekeeping missions. Over the Doors Open London weekend, to celebrate 20 years of Doors Open London, the museum will digitally tell the story of its involvement with Doors Open as well as the history of the Holly Roller at Victoria Park. In addition, the museum’s website offers several resources for you to explore – including audio clips and photos. Or check their YouTube channel for more information, including the virtual tour of the museum shown below.

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The 427 Wing Building is a heritage Royal Canadian Air Force Officers Canteen, built in 1941. It is possibly one of the few remaining examples in continuous use. During the Doors Open London weekend, learn about this museum through a virtual tour of the space. Videos will also highlight the historical Second World War context of the importance of the Station Crumlin Flight Training School (1941-45), the present site of London International Airport. Station Crumlin was a local air force training base, one of hundreds across Canada, part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan that trained Canadian and other Commonwealth airmen and women to be pilots and ground crew for missions overseas. As part of Digital Doors Open, be sure to check out their YouTube videos to learn more about the site and its formidable history.

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Recognized as “the site of the defining moment in the discovery of insulin” by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, Banting House – former home of Sir Frederick Banting – became a national historic site in 1997. During the Digital Doors Open London weekend, visitors will be able to participate in an augmented reality experience outdoors in Sir Frederick Banting Square. Exhibits include Banting as an Artist, the Flame of Hope, Major Sir Frederick Banting and the Second World War, and The Birth of an Idea. Once each hour during the Digital Doors Open London weekend, using Facebook Live, Banting House will host a brief virtual tour of specific exhibits and a question-and-answer session. More Digital Doors Open content includes intriguing online exhibits, fun and interactive online puzzles (share your record time on social media and challenge your friends), and the popular Heritage Minute video (see below).

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The Brain and Mind Institute is recognized as one of the world’s leading research institutes in cognitive neuroscience. Researchers here aim to understand how the brain allows us to make sense of what we see and hear, remember the past and plan for the future, communicate our thoughts to others, choose goals, plan actions and carry those actions out. Powerful imaging tools allow researchers to observe the human brain at work. For the Doors Open London weekend, they will offer a live virtual demo on September 18 at 1 p.m. through Zoom (Meeting ID: 940 0592 8570 Passcode: 865086), as well as a virtual tour of the research facilities. Come learn about the exciting discoveries that are being made about the brain! And, for Digital Doors Open, be sure to check out their YouTube playlist to learn more about the institute and their mind-boggling research.

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This pioneer cemetery, dating from 1813, has undergone significant restoration since it first participated in Doors Open 13 years ago. During the Doors Open London weekend, learn about one of London’s oldest pioneer cemeteries and its unique history within a national and local context through a video presentation. You will meet some of the volunteers who work to preserve its stones and research its dead, and examine restoration techniques as well as ground-penetrating radar. In addition, there will be a series of short theatrical presentations by local actors portraying events in the lives of some of the interesting people buried at Brick Street Cemetery. As part of Digital Doors Open, find out if you have any ancestors buried here through the Find a Grave web resource. Or explore the site through the lens of Canada’s Historic Places registry and learn about its heritage significance.

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Canada Life (formerly known as London Life) has a long history and deep roots in the London community. As the presenting sponsor of Doors Open London since 2001, they are honoured to celebrate 20 years of history, culture and heritage in the Forest City. For the Doors Open London weekend, join the activities and take a virtual tour of their London head office, showcasing a few special places and objects along the way.

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This one-of-a-kind museum is now housed in what was the original factory for Kellogg's Canada, a long-time London landmark that has been transformed into a 92,900-square-metre (1 million-square-foot) leading tourist destination. During the Doors Open London weekend, explore fascinating stories on their new website that feature ground-breaking medical research. Watch a video or read about over 130 remarkable Canadians and their contributions to medicine and health care in Canada and around the world. Enjoy watching their recording of the 2020 Induction Ceremony. And, as part of Digital Doors Open, learn more about their Laureates through online puzzles and games. Search their database and meet the Laureates. And subscribe to their informative and fascinating podcast (Season 2 now available).

