Situated in a park-like setting, Grace Anglican Church is known for many things: the beautiful building, the surrounding cemetery and its wide-ranging charitable works. The sanctuary has been updated many times to include stained glass, an organ and other details. The grand hall offers community functions, often including music. This idyllic small-town community church thrives in Waterdown.

The elegant Edwardian gable and bay on Grant Avenue was transformed by Dan Lanois, Bob Lanois and Bob Doidge into the world-renowned recording venue, Grant Avenue Studio. The two-storey box bay façade with stained-glass windows has welcomed artists from Gordon Lightfoot and Stan Rogers to U2 and Johnny Cash. Check out this excellent example of adaptive reuse.

The Halo Studio is a one-of-a-kind recording studio that offers professional audio engineering services in the heart of downtown Hamilton. Their custom-built live room offers outstanding tone and the perfect vibes for creating great projects. Their control room also boasts the perfect listening environment, featuring a console that has recorded Bruce Springsteen and Kanye West.

The Hamilton City Ballet (in partnership with the Hamilton Academy of Performing Arts) operates out of a building that has been constantly modified and added to since 1842. The original gable front building was built in 1842. A similar building was added in 1865 as a Sunday School. They were connected by a corridor in 1949.

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.

Tisdale House is the oldest home in Ancaster. In the 1820s, the building was occupied by "Charcoal Burner" John O’Neil and housed two charcoal kilns. Later, the house became an undertaker’s parlour run by George Moore. The house has been fully retrofitted and is now home to the Ancaster Community Policing Centre and the Hamilton Police Museum.

Hamilton Theatre Inc. is where aspiring stars get their training. Housed in a renovated Ontario Hydro building, it has been a training ground for individuals in the community to hone their passion for theatre and the arts. A perfect example of adaptive reuse, the theatre is bursting with musical magic, showcasing some of Broadway’s biggest hits right here in Hamilton.

Located at the Hill Park Learning Centre, the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board Archives contains records and memorabilia of almost 350 former and current Hamilton-region schools. The volunteers and staff of the archives will be compiling photos, records and possibly videos of the music presented at high schools in the area. A treasure trove for former students and families.

The Port of Oshawa is Durham Region's gateway to the world, handling more than 500 vessels carrying over 3 million metric tons of cargo. Oshawa is one of the few cities that has an airport, rail lines, a deep-sea port and a 400-series highway all within proximity, offering importers and exporters a competitive edge. Come and join this shuttle-bus tour.

The Islamic Centre of Oshawa is the first purpose-built mosque built in Oshawa. Reminiscent of the Ottoman Empire, it features ornamental crescent moons in the main prayer hall dome and the dome atop the minaret. Over the years, Muslims and non-Muslims have used the premises for meetings, lectures, studies and community and educational purposes. Shoes must be removed to enter.

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.

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 both days (every hour from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.) and explore a Tourism Hamilton presentation inside.

This innovative concert hall has a virtual acoustic system. It advances research on human interaction and music's impact on health. It is also used to assist Parkinson's patients, improve music listening for the hard of hearing, and enhance creativity in performances. This acclaimed national treasure offers a unique contribution to understanding the power of music. Limited availability. Registration required.

The MacNab Presbyterian Church was completed in 1857 during a cholera epidemic. The exterior is solid stone masonry with an updated slate roof. After the First World War, nine-window stained-glass windows by the Scottish artists William Wilson and James Ballantyne were installed. The sanctuary has stone walls and columns, blonde wood and a magnificent Casavant organ.

The art deco-inspired bandshell — designated in 2024 — was a gift from R.S. McLaughlin, founder of General Motors Canada, in 1942 to the City of Oshawa. During Doors Open Oshawa, enjoy a performance by the Oshawa Civic Band at 11:30 a.m. The War Memorial and Cenotaph set in Memorial Park celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.

The American House is one of the longest running hotels in Ontario, celebrating 200 years this year. Opened in 1824, it has changed owners many times. But the integrity of the original design has been maintained. It contained the last old-time stand-up bar in Ontario and also retained the practise of segregating men and women until 1966.

The Ontario Regiment Museum is the official military history museum of Durham Region's own local Canadian Army unit, the Ontario Regiment Royal Canadian Armoured Corps. It is also home to Canada's largest collection of operational, historical military vehicles. Rides in the museum's M548 "Battle Bus" and M113 armoured personnel carriers will be available at an additional cost during Doors Open.

The Oshawa Union Cemetery, formerly Thornton's Burying Ground, is the final resting place of many famous individuals from Oshawa and Canada. Recently designated, the site spans 12 hectares and includes private mausoleums and a Gothic-revival chapel. Enjoy a walking tour of 1920s Oshawa available at 2 p.m., courtesy of the Oshawa Museum, starting at the King Street Gates.

The Huxley Building is a prominent property in the Waterdown Heritage Conservation District. Built in 1860, it has been a bank and now this popular used bookstore. The façade has been renovated to provide a retail space on the west side, and a picture window on the south façade. Most of the interior is original.

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.

Built in 1914 as a vaudeville and movie theatre, this distinctive beaux-arts building was designed by Stewart & Witton. After 76 years of continuous operation, the theatre closed in August 1990. But, in 2018, it reopened as an independent art-house cinema. Original architectural features — including lavish interiors — have been beautifully restored, and a new neon sign recreates the long-lost original.

The Regent Theatre's façade, built in 1919 for Famous Players theatres, has Georgian architectural lines. One of the town's few remaining examples of this classically inspired style, the building reopened in 2010 as a lecture theatre for Ontario Tech University, as well as for community and cultural events. Still in use for film screenings, the site has been sensitively restored.

The Robert McLaughlin Gallery (RMG) was founded in 1967, expanded in 1987 and designated in 2024. It is the largest public art gallery in Durham Region with a collection of over 4,700 works, focusing on the continuing story of Canadian abstraction. During Doors Open Oshawa, try some hands-on artmaking from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Stoney Creek’s Fox Theatre opened on October 20, 1952 and ran successfully until 1965, when it closed. In 1979, it was renovated and re-opened as the Royal Canadian Legion Battlefield Branch 622. This clever adaptive reuse has transformed a lovely mid-century modern theatre into a community space used today for a wide variety of functions. Enjoy musical performances both days.

This outdoor, city-owned area, run by the Friends of Second Marsh, connects people with nature through interpretative, educational and stewardship services. It is a coastal wetland that features marshes, meadows and woodlot habitats. Visitors arrive at the adjacent McLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve. Discover this incredible natural area that is unknown to most citizens of Oshawa.