Doors Open Ontario presenting sponsor
Doors Open Ontario presenting sponsor

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Doors Open Ontario:

Hamilton

in-person event information

Saturday, May 6 to Sunday, May 7, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Hamilton Region Branch of the Architectural Conservancy Ontario is pleased to present Doors Open Hamilton 2023.

Some of Hamilton's food-oriented businesses will be highlighted in walking tours of Dundas and along King William Street and James Street North in Hamilton. Do you have an appetite for architecture?


Download a map of participating sites for Doors Open Hamilton (Brochure version | Placemat version)

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Info from the Architectural Conservancy Ontario Hamilton Region Branch

The Architectural Conservancy Ontario Hamilton Region Branch is happy to invite participants to enjoy Doors Open Hamilton's tours in 2023 as part of the 22nd anniversary celebrations of Doors Open Ontario!

Both guided and self-guided walking tours will be available.

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Contact information

38 In-person Doors Open sites

Auchmar Manor HouseDoors Open Hamilton

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Auchmar Manor House

The Auchmar Estate is considered to be the last surviving country estate on Hamilton Mountain. It was built for the Honourable Isaac Buchanan, a local Scotsman, entrepreneur, politician and civic leader in 19th-century Canada. Visit this Gothic revival manor house and learn about its storied past before strolling the walled and landscaped grounds that surround it. No parking on site.

  • Digital Doors Open
  • Kid-friendly
  • Site is protected by the Ontario Heritage Trust
  • Washrooms
  • Videos
  • Virtual tours
  • Kid-friendly
  • Site is protected by the Ontario Heritage Trust

Contact info

88 Fennell Avenue West (at West 5th Street)
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: Richard.Barlas@hamilton.ca
http://www.friendsofauchmar.ca

Architecture

Year built: 1852-54
Building type: Historical landmark Historical house

Dates/hours open

May 06 - May 07

Battlefield House Museum & Park National Historic SiteDoors Open Hamilton

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Battlefield House Museum & Park National Historic Site

Battlefield House Museum, part of which dates to 1796, was once home to the prominent Gage family. Learn about the stories of the people who built the house and the ongoing efforts to preserve and restore it. Explore the Dunington Grubb landscape (which includes the impressive Battlefield Monument) and hike around a 13.8-hectare (34-acre) patchwork of meadow and forest.

  • Digital Doors Open
  • Parking
  • Washrooms
  • Videos
  • National Historic Site (Canada)
  • Site has blue and gold provincial plaque
  • Site is protected by the Ontario Heritage Trust

Contact info

77 King Street West
Stoney Creek, Ontario
Email: Richard.Barlas@hamilton.ca
https://www.hamilton.ca/battlefield

Architecture

Year built: 1796
Building type: Attraction Historical landmark Historical house Museum

Dates/hours open

May 07 - May 07

Brewers Blackbird Kitchen and Brewery (Rousseau House)Doors Open Hamilton

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Brewers Blackbird Kitchen and Brewery (Rousseau House)

Built in 1837 by George B. Rousseau, this Ancaster building was once owned by painter Frank Panabaker. Now a designated heritage building, it has been renovated and turned into an upscale brewpub — retaining many original features — by owner Andy Kershaw and brewmaster Ken Wood whose automated system won a silver medal at the 2021 Canadian Brewing Awards.

  • 2023 theme: Food
  • Food vendors
  • Parking
  • Washrooms

Contact info

375 Wilson Street East
Ancaster, Ontario
Email: contactusatbb@gmail.com
https://brewersblackbird.ca

Architecture

Year built: 1837
Building type: Commercial Food and drink

Dates/hours open

May 06 - May 07

Central Presbyterian ChurchDoors Open Hamilton

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Central Presbyterian Church

The Central Presbyterian Church, designed by John Lyle and opened in 1908, replaced an earlier church that was destroyed by fire. Lyle also designed Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre and Union Station, as well as several Hamilton homes. This was his only church. The flat roof resembles more the public buildings favoured by the beaux-arts style than traditional European churches.