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The London CNIB Community Hub is a space that provides a heartbeat for the community, transforming the community into a beacon of accessibility and inclusion. Londoners who are blind or partially sighted connect with each other to learn and share information while they live, play, work, learn and use tech. With many innovative programs, resources and stories, the London Hub invites you to experience all that they offer. During Digital Doors Open, decode this braille message. Explore products that are helping people impacted by sight loss to read books, travel independently, participate in sports and more. Learn more about guide dogs and how they assist people with sight loss to live independently. Take an online tour of the site (see below) to hear program leads talk about how the CNIB assists with building confidence, expanding skills and providing opportunities to fully participate in life. And watch this pre-recorded question-and-answer session.

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Virtually unchanged since the 19th century, Eldon House is London’s oldest residence. It contains family heirlooms, furnishings and priceless treasures from the Harris Family. Eldon House is a historical site in downtown London that has been preserved and maintained since 1960, when it was donated to the City of London. It was home to four generations of the Harris family; it is an excellent example of Georgian and regency architectural styles and its gardens are considered among the most beautiful in the city. For more information, visit their website or call 519-661-5169. As part of Digital Doors Open, explore the site’s timeline to learn more about the history of the place. Discover their interactive maps to gain insight about the house and gardens, and spend some time meeting the family. And check out the videos on their social media channels.

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This beautiful manor house and property was bequeathed to the City of London in 1936 by Elsie Perrin Williams, the heiress to a biscuit manufacturer. The property includes lands along the river and land once used as a private golf course. This Spanish colonial house features stuccoed walls, a red-tiled roof, wrought-iron balconies, beamed ceilings, glazed tile fireplaces and a great hall that was added in the 1920s. The building is managed today by the Heritage London Foundation. This Doors Open London, experience this property through a video production featuring drone footage of the extensive property surrounding the manor, followed by a historical tour of the inside of the house where you will hear the story of its original owners. The house was one of the first sites to ever participate in Doors Open London, and you can learn more about the 20-year history of the event through the video below.

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This museum is an early example of the museum type known as a “pioneer village,” initially developed in mid-20th century Ontario by conservation authorities. During the Doors Open London weekend, enjoy virtual tours of areas that are otherwise out-of-bounds for visitors. Not all things are as they appear. Learn about some of their most frequently-asked-about artifacts. Gather for tales from the staff about their experiences working at the village. For Digital Doors Open, explore their Online Collections Database, wander the Virtual Village (complete with audio tours) and discover their online exhibit Tools of the Trade and their Museum at Home videos (including the one shown below) where you can learn how to live (and cook!) like a pioneer. You can always see and learn more through their extensive YouTube video playlists.

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To help celebrate 20 years of Doors Open London, experience the virtual version of Hamilton Road’s Tree Trunk Tour! Alternatively, you can drive the entire 5.6 kilometres (3.5 miles) or do the smaller walking version (1 kilometre/0.6 miles) as both are safe and COVID friendly. You will be introduced to each of the 26 sculptures and benches with video introductions and links to each as you see and hear the stories showcasing what they mean, what kind of trees were used, and which sculptors created each one. In between, you will learn about the rich history of Hamilton Road and the historical buildings that are an integral part of their tours. In addition, as part of Digital Doors Open, visit their website to download a colouring book and tour map, take a virtual tour or watch a video. Experience London’s best-kept secret. The Hamilton Road Tree Trunk Tour is something that you’ll never forget!

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The goal of Hear, Here London is to share the diverse stories and voices of London neighbourhoods – SoHo, Great Talbot and Richmond Village. Hear, Here collects stories from historically underrepresented people to help make sense of London’s complicated and nuanced past. One of the many stories that you will hear is that of Margaret Henderson. Included in the Fugitive Slave Voices tour, Henderson’s struggle – fleeing slavery in the United States prior to the American Civil War and her ultimate resettling in London – is both powerful and fascinating. For the Doors Open London weekend, visitors can either listen online or take self-guided walking tours to hear the stories on their cell phones by using the free Driftscape app. As part of Digital Doors Open, explore the many stories available on the Hear, Here website.

