Hamilton Region

Digital event information

Digital Doors Open Hamilton

Explore some traditional Doors Open Hamilton sites without having to leave home. The following sites offer tours, videos and activities that will engage people of all ages.

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45 Sites

Ward 2 Heritage CouncilDoors Open Hamilton Region

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Ward 2 Heritage Council

Meet the Ward 2 Heritage Council at the Lister Building. They are a small group of residents, along with Councillor Cameron Kroetsch, who celebrate and promote the rich heritage of Ward 2 communities. See how you can get involved with the Ward 2 Heritage Council to preserve Hamilton’s built heritage and create a vibrant sense of pride within the community.

  • Adaptive reuse
  • Full wheelchair access
  • Self-guided tours available
  • Washrooms
  • Photography allowed

Contact info

28 James Street North
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: Joey.McCullough@hamilton.ca

Architecture

Year built: 1913
Building type: Commercial
Architect: Bernard Prack

Dates/hours open

May 03 - May 03

Adaptive Reuse Walking Tour of Downtown HamiltonDoors Open Hamilton Region

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Adaptive Reuse Walking Tour of Downtown Hamilton

Join local author Bill King for a 90-minute walking tour that explores historical and architectural highlights of downtown Hamilton. You will visit buildings throughout the city’s 200-year history, as well as public spaces, art and statues, alleys and some little-known oddities. King will also share his knowledge of notable architects and other figures connected with the buildings and sites visited.

  • Adaptive reuse
  • Guided tours available
  • Partial wheelchair access
  • Photography allowed

Contact info

Meet at the statue of Queen Victoria in Gore Park
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: wm.king4@gmail.com

Architecture

Year built: Various

Architect: Various

Dates/hours open

May 03 - May 03

Adaptive Reuse Walking Tour of Ancaster VillageDoors Open Hamilton Region

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Adaptive Reuse Walking Tour of Ancaster Village

This walking tour — led by Megan Hobson, Principal of Hobson Built Heritage Consulting — will explore adaptive reuse projects in Ancaster's historical village core. Ancaster is one of the oldest villages in Ontario and has some extraordinary pre-Confederation buildings. It has become a sought-after residential location with many striking historical buildings now enjoying new uses and showcasing new opportunities.

  • Adaptive reuse
  • Guided tours available
  • Parking
  • Partial wheelchair access
  • Washrooms
  • Photography allowed

Contact info

Meet at 64 Sulphur Springs Road
Ancaster, Ontario
Email: hobsonheritage@gmail.com

Architecture

Year built: Various

Architect: Various

Dates/hours open

May 03 - May 04

ellënoireDoors Open Hamilton Region

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ellënoire

Open since 1994, ellënoire is a body and bath fragrance and curly hair shop. These unique products are made here in Dundas. The building — a beautiful Romanesque revival post office — is now home to many thriving businesses. Identified for demolition, the building was saved by a group of local citizens. This soap foundry is in keeping with local foundry history.

  • Adaptive reuse
  • Full wheelchair access
  • Parking
  • Self-guided tours available
  • Washrooms
  • Photography allowed

Contact info

104 King Street West, Unit 2
Dundas, Ontario
Email: ellenoire@ellenoire.com
https://ellenoire.com

Architecture

Year built: 1913
Building type: Commercial Post office

Dates/hours open

May 03 - May 04

Hamilton Craft StudiosDoors Open Hamilton Region

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Hamilton Craft Studios

Hamilton Craft Studios is a 1,300-square-metre (14,000-square-foot) multidisciplinary craft space in a historical wire factory in downtown Hamilton. Panoramic windows fill the space with natural light. The second floor houses woodworking and fabrication spaces, while the third floor features ceramics, textiles and general arts studios — offering tools, equipment and shared workspaces for makers of all skill levels.

  • Adaptive reuse
  • Full wheelchair access
  • Guided tours available
  • Parking
  • Self-guided tours available
  • Washrooms
  • Photography allowed
  • Rental opportunities

Contact info

121 Princess Street
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: hello@hamiltoncraftstudios.com
https://hamiltoncraftstudios.com

Architecture

Year built: 1904
Building type: Studio Factory

Dates/hours open

May 03 - May 04

Hamilton Cemetery Gatehouse LodgeDoors Open Hamilton Region

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Hamilton Cemetery Gatehouse Lodge

The gatehouse at Hamilton Cemetery is a historical landmark, showcasing Gothic revival architecture with charming stonework and arched windows. Built in 1854, the gatehouse was once the cemetery caretaker’s home and a chapel. Today, it serves as the arrangements office and administration offices for all 71 cemeteries operated by Hamilton Municipal Cemeteries. Join a tour at 2 p.m. each day.