  • Partial wheelchair access
  • Washrooms

Contact info

165 Charlton Avenue West
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: mark.stupple@gmail.com
https://www.cpchamilton.ca

Architecture

Year built: 1908
Building type: Place of worship
Architect: John Lyle

Dates/hours open

May 06 - May 07

Collective Arts BreweryDoors Open Hamilton

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Collective Arts Brewery

There has been a brewery here since 1947. Over the years, the plant has experienced several renovations since and housed many different breweries. Today, the Collective Arts Brewery operates here, offering beer, cider and sparkling hard teas. Begun in 2013, Collective Arts fuses the creativity of craft beverages with the inspired talents of artists — on their walls and their labels.

  • 2023 theme: Food
  • Food vendors
  • Full wheelchair access
  • Parking
  • Washrooms

Contact info

207 Burlington Street East
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: info@collectiveartsbrewing.com
https://collectiveartsontario.com/pages/hamilton-brewery

Architecture

Year built: 1947
Building type: Commercial Food and drink

Dates/hours open

May 06 - May 07

Collins BrewhouseDoors Open Hamilton

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Collins Brewhouse

The Collins Hotel has been a fixture on King Street West in Dundas for almost 200 years. The classical revival façade and portico have been beautifully restored. Renovations have not damaged the character; the front exterior remains period correct. Constructed in 1841 by Irish immigrant Bernard Collins, The “Collins” continues as a mixed-use building in the heart of Dundas.

  • 2023 theme: Food
  • Food vendors
  • Parking
  • Partial wheelchair access
  • Washrooms

Contact info

33 King Street West
Dundas, Ontario
Email: jl@collinsbrewhouse.ca
https://collinsbrewhouse.ca

Architecture

Year built: 1841
Building type: Commercial Food and drink

Dates/hours open

May 06 - May 07

Cotton Factory, TheDoors Open Hamilton

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Cotton Factory, The

Join us for an evening of food, dancing and shopping while you experience one of Hamilton's best examples of adaptive reuse. The Imperial Cotton Factory was taken over in 2014. Today, The Cotton Factory is a creative arts centre in the heart of lower Hamilton. Come and explore artists’ studios, artisan and vintage markets, and a beautifully restored 1900s factory.

  • Digital Doors Open
  • 2023 theme: Food
  • Full wheelchair access
  • Kid-friendly
  • Parking
  • Self-guided tours available
  • Washrooms
  • Videos
  • Kid-friendly

Contact info

270 Sherman Avenue North
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: laura@cottonfactory.ca
https://www.cottonfactory.ca

Architecture

Year built: 1900
Building type: Commercial Green building
Architect: E.B. Patterson

Dates/hours open

May 07 - May 07

Dundas Eateries TourDoors Open Hamilton

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Dundas Eateries Tour

This walking tour of historical “Dunda-licious” Dundas, conducted by local historian Stan Nowak, takes you to eateries, hotels, saloons and drinking emporiums — both past and present. Along the way, you will learn about what was there then, what's there now, and what's on the menu! This tour is guaranteed to satisfy the appetites for cultural heritage and hearty cuisine!

  • 2023 theme: Food
  • Full wheelchair access
  • Parking

Contact info

Meet at 5 Ogilvie Street
Dundas, Ontario
Email: basil.cottage@sympatico.ca

Architecture

Year built: Various

Architect: Various

Dates/hours open

May 06 - May 07

Dundas Music HallDoors Open Hamilton

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Dundas Music Hall

Built in 1911, this hall was the town’s social centre until the mid-1940s, capable of seating 700 persons in the main hall, with a further 40 in the opera boxes and 100 in the main balcony, all on the second floor. Today, although the music hall is not in use, Café Domestique and India Village occupy the main floor.

