SAULT STE. MARIE MUSEUM
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The Durham Gallery - Rotating Exhibit Space

This gallery is named for Thompson Edwin Durham, 1st curator of the museum. The gallery features a rotation of short term exhibits – some form the museum’s collection while others are travelling exhibits from other museums. 
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Currently on Display in the Durham Gallery:

ALGOMA UNIVEIRSITY VISUAL ARTS SHOWCASE


Currently on Display in our Military Gallery:

Dear Sadie: Love, Lives, and Remembrance from Ontario'f First World War

a small travelling exhibit from Archives of Ontario 
Learn More

Monthly themed display case (located in the back lobby):

Maple Syrup


Algoma University Visual Arts Showcase

Opening March 25th 2023

2016
2017

Celebrating 150 years of Sault Ste. Marie History
​Sept - Dec 2017

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​A Ontario150 funded exhibition featuring 150 years of life and development in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The exhibition features various artefacts, as well as historic photographs depicting the different features, areas, and aspects of life in Sault Ste. Marie.

The exhibition was opened for the Heritage Block Party event held as a Ontario150 celebration in SSM.

Vimy: a Sault Perspective & Vimy - Battle. Memorial. Icon. a travelling exhibition produced by the Canadian War Museum | Apr. 8, 2017- Aug. 10, 2017

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A two part exhibition featuring panels on loan from the Canadian War Museum, as well as an in-house curated exhibition exploring the links of the community of Sault Ste. Marie and the Battle of Vimy Ridge, c. 1917.

Historic Stitches | Nov 2016 - Jan 2017

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Description
2018
​Rotary 100 Exhibition
July 12, 2018 to October 2018

2018 marks the Downtown Sault Ste. Marie Rotary Club's 100th anniversary. Explore 100 years of history from the founding of the Club to their main contributions to the community of Sault Ste. Marie.
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The first two weeks of the exhibition featured an Iron Lung, temporarily on loan to the SSM Museum as it makes its way around North America.

Celebrating the Legion-Branch 25 & the 2310 Army Cadets
Feb. 9, 2018 to June 2018

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This exhibition celebrated the longstanding history of the Legion-Branch 25 (celebrating their 90th anniversary) & the 2310 Army Cadets (celebrating their 70th anniversary).

The Algoma Art Society's 70th Anniversary Exhibition
March 1, 2018 to May 31, 2018

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In celebration of the Algoma Art Society's 70th Anniversary, the Sault Ste. Marie Museum will host an exhibition featuring the work of 33 Algoma Art Society members (both past and present).

The exhibition was on display in the Discovery Gallery.
2020

​Through The Lens
February 2020 to November 2020

Our Through The Lens Exhibit detailed the Film, Music, Radio and Broadcasting history of Sault Ste. Marie. 
2021
BON SOO: A RETROSPECTIVE
Visit our Bon Soo Exhibit! Opened February 2021
Check out the Virtual Tour

ART & ARTIFACT: INTERSECTIONS VIRTUAL TOUR ​

Exploring the supposed boundaries between art object, medium, and context, this exhibition draws on the Sault Ste. Marie Museum's Fine Art Collection paired with carefully selected artefacts. Viewers are enticed to examine the rich cultural fabric, community history, industrial development, and heritage while drawing relations between both Art and Artifact. Opened July 2021.
Check out the Virtual Tour

Remembrance Day: Ken Hanson Art Display

Ken Hansen is a 98-year-old veteran who served in WWII under the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Ken’s amazing collection consists of an abundance of original watercolour pieces, and sketches that he created throughout his time spent during WWII. His artwork brings to life the soldiers, the aircraft, the places and significant events during WWII.
The artwork created by Ken that is on display in the military gallery has greatly contributed to the sharing of that history to the local community, surrounding region and greatly promotes our proud Canadian military heritage.​

#hopeandhealingcanada by Tracey Mae Chambers

Tracey is a Métis installation artist and a member of the Métis Nation of Ontario.   Her family is from and some still reside in the traditional Métis community in Sault Ste Marie and Penetanguishene, Ontario. She is traveling Canada and the USA creating site specific art installations at residential school historical sites, cultural centres, museums, art galleries and other public spaces. The goal of these works are to broach the subject of decolonization with viewers and staff.  The installations are created with large premade crochet, and knit pieces made with red yarn. 
Learn More
2022

PERPLEXITY
Algoma University Visual Arts Exhibition

Algoma University and the Sault Ste Marie Museum are excited to present PERPLEXITY, a group exhibition created by the Visual Arts students. Please join us in celebrating the incredible work of the artists in PERPLEXITY, which will be the university’s first in-person art exhibition since 2019. This show is the culmination of the Group Exhibition and Professional Practices taught by Andrea Pinheiro. ​
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VIRTUAL TOUR

International Museum Day Exhibit

The Sault Ste. Marie Museum and Entomica have partnered together to help celebrate the importance of Natural History. A pop-up exhibit has been installed in our Durham Gallery and will feature various specimen displays from Entomica and related artifacts from our collections here at the museum.
We will also have a special guest from the Horticulture Society to assist with a hands on plant and seed activity from 11:00am to 1:00pm. The Sault Ste. Marie Museum and Entomica would like to thank the Horticulture Society for kindly sponsoring the materials for our interactive planting activity.