  • Adaptive reuse
  • Guided tours available
  • Kid-friendly
  • Parking
  • Self-guided tours available
  • Washrooms
  • Photography allowed

Contact info

777 York Blvd.
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: amoroz@hamilton.ca
http://hamiltoncemeteries.ca

Architecture

Year built: 1854
Building type: Private residence
Architect: William Hodgins

Dates/hours open

May 03 - May 04

Adaptive Reuse Walking Tour of DundasDoors Open Hamilton Region

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Adaptive Reuse Walking Tour of Dundas

Dundas is a town with a thriving commercial core mixing retail, restaurants and residential uses in buildings often constructed for industrial purposes. Join historian Stan Nowak for an in-depth look at 15 historical buildings in downtown Dundas. The tour will also illustrate how we can breathe new life into a community while continuing to preserve its architectural heritage.

  • Guided tours available
  • Kid-friendly
  • Parking
  • Partial wheelchair access
  • Washrooms
  • Photography allowed

Contact info

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

Architecture

Year built: Various

Architect: Various

Dates/hours open

May 03 - May 04

The Barracks InnDoors Open Hamilton Region

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The Barracks Inn

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.

  • Adaptive reuse
  • Full wheelchair access
  • Self-guided tours available
  • Photography allowed
  • Rental opportunities

Contact info

425 Wilson Street East
Ancaster, Ontario
Email: christopher.colley@thebarracksinn.com
https://www.thebarracksinn.com

Architecture

Year built: 1812
Building type: Commercial Historical landmark
Architect: Kej Devai (renovations)

Dates/hours open

May 03 - May 04

Barrel Heart BrewingDoors Open Hamilton Region

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Barrel Heart Brewing

Barrel Heart Brewing is an upscale brewery and eatery in the old Dundas post office. The old-world brewing traditions are perfectly suited to the post office vibe. Visitors can enjoy lunch in the taproom, buy a few bottles of beer, or simply drink in the beauty of the location in a landmark Dundas building.

  • Adaptive reuse
  • Food vendors
  • Full wheelchair access
  • Kid-friendly
  • Self-guided tours available
  • Washrooms
  • Photography allowed

Contact info

104 King Street West, Unit 1
Dundas, Ontario
Email: info@barrelheart.com
https://barrelheart.com

Architecture

Year built: 1913
Building type: Commercial Food and drink Post office

Dates/hours open

May 03 - May 04

King John BuildingsDoors Open Hamilton Region

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King John Buildings

The restoration project at this site brings together two 19th-century heritage buildings — each with an elegant façade. Only by combining the two buildings was it possible to bring the structures to modern standards and code, rather than demolishing them. The architects kept the old character and plaster walls while updating mechanical and structural aspects of the building.

  • Adaptive reuse
  • Partial wheelchair access
  • Self-guided tours available
  • Washrooms
  • Photography allowed

Contact info

62 King Street East
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: info@kingjohnbuilding.ca
https://www.bermingham.studio/newpage

Architecture

Year built: 1850
Building type: Commercial
Architect: Toms + McNally Design (renovation)

Dates/hours open

May 03 - May 04

Halo StudioDoors Open Hamilton Region

Halo Studio

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 studio was originally designed by Trevor Garwood Jones as a dental office in 1972, some architectural detailing remains and now provides the perfect vibes for creating great projects. Their control room has recorded Bruce Springsteen and Kanye West.

  • Full wheelchair access
  • Guided tours available
  • Washrooms
  • Photography allowed
  • Rental opportunities

Contact info

57 Augusta Street
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: halomusichamilton@gmail.com
https://www.halomusic.ca

Architecture

Year built: 1973
Building type: Commercial
Architect: Trevor Garwood Jones

Dates/hours open

May 03 - May 04

Ancaster Memorial Arts CentreDoors Open Hamilton Region

Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre

The Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre is in the heart of Ancaster Village. It includes the 454-seat Peller Hall, Voortman Studio Theatre and multiple rooms for art, film, theatre and dance. This state-of-the-art centre will serve as home to many of Ancaster's successful and popular community arts groups. It will also provide a venue for many professional performers and artists.

  • Adaptive reuse
  • Full wheelchair access
  • Parking
  • Self-guided tours available
  • Photography allowed

Contact info

357 Wilson Street East
Ancaster, Ontario
Email: bethany@memorialarts.ca
https://www.memorialarts.ca

Architecture

Year built: 1942; renovated in 2022
Building type: Educational facility Theatre
Architect: Invizij Architects Inc.

Dates/hours open

May 03 - May 03

LIVELabDoors Open Hamilton Region

LIVELab

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. Pre-registration required.