  • Food vendors
  • Parking
  • Partial wheelchair access
  • Washrooms

Contact info

102 King Street West
Dundas, Ontario
Email: kendra@cafedomestiique.com

Architecture

Year built: 1911
Building type: Commercial Food and drink Theatre
Architect: J.D. Pennington

Dates/hours open

May 06 - May 07

Dundurn National Historic Site - Dundurn CastleDoors Open Hamilton

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Dundurn National Historic Site - Dundurn Castle

Dundurn Castle is one of the finest examples of high regency-style architecture in the country. Constructed in the 1830s for Sir Allan Napier MacNab (railway magnate, lawyer and politician), the buildings deteriorated under subsequent owners, but were restored in the 1960s to their original splendour. Today, Dundurn Castle tells the story of the MacNabs and the people who served them.

  • Digital Doors Open
  • Full wheelchair access
  • Kid-friendly
  • National Historic Site (Canada)
  • Parking
  • Self-guided tours available
  • Site has blue and gold provincial plaque
  • Site is protected by the Ontario Heritage Trust
  • Washrooms
  • Videos
  • Virtual tours
  • Kid-friendly
  • National Historic Site (Canada)
  • Site has blue and gold provincial plaque
  • Site is protected by the Ontario Heritage Trust

Contact info

610 York Blvd.
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: Richard.Barlas@hamilton.ca
https://www.hamilton.ca/dundurn

Architecture

Year built: 1835
Building type: Historical landmark Historical house Museum
Architect: Robert Wetherell

Dates/hours open

May 06 - May 06

Erland Lee (Museum) HomeDoors Open Hamilton

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Erland Lee (Museum) Home

The Erland Lee (Museum) Home is a National Historic Site that serves to tell three stories: that of the Lee family, who lived in the home from 1808-1970, of the Stoney Creek community, and of the Women's Institute, which was founded in the home's dining room in February 1897. The Lee Home is a beautiful example of carpenter's Gothic architecture.

  • Guided tours available
  • Kid-friendly
  • National Historic Site (Canada)
  • Site has blue and gold provincial plaque

Contact info

552 Ridge Road
Stoney Creek, Ontario
Email: erlandleemuseum@fwio.on.ca
https://fwio.on.ca/erland

Architecture

Year built: 1808; 1860 (addition); 1873 renovations and carriage house addition
Building type: Attraction Historical landmark Historical house Museum
Architect: John Lee (1808); Abram Lee (1860 and 1873)

Dates/hours open

May 06 - May 07

Fieldcote Memorial Park & MuseumDoors Open Hamilton

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Fieldcote Memorial Park & Museum

Fieldcote was built in 1948 as a private home on the outskirts of the former village of Ancaster. Today, as the village expands, it serves as a cultural heritage centre with an emphasis on local history and the promotion of fine arts. The idyllic setting is the perfect venue for music, with beautiful, landscaped gardens and walking trails.

  • Parking
  • Partial wheelchair access
  • Self-guided tours available
  • Washrooms

Contact info

64 Sulphur Springs Road
Ancaster, Ontario
Email: fieldcote@hamilton.ca
https://www.hamilton.ca/fieldcote

Architecture

Year built: 1948
Building type: Museum

Dates/hours open

May 06 - May 06

Green Venture's Ecohouse/Glen Manor EstateDoors Open Hamilton

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Green Venture's Ecohouse/Glen Manor Estate

The EcoHouse property is the last remaining portion of the original Glen Manor Estate, which encompassed almost the entire current Davis Creek neighbourhood. The farmhouse was pre-Confederation; many original characteristics remain. Unique historical features include the original stone walls, the 1960s solarium addition, and a Veevers Brothers’ chandelier. Some modern features include the Hamilton Seed Library and a community garden.

  • Kid-friendly
  • Parking
  • Self-guided tours available
  • Washrooms

Contact info

22 Veevers Drive (near Greenhill Avenue and Quigley Road)
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: contact@greenventure.ca
https://greenventure.ca

Architecture

Year built: c. 1851; expanded and renovated 1968; adaptive reuse 2003
Building type: Educational facility Green building
Architect: James Dean; Nicolson Design Services (1968); Zebroski and Associates Inc. (2003)

Dates/hours open

May 06 - May 06

Hamilton Eateries TourDoors Open Hamilton

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Hamilton Eateries Tour

Bill King, a well-respected local historian, will lead this 60-minute walking tour along James Street North and King William Street, discussing restaurants in the area, and the Victorian buildings in which they are located. Come and explore these popular eateries and learn more about the buildings they occupy.

