Skip to Main Content Scroll to the top Icon

Simcoe County Museum hosts groundbreaking event for Phase 1 of expansion, renovations


Midhurst/September 24, 2024 – Simcoe County Councillors and area partners gathered at the Simcoe County Museum on Tuesday, September 24 to celebrate an “old-fashioned” groundbreaking event to mark the beginning of a multi-million-dollar expansion project.

“The Simcoe County Museum is a vital part of our region’s identity,” said Warden Basil Clarke. “It’s important to preserve and showcase Simcoe County’s great history. This expansion and the renovations being made will help build up our heritage and culture, while ensuring that the museum continues to evolve with our region’s growing history.”

Ground was broken with the use of a vintage 1922 Erie B Steam Shovel, showcasing the heritage and culture that the museum curates and embraces. The expansion will total 11,200 square feet including of a new 5,000 square foot Matthews Innovation and Transportation Gