Sault Ste. Marie

Explore the Sault Ste. Marie Armoury, home to the 49th (Sault Ste. Marie) Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery and the 33 Service Battalion. Today, army reserve and cadet units use the facility for military drills and training. Visit the Lest We Forget Remembrance and History Library and Last Post Museum. Learn about anti-aircraft guns and the Howitzer artillery gun outside.

Step inside the new home of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25. Discover the museum and exhibit spaces that tell the story of the Sault’s miliary service over the years. Part of their new home is also an award-winning residential facility. In addition to museum artifacts, more military artifacts and exhibits will be available in the adjacent meeting rooms.

The location of the former Wawanosh Indian Residential School is now a place of quiet reflection. The school began in 1887 and closed in 1901 when the girls were moved to the Shingwauk Residential School. The intent of this sacred space is to create visibility and curiosity for passersby to help create awareness of the history of Residential Schools.

Located in the old post office building, the Sault Ste. Marie Museum showcases artifacts that illustrate the city’s history. Over three floors of exhibit space and one and a half floors of archival space, exhibits include the Walter Wallace Military Gallery, Skylight Gallery, Marine Gallery, Music Gallery, Sports Gallery and the Durham Gallery, which features rotating exhibits. As part of Digital Doors Open, take a self-guided walking tour of this site using the On This Spot app (download from the App Store or Google play) or watch the video below to learn more about this site.

Built at the turn of the 19th century, this building served as The Consolidated Lake Superior Company General Office Building – one of the finest examples of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture in Ontario. It was designated in 1993 and is now home to the Algoma Conservatory of Music, a regional centre for music education, performance and recording.

Come and learn about Sault Ste. Marie through this informative walking tour and hear some of the fascinating stories behind many of the city’s iconic buildings — including the Algonquin Hotel, Precious Blood Cathedral, the cenotaph, the Old Stone House and Blockhouse, the Sault Ste. Marie Museum, the courthouse, several banks, the former YMCA and the Memorial Tower. As part of Digital Doors Open, take a self-guided walking tour of this site using the On This Spot app (download from the App Store or Google play).

Francis H. Clergue arrived in the Sault in 1894 and established the Lake Superior Power Company and the Sault Ste. Marie Pulp and Paper Company Limited, building his own machine shop and foundry to create the machines he needed to run the businesses. Today, the property features pubs, restaurants, event spaces, The Rink and the train station.

This site is crucial to understanding the history of residential schools and reconciliation in Canada. The Shingwauk Residential School, which operated here from 1874-1970, is now home to Algoma University, which offers cross-cultural education, healing and learning. Visitors can also explore the award-winning Reclaiming Shingwauk Hall exhibition that tells the site's history within the larger history of colonialism and reconciliation.

Located in a former church, the Métis Heritage Centre opened in 2025 as a cultural and spiritual centre for the Sault Ste. Marie Métis community. Come and tour exhibits and learn more about the history of the community, its connection to the city’s origins and their unique culture. Engage in free family activities or browse the gift shop.

Nestled among mature trees in a quiet, park-like setting, Bishophurst is one of Sault Ste. Marie’s architectural treasures. Built in 1876 from red sandstone, this gracious neo-Georgian residence has served as the home of the Anglican Bishop of Algoma for nearly 150 years. Highlights include the elegant front entrance framed by a classic columned portico and the beautiful Lady Chapel.

The Art Gallery of Algoma opened in 1980 not just as an art gallery but also a “people centre.” It currently houses work from the Group of Seven along with prominent Inuit, Indigenous and Canadian artists. Their extensive collection includes paintings, sculptures, photographs, drawings, installation works and decorative arts. Don’t miss their shop, with Group of Seven- and Indigenous-inspired products.

Come and tour the Ontario Forest Research Institute — one of the most beautifully designed buildings in Sault Ste. Marie. They focus on helping forests adapt to climate change, maintaining the genetic diversity of Ontario’s forests, studying forest diseases and invasive insects, and more. Constructed of local maple and glass, the building offers a work environment with plenty of natural light.

The Clergue Blockhouse stands today as a reminder of two important periods in Sault Ste. Marie's history. The base of the blockhouse contains exhibits on the city and the fur trade while the top floor showcases exhibits on the early industrialization of Sault Ste. Marie and the man who made it happen — Francis H. Clergue.

Built in 1812-14 by Charles Oakes Ermatinger, the Ermatinger Old Stone House is one of the oldest stone buildings west of Toronto. It has served many purposes over the years — as a hotel, a sheriff's residence and, prior to being abandoned, apartments. Restored in 1967, the building is now a historical site and museum.