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“Our Guides are Really Going Places: Nbisiing Guides and the Legacy of Paul Commanda” Exhibit ​

Between 1901 and 1958, guides from the Nbisiing (Nipissing), Omuskego, and Eeyou (James Bay Cree in present-day Ontario and Quebec) Nations led naturalists from the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh on 25 expeditions through northern Ontario, Quebec, and Labrador. 
 
This exhibit was developed by the North Bay Museum in partnership with Nipissing First Nation, Dokis First Nation and Nipissing University.  
 
The exhibit features stories and photographs of the Indigenous guides (including Paul Commanda) who led the Carnegie Museum expeditions, honouring their work and their contributions to science. Carnegie Museum collections are shared through a large-scale print of a Snow Goose diorama and a display of specimens collected on the expeditions featured.  
The exhibit also includes beaded artwork inspired by the Carnegie Expeditions by artist Carrie Allison. ​

The Lake Nipissing Beading Project ​

The Lake Nipissing Beading Project, is a 5-metre beaded reimagining of Lake Nipissing and its waterways using 444 individually beaded pieces to show respect and acknowledge the importance of this waterway to those across this continent. The beadwork installation will travel to museums across Northern Ontario from 2022-2023. 
 
During this community-collaborative project, participants from Nipissing First Nation, Dokis First Nation, and other communities across Turtle Island beaded 444 individual pieces of the lake and its waterways. They have also shared stories about the portion of the waterways they beaded, the design they chose, and their personal connection to the lake and the creative practice involved in beading. 
 
This project was created by and is being led by beading artist Carrie Allison (Nêhiyaw/Cree, Métis Treaty 8, MFA, NSCAD 2018) and Dr. Kirsten Greer (Canada Research Chair in Global Environmental Histories and Geographies, NU) in partnership with Dokis First Nation and Nipissing First Nation. 
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For more information on the projects and the team involved, please visit the exhibit websites at www.nipissingguides.com and www.lakenipissingbeadingproject.com. ​
2023

​Ray Fox Exhibition: Baawitigong

an exploration on Anishinaabe history and personal identity
See More

​Typography: The Art of Type

Advertising in Sault Ste. Marie has a long history, much like it does in any City across the world. Signage, Murals, Billboards, the invention of the printing press, the introduction of computers, and the continued evolution of technology all have a key role to play in the History of Advertising.  

Whether it be Carvers, Blacksmiths, Typographers, Illustrators, Graphic Designers; each of these professions have lent a hand in promoting the local business scene and letting both the community and visitors know about what Sault Ste. Marie and its abundance of local businesses have to offer. 
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January - April 2023
Our permanent galleries house a collection of artifacts donated to the Museum by community members and organizations.
First floor

The Walter Wallace Military Gallery

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This gallery is dedicated to Lt. Col. Walter Wallace, past commanding officer of the 49th Field Regiment RCA, past president of Royal Canadian Legion – Branch 25 and past president of the Sault Ste. Marie & 49th Field Regiment RCA Historical Society
NEWLLY RENOVATED 

Second floor

The Skylight Gallery

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The Skylight Gallery tells the story of Sault Ste. Marie from its early beginnings. This story is told through a series of exhibit vignettes using artifacts, photos, maps and text. 

The Discovery Gallery

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The Discovery Gallery is a children’s area which contains artifacts and features nature species, photographs and a dress-up area 
Third floor

​The Russell H. Ramsay Sports Hall of Fame

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Dedicated for Russell H. Ramsay, local sportscaster, president & general manager of Hyland Radio & TV. He served as an Alderman on city council and served as the MPP for Sault Ste. Marie 1978-1985. The gallery depicts local athleticism from the 1800s forward. The gallery features artifacts and photos showcasing the wide variety of sports that represent our city. A video presentation highlights various sports and the people involved.

The Marine Gallery

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This exhibit area offers a pictorial display of early Great Lakes cruise ships, a brief history of the Locks, a scale model of the Edmund Fitzgerald and the Chicora. A replica scale model of the lighthouse “Sisters Light” is also showcased in the exhibit.

The Music Gallery

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This exhibit showcases Sault Ste. Marie and area musicians through the ages. 
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  • Home
  • Visit
    • Hours & Admission
    • Exhibition Galleries
    • Accessibility
    • Membership
  • Research
    • Have a Question?
    • Archival Database
    • Collecting COVID-19 History
    • Digitization Services
  • Programs
    • Gardening 101 Workshop
    • March Break
    • Francophone History
    • Community Threads: Unmapping/Reweaving
    • Residencies >
      • Isabelle Michaud
      • Ray Fox
    • Partners >
      • ArtSpeaks ArtHive
      • Algoma Weavers Guild
      • Macleod Highland Dance Studio
  • Discover
    • Museum Musings
    • Podcast: The Stories of Northern Life
    • On This Spot
  • About
    • Meet the Team
    • Building History
    • Museum History
  • Contact
    • Venue Rental
    • Volunteer
    • Donations
    • Careers
  • Gift Shop