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The Hume Cronyn Memorial Observatory at Western University hosts public astronomy events and outreach activities. During the Doors Open London weekend, you can experience the site virtually. They will be giving tours of the beautifully restored observatory – showcasing some of their amazing historical artifacts and spaces – and offering cool, live science demonstrations. If the skies are clear, they will also show off objects in the night sky through telescopes. As part of Digital Doors Open, take a tour of the site through the video below – offered to the Antique Telescope Society in 2020 – and learn more about this fascinating place.

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Hutton House provides services for youth and adults with disabilities – offering creative arts classes, fitness classes and other recreational opportunities. As part of Digital Doors Open, there are several activities to enjoy. Watch some of their videos, which include a building tour, pottery demonstrations, craft workshops and the history of Hutton House. Or explore their virtual arts programs, their at-home fitness programs, or browse back issues of their newsletter. As they join us in celebrating the 20th anniversary of Doors Open London, learn more about what Hutton House does and how they contribute to the community!

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The 20th anniversary of Doors Open London in 2021 coincides with the 20th anniversary of Pillar Nonprofit Network and the 5th anniversary of Pillar's move to Innovation Works! To celebrate these milestones, as part of Digital Doors Open, visitors will be able to choose from a suite of digital offerings that connect the building's heritage to its present use and to these commemorations – including a gallery of historical photos, a video of the site renovation, and a video tour of the facility, led by volunteers and co-tenants, which connects specific sites in the building to their historical context and their present-day use. Also as part of Digital Doors Open, join one of their online events or follow them on their blog.

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Come and virtually visit this one-of-a-kind museum. The Jet Aircraft Museum combines the creation and operation of a museum, housing aircraft, historical artifacts, records and memorabilia, while also participating in major aviation events across Canada. Over the Doors Open London weekend, along with their online tour, participants will also be able to enjoy talks by a variety of guest speakers. Each speaker will be scheduled at specific times and days over the weekend. Topics will include the education program, working on maintenance projects, learning how to become part of our ground crew, the Red Knight, the Voodoo, flying T33s as part of the RCAF, flying a simulator and more. A special guest host may be included in these special spotlight talks. Also, as part of Digital Doors Open, be sure to check out their Matterport tour to explore the facility, or watch the video below. In addition, learn more about their unique collection of aircraft – including several restoration projects.

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This year marks the 50th anniversary of the official opening of London’s City Hall. A prominent landmark in London’s downtown core for five decades, City Hall is the symbolic centre of the community’s civic government and administration. On the Doors Open London weekend, join them and learn more about the City Hall's fascinating history, beautiful architecture and intriguing people, events and stories associated with this prominent building through a virtual guided tour.

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The London Muslim Mosque is the oldest mosque in Ontario, and the oldest operating mosque in Canada. The first mosque in Canada, Al-Rashid Mosque in Edmonton, has been designated a heritage site, thereby leaving the London Muslim Mosque as the oldest functioning mosque in Canada. During the Doors Open London weekend, learn more about this mosque and the Islamic culture through virtual lectures and storytelling, as well as a digital tour of the mosque.

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Building off of the popular London Neighbourhood Histories article series, LondonFuse has adapted the stories of five Forest City neighbourhoods (Old East Village, Woodfield, Hamilton Road, Old North and Midtown) into a digital audiovisual experience for Londoners to enjoy during Doors Open London. My Sister's Place, located in midtown, is one such point of interest that is covered in this tour. Participants can enjoy these tours from home – listening and learning about some of the rich, layered heritage of many of London’s neighbourhoods, the diverse individuals who have lived within them, and the events that have impacted their development. Or, to bring it to life, Londoners can download the audio and listen as they walk through the neighbourhoods for some socially distanced heritage fun!