  • Full wheelchair access
  • Guided tours available

Contact info

Meet at Queen Victoria's statue in Gore Park (corner of King Street East and James Street North)
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: wm.king4@gmail.com

Architecture

Year built: Various

Architect: Various

Dates/hours open

May 06 - May 07

Hamilton Filtration BuildingDoors Open Hamilton

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Hamilton Filtration Building

Enjoy a rare opportunity to learn about the City of Hamilton's historical and current drinking water system, including the filtration process, through a guided tour of the Learning Centre, Filter Gallery and Control Room. See how the extensive structural rehabilitation and architectural facelift in 2010 returned this plant to its original art deco grandeur.

  • Full wheelchair access
  • Guided tours available
  • Parking
  • Washrooms

Architecture

Year built: 1936
Building type: Government building
Architect: W.L. McFaul (city engineer)

Dates/hours open

May 06 - May 07

Hamilton Military MuseumDoors Open Hamilton

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Hamilton Military Museum

Located on the grounds of Dundurn National Historic Site, this museum preserves and shares the military history of Hamilton and area through exhibits, programs and events. The building, originally constructed as a gate house for Dundurn Castle in the late 1830s, was first known as Battery Lodge, being located on the site of a War of 1812 artillery emplacement.

  • Kid-friendly
  • National Historic Site (Canada)
  • Parking
  • Partial wheelchair access
  • Self-guided tours available
  • Washrooms

Contact info

610 York Blvd. (at Dundurn National Historic Site)
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: Richard.Barlas@hamilton.ca
https://www.hamilton.ca/militarymuseum

Architecture

Year built: 1835-38
Building type: Attraction Historical landmark Military Museum
Architect: Robert Wetherall

Dates/hours open

May 06 - May 06

Hamilton Museum of Steam and Technology National Historic SiteDoors Open Hamilton

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Hamilton Museum of Steam and Technology National Historic Site

The Hamilton Museum of Steam & Technology is the site of the original 1859 Hamilton Waterworks. The museum features two 13.7-metre high (45 feet), 70-ton steam-powered pumping engines, which supplied the city with clean drinking water from 1859 to 1910. The pumping engines were made in Dundas and today are the oldest surviving examples of their kind in North America.

  • Digital Doors Open
  • Kid-friendly
  • National Historic Site (Canada)
  • Parking
  • Washrooms
  • Videos
  • Virtual tours
  • Kid-friendly
  • National Historic Site (Canada)

Architecture

Year built: 1859
Building type: Historical landmark Museum
Architect: Thomas Coltrin Keefer

Dates/hours open

May 07 - May 07

Hamilton Water Environmental LaboratoryDoors Open Hamilton

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Hamilton Water Environmental Laboratory

The administration building at the Woodward Water and Wastewater Treatment Facility houses the Compliance Support Group, Environmental Monitoring and Enforcement and the Environmental Laboratory. The administration building attained LEED Silver certification for the sustainable approach to the way that the building was designed and constructed. For lab tours, visitors must be at least 10 years old and wear closed-toe shoes.

  • Full wheelchair access
  • Guided tours available
  • Parking
  • Washrooms

Contact info

700 Woodward Avenue (use the south gate entrance north of Brampton Street)
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: susan.girt@hamilton.ca
https://historicalhamilton.com/parkview/woodward-avenue-environmental-laboratory

Architecture

Year built: 2006
Building type: Government building Green building
Architect: mcCallumSather

Dates/hours open

May 06 - May 07

Keeping Room, TheDoors Open Hamilton

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Keeping Room, The

The Keeping Room is a cookery shop that carries tools for baking breads and desserts as well as pots, pans, knives and cookie cutters. The store occupies the stable that once housed Grafton's Dry Goods wagons. Made of local brick and maintaining most of its original character, The Keeping Room has been doing business in Dundas since 1976.