  • Full wheelchair access
  • Guided tours available
  • Kid-friendly
  • Parking
  • Washrooms
  • Photography allowed

Contact info

1280 Main Street West
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: livelab@mcmaster.ca
https://livelab.mcmaster.ca

Architecture

Year built: 2014
Building type: Educational facility
Architect: McCallum Sather

Dates/hours open

May 03 - May 03

Hamilton Wentworth District School Board ArchivesDoors Open Hamilton Region

Hamilton Wentworth District School Board Archives

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 presenting photos, records and videos of the music presented at high schools in the area. This is a treasure trove for former students and families!

  • Adaptive reuse
  • Full wheelchair access
  • Kid-friendly
  • Parking
  • Self-guided tours available
  • Washrooms
  • Photography allowed

Contact info

465 East 16th Street
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: hhillgre@hwdsb.on.ca
https://www.hwdsb.on.ca/community/archive

Architecture

Year built: 1988
Building type: Educational facility Archives

Dates/hours open

May 03 - May 03

Grant Avenue StudioDoors Open Hamilton Region

Grant Avenue Studio

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.

  • Adaptive reuse
  • Parking
  • Self-guided tours available
  • Washrooms
  • Photography allowed

Contact info

38 Grant Avenue
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: debbie@grantavenuestudio.com
https://www.grantavenuestudio.com

Architecture

Year built: 1909
Building type: Commercial Private residence

Dates/hours open

May 03 - May 04

McMaster University Campus Architecture TourDoors Open Hamilton Region

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
  • Self-guided tours available
  • 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 03 - May 04

Stewart & Witton Major Works: Stadium Neighbourhood Walking TourDoors Open Hamilton Region

Stewart & Witton Major Works: Stadium Neighbourhood Walking Tour

The Friends of St. Giles present their first walking tour: Stewart & Witton Major Works: Stadium Neighbourhood, which will feature the architecture firm behind some of Hamilton’s most beloved landmarks, now in their 150th year. Enjoy four beautiful and irreplaceable Stewart & Witton works: the elegant Playhouse Cinema, the Hendry’s Building (home to Hendry’s Barbershop and the Barton Village BIA), the King George School and St. Giles Church (Stewart & Witton’s Gothic-revival masterpiece). All works on this 1.5-hour self-guided tour were designed in the 1910s by the firm, which operated from 1904 until Lt.-Col. Stewart’s death in France at The Battle of Vimy Ridge in 1917. For Digital Doors Open, follow the tour via the map above or visit their website. #StewartWitton150

  • Digital Doors Open
  • Activities and games
  • Self-guided tours available

Contact info

Start at the Playhouse Cinema (177 Sherman Avenue North)
Hamilton, Ontario
https://stewartandwitton.ca/tours

Architecture


Dates/hours open

Apr 19 - Apr 19

Hamilton Cemetery and Gatehouse TourDoors Open Hamilton Region

Hamilton Cemetery and Gatehouse Tour

The rich history of the Hamilton Cemetery and Gatehouse will be revealed by the gatehouse staff in a walking tour around Hamilton's oldest public burial ground. Come and enjoy this rare opportunity to tour the inside of the gatehouse building — including tours of the vault and the former caretaker’s residence.

  • Guided tours available
  • Kid-friendly
  • Parking
  • Partial wheelchair access

Contact info

Meet at 777 York Blvd. (at the cemetery gatehouse)
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: alex.moroz@hamilton.ca

Architecture


Dates/hours open

May 03 - May 04

Downtown Hamilton Memory Lane Virtual TourDoors Open Hamilton Region

Downtown Hamilton Memory Lane Virtual Tour

There are many ways to help educate a community about its history, but there is no better way than to encourage people to get out and experience it firsthand. When in-person walking tours were not possible, the Downtown Hamilton Business Improvement Association (BIA) created an initiative called Memory Lane. Memory Lane offers an in-depth self-guided tour with scannable QR codes. All you have to do to get started is to search out the QR codes across the BIA and scan them to reveal the history of that property, complete with vintage photos provided by Hamilton Public Libraries’ Local History and Archives department. Alternatively, you can navigate Memory Lane online and explore the past from the comfort of your home.