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A university-based, public art gallery since 1942, the McIntosh Gallery collaborates with artists, curators and academics to develop innovative strategies to interpret and disseminate visual culture. Exhibitions, educational programs and special events provide a platform for engagement with visual art and artists. For Doors Open London 2021, the gallery will feature Western University PhD candidate Michelle Wilson's thesis exhibition “Remnants, Outlaws, and Wallows: Practices for Understanding Bison.” This digital feature will offer a look inside the artist's installation via a virtual exhibition walkthrough. As part of Digital Doors Open, wander through their sculpture garden and learn about the installations found there. Browse the gallery’s Online Collections Database. And explore A Driving Force, a special sesquicentennial exhibit that showcases women in London’s visual arts community from 1867 to the present.

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As part of Digital Doors Open, the AlvegoRoot Theatre ensemble presents five short films about people and places important to the cultural memory, life and history of London spanning over 100 years, written and directed by Adam Corrigan Holowitz. Travel back in time from your screen! Meet Josiah Blackburn at the Marienbad Restaurant and hear the story of how the London Free Press began. Then, in the Peel House at Fanshawe Pioneer Village, sculptor Mildred Peel tells about her art career as she navigates sexism and the shadow of her younger, more-famous brother. Poet Arthur Stringer, from the porch of his childhood home, recounts his lifelong infatuation with the ideal of romance. At the former Western Counties Health and Occupational Centre, you will hear the story of the veterans who lived there as they recovered from the Second World War. The journey concludes at the Hyland Cinema, meeting a woman who shares how the movies played an important role in her teenage years.

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Museum London is 80! Southwestern Ontario's leading establishment for the collection and presentation of visual art and material culture, Museum London promotes the knowledge and enjoyment of regional art, culture and history through public and educational programming, special events and exhibitions. Join them in celebrating 20 years of Doors Open, 40 years in their landmark Raymond Moriyama building, and 80 years of art and history collecting. And, during the Digital Doors Open weekend, get a behind-the-scenes look at their collections, view virtual tours of their art and history exhibitions with knowledgeable curators, or get busy exploring art and architecture in an internet tutorial. In addition, Digital Doors Open lets you explore Museum London’s online exhibits, informative talks, interactive learning resources, art tutorials, puzzles and more – all through their #MuseumLDN @ Home program.

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Come and discover the history of bellydance – including the different styles, costumes and music that make it an ancient and beautiful art! During the Doors Open London weekend, there were two virtual workshops (pre-registration required). Saturday’s workshop will feature an introduction to the history of bellydance in the Middle East and North America, complemented by performances of different styles. And Sunday’s workshop will focus on an introduction to bellydance. As part of Digital Doors Open, check out this video to learn more about the art of bellydance.

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Located in the Wolseley Barracks, The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum tells the story of Canada’s senior infantry regiment. The museum’s vast collection includes a large variety of artifacts: regimental memorials, silverware, uniforms, medals, original art, weapons, military equipment, archives, musical instruments, etc. An expanded permanent gallery and a gift shop are high-profile attractions. You can also check out the video below to learn more about this fascinating museum, explore their extensive Digital Education resources, delve into their searchable online collections (including their unique Stories from the Collection series), explore virtual exhibits and subscribe to their informative podcast.

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Could you keep a secret for 50 years? Located on airport grounds, The Secrets of Radar Museum tells the story of a secret that was kept for 50 years! During the Doors Open London weekend, the museum will present a pre-recorded virtual tour that features the development of radar technology from 1939 to 2021. You will learn how Canadian men and women veterans defended Canada during the Second World War and the Cold War. They will also present the spin-off technologies that we use in our everyday lives. For Digital Doors Open, check out their newest online exhibit: Top Secret War. And don’t miss their #MuseumFromHome video series on YouTube.

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The TAP Centre (formerly The Arts Project) is London's creative hub with support for the artistic community through opportunities to create, experiment, network and share their work. For Digital Doors Open, take a behind-the-scenes look at the early work of London artist Greg Curnoe, led by Brian Lambert, the McIntosh Gallery’s Collection Manager. Lambert will share a sneak-peek of this collection of early Curnoe works from the 1950s and early 1960s. This collection includes many works on paper from influential Canadian artists’ studies at OCAD University and Bealart, and collectively provides a valuable record of Curnoe’s influences and artistic development. In addition, the TAP Centre also has an online gallery and special online exhibits (including animations, paintings, art installations and photography).

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