  • 2023 theme: Food
  • Parking

Contact info

6 Cross Street
Dundas, Ontario
Email: sunnybankcottage@gmail.com
https://www.thekeepingroom.ca

Architecture

Year built: 1860
Building type: Commercial

Dates/hours open

May 06 - May 07

Kitchen Witch, The (Glen Campbell Dairy)Doors Open Hamilton

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Kitchen Witch, The (Glen Campbell Dairy)

This former dairy building was built by Frank C. Biggs, the then-Minister of Highways (1919-23) and named for his farm in Flamborough. The bust of an Ayrshire cow adorns the elegant parapet. The building housed the popular Valley City Dairy for many years and is now home to The Kitchen Witch, purveyors of linens, décor, antiques and curiosities.

  • 2023 theme: Food
  • Parking

Contact info

116 King Street West
Dundas, Ontario
Email: donna@cole.to
https://www.instagram.com/thekitchenwitchdundas

Architecture

Year built: 1928
Building type: Commercial Food and drink

Dates/hours open

May 06 - May 07

Lister Building, TheDoors Open Hamilton

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Lister Building, The

The Lister Block features a two-level, L-shaped interior shopping arcade and distinctive terracotta and brick façade. It is one of Hamilton's first multi-purpose commercial office/retail buildings. Built in 1923, it was restored in 2012. Join architect-led tours 10:30-2:30 every hour both days, and explore a Tourism Hamilton presentation inside. 

  • Full wheelchair access
  • Kid-friendly
  • Washrooms

Contact info

28-44 James Street North
Hamilton, Ontario

Architecture

Year built: 1924; renovated 2009-11
Building type: Commercial
Architect: Bernard Prack; restoration by WDG Architects

Dates/hours open

May 06 - May 07

McMaster University Campus Architecture TourDoors Open Hamilton

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McMaster University Campus Architecture Tour

The McMaster Museum of Art has developed a self-guided walking tour that highlights architecture on the campus, with information about the history, evolution and styles of architecture along the way. Access the tour here, with photographs sourced from McMaster’s digital archives. You can follow the text descriptions or use headphones and be guided by recorded audio.

  • Digital Doors Open
  • Food vendors
  • Kid-friendly
  • Parking
  • Partial wheelchair access
  • Washrooms
  • Activities and games
  • Kid-friendly

Contact info

Start at the McMaster Museum of Art on Sterling Street
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: shawl17@mcmaster.ca

Architecture

Year built: Various

Architect: Various

Dates/hours open

May 06 - May 07

Morden's Organic Farm StoreDoors Open Hamilton

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Morden's Organic Farm Store

This gorgeous Ontario vernacular cottage was built by descendants of the original settlers of Flamborough. The Morden family arrived in 1802. This building was constructed in the second wave of settlement when families were able to make more permanent structures, often made with stone. The farm continues to provide organic produce and meat in the adjacent market store.

  • 2023 theme: Food
  • Food vendors
  • Full wheelchair access
  • Parking

Contact info

801 Collinson Road
Greensville, Ontario
https://mordensorganicfarmstore.com

Architecture

Year built: 1855
Building type: Commercial Food and drink Private residence

Dates/hours open

May 06 - May 06

Mystic RamenDoors Open Hamilton

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Mystic Ramen

Mystic Ramen is the creation of Chef Noah Woods, the self-described “Japanophile” who traces his cultural fascination to his martial arts training. The menu is completely Japanese. The location is in a simple Victorian building that still maintains the original Hamilton brick and the first-floor cornice with dentils. Noah and wife Heather offer a perfectly crafted dining experience.

  • 2023 theme: Food
  • Full wheelchair access
  • Parking
  • Washrooms

Contact info

51 King William Street
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: info@mysticramen.ca
https://www.mysticramen.ca

Architecture

Year built: 1860
Building type: Commercial Food and drink

Dates/hours open

May 06 - May 06