Downtown Hamilton is full of rich history, and the BIA's self-guided historic tour will take you through its most significant chapters to the quirky excerpts that might just surprise you. There's a fun fact for everyone just waiting to be uncovered! Made in collaboration with Hamilton Public Library and historian Bill King.

Following the Presbyterian tradition, Knox in Waterdown is an important community hub responding to the needs of the parish. The older Georgian hall is used for food service and community gatherings. The Edwardian sanctuary is fitted out with a stage and a full set of musical instruments that are played for Sunday mass, as well as other occasions.

As an Anglican church, St. Mark’s served the community for over 100 years before closing in 1989. Now owned by the City of Hamilton, the site has undergone extensive restoration, preserving the heritage character of the building and park, while adding modern services, gardens and accessibility. It now has a new life as a community arts and cultural programming space.

Main Stage Rehearsal Studios is Ontario’s largest professional rehearsal facility and a one-stop creative hub for musicians and creators. Their 10,668 square-metre (35,000-square-foot) space features 40-plus studios for rehearsals, recording, podcasting, video production and live performance. Serving over 1,000 musicians each month, they provide professional gear, inspiring spaces and a supportive community where artists can create, collaborate and grow.

The Mohawk Trail School is a historical one-room schoolhouse built in 1882. It is a fine example of architecture that served early education in Ontario. It became a museum in 1967 as part of the centennial celebrations. Come and tour the schoolhouse — the oldest surviving example in the community that is still presented in its original form.

The Music Hall was originally built as Centenary Methodist Church in 1868. Designed by architect Albert Harvey Hills, the building is a stunning example of Victorian-romanesque style. Now the New Vision United Church (The Music Hall) is a designated building in the City of Hamilton. It boasts soaring ceilings, glorious acoustics, a wrap-around mezzanine and massive stained-glass windows. 

An 1876 murder ... the killer hanged ... rumours of a ghost. Historical facts or backdrop for great theatre? The Players’ Guild of Hamilton has been a leader in the local community theatre scene since 1875, making it North America’s oldest community theatre group. Enjoy guided tours and a cash bar (alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages). Open rehearsals may also occur.

Come and see the wonderful world of Downtown Hamilton's street art! Some sculpted, some painted. Some permitted, some not. Follow the Downtown Hamilton BIA's self-guided tour using the interactive map to see where some of Hamilton's finest artists have turned concrete into canvas and hear from local street artists about their stories and how their murals came to be.

This 1885-86 building in the heart of Dundas has been a foundry, indoor skating/curling rink, bus depot, warehouse and, since 2016, this brewery. The wood post-and-beam/brick masonry structure has been preserved yet modernized with the latest in craft beer equipment. The brewery focuses on German-style lagers with an emphasis on quality and authenticity.

Housed within an adaptively reused former music venue, the studio retains traces of its past life through its open plan, exposed structure, and layered materials. Now home to a residential design practice, the space supports the creation of modern, site-specific homes through a collaborative process, where sketches, models and materials remain in constant dialogue.

Founded in 1826, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church is celebrating 200 years of serving the community of Ancaster. Church services are held Sundays at 10:30 am. The accessible entrance is ready to welcome all guests. We share our space with Ancaster Village Church who hold services at 5:00 pm on Sundays. In addition, the 300-monument church cemetery is well known to genealogists.

Believed to have been built in 1812 to house soldiers, The Barracks Inn building has been a drugstore, a body shop and a tool and die shop over the years. The original building burned down and was replaced by a solid stone structure. Now a luxury boutique hotel, the building has been remodelled and delightfully restored.

The Westdale was built in 1935 as Hamilton's first cinema equipped to show “talkies” — motion pictures with sound. It is the centerpiece of Westdale Village. In 2016, a group of arts and culture-minded Hamiltonians decided to save it from developers. Today, The Westdale has been beautifully restored into a stunning art deco, single-screen theatre and multidisciplinary performance space.

The Theatrix Costume House is located behind an Edwardian gable front beside the fabric district on Ottawa Street. Theatrix has one of the largest collections of costumes available in North America, with over 50,000 professional-quality costumes and accessories from every century. During Doors Open, they are thrilled to showcase music-inspired costumes. The team will be delighted to dress up, too!

The Lister Block features an L-shaped interior shopping arcade with terracotta and brick façade. Built in 1923 and restored in 2012, it is one of Hamilton’s first multi-purpose office and retail buildings. Explore Tourism Hamilton’s Visitor Experience Centre featuring the 2026 Exhibit: "Punching In: The Work of Hamilton Music". Tour the second level both days. 

Enjoy a self-guided tour through this mid-19^th century urban estate. Built in 1848 and expanded in the 1930s, Whitehern was lovingly maintained by the McQuesten family for three generations and is now a museum. Step back in time as you discover original furnishings from the Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian eras, set against the backdrop of beautiful gardens.

The Workers Arts and Heritage Centre, housed in Hamilton's Custom House, was founded in 1995 by a group of labour historians, artists, union and community activists who saw a need for a community museum that could celebrate the history of workers and labour. Since its founding, they have expanded their vision of work to be as inclusive as possible.