  • Digital Doors Open
  • Self-guided tours available

Contact info

Start at 1 King Street West
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: engage.with@downtownhamilton.org

Architecture

Year built: Various

Architect: Various

Dates/hours open

Apr 19 - Apr 19

Piggott BuildingDoors Open Hamilton Region

Piggott Building

Built in 1920 at the cost of $1 million, the iconic Piggott Building was Hamilton's first skyscraper. The structure employed a steel skeleton rather than load-bearing walls to achieve the height of 64 metres (210 feet) and 18 storeys. With a limestone veneer façade, its design is art deco/Gothic revival with historical features of pointed arch windows, decorative moldings and rib vaulting over the entrance. In the foyer and lobby are facing stained-glass windows set in medieval-style lancets that depict building technology and construction of the Piggott. In addition, there are decorative ceiling tiles and painted murals in the hall and marble on the floors, walls and surrounding the elevator doors. The tower prospered as an office building until the 1970s when it became vacant. After changing hands a number of times, it was slated for demolition. But heritage advocates called for its protection and preservation and the City of Hamilton designated it in 1984 under the Ontario Heritage Act. The stained-glass windows that had disappeared were found in an antique shop and retrieved by the Heritage Hamilton Foundation for $12,000. In the 1990s, the Piggott Building was converted into luxury condos. As part of Digital Doors Open, watch the video below to learn more about the history of this site.

  • Digital Doors Open
  • Videos

Contact info

36 James Street South
Hamilton, Ontario

Architecture

Year built: 1929
Building type: Historical landmark
Architect: Bernard Prack and Fred Prack

Dates/hours open

Apr 19 - Apr 19

Workers Arts and Heritage Centre (Custom House)Doors Open Hamilton Region

Workers Arts and Heritage Centre (Custom House)

The style and construction of the Custom House, one of Canada’s oldest remaining federal public buildings, reflect the rise of Hamilton as a major railway and port. Often cited as one of Hamilton’s foremost architectural landmarks, it currently houses the Workers Arts and Heritage Centre, a community museum dedicated to celebrating all working people through art, history and culture.

  • Digital Doors Open
  • Collections and resources
  • Kid-friendly
  • National Historic Site (Canada)

Contact info

51 Stuart Street
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: florencia@wahc-museum.ca
https://wahc-museum.ca

Architecture

Year built: 1858-60; 1995-96 (restoration)
Building type: Historical landmark Museum
Architect: F.J. Rastrick and F.P. Rubridge

Dates/hours open

May 07 - May 07

Whitehern Historic House & Garden National Historic SiteDoors Open Hamilton Region

Whitehern Historic House & Garden National Historic Site

Whitehern Historic House and Garden is a mid-19th-century urban estate owned by the McQuesten family for three generations. It was built in 1848 with a 1930s addition. The home includes original family furnishings from the Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian eras in the context of Thomas B. McQuesten’s career in 1939. Today, it is a splendid museum with beautiful gardens.

  • Adaptive reuse
  • National Historic Site (Canada)
  • Parking
  • Site has blue and gold provincial plaque
  • Washrooms
  • Photography allowed

Contact info

41 Jackson Street West (at MacNab Street South)
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: museums@hamilton.ca
https://www.hamilton.ca/whitehern

Architecture

Year built: 1848
Building type: Historical landmark Museum

Dates/hours open

May 03 - May 04

Westfield Heritage VillageDoors Open Hamilton Region

Westfield Heritage Village

Westfield Heritage Village, a living history museum, consists of over 35 restored historical buildings dating from the early 1800s. Various building types are positioned as a small village within a natural conservation area of over 202 hectares (500 acres). The village was started by two high school teachers – D. Glenn Kilmer and Golden L. MacDonell – who purchased the original 12-hectare (30-acre) site to create an outdoor museum preserving 19th-century rural life. They purchased their first building, the Jerseyville Train Station, outbidding a local farmer who wanted it for his farm as an outbuilding. Six more buildings were added before it was officially opened in 1964. Some 30 buildings later, the village is a thriving cultural centre that features educational programs and events year-round. Take a virtual tour of this spectacular site in the video below.

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

Contact info

1049 Kirkwall Road (Regional Road 552)
Rockton, Ontario
Email: westfield@conservationhamilton.ca
https://westfieldheritage.ca

Architecture

Year built: Various
Building type: Attraction Museum
Architect: Various

Dates/hours open

Apr 19 - Apr 19

The WestdaleDoors Open Hamilton Region

The Westdale

This was Hamilton’s first theatre built expressly to show “talkies” — motion pictures with sound. The beautiful art deco building was fully restored in 2017 by the Westdale Cinema Group and has become a cinematic, cultural and economic hub. The venue now hosts live events as well as films. It is also a community space managed as a not-for-profit charitable organization.

  • Digital Doors Open
  • Food vendors
  • Full wheelchair access
  • Self-guided tours available
  • Washrooms
  • Photography allowed
  • Rental opportunities
  • Videos

Contact info

1014 King Street West
Hamilton, Ontario
Email: info@thewestdale.ca
https://www.thewestdale.ca

Architecture

Year built: 1935
Building type: Theatre
Architect: Unknown

Dates/hours open

May 03 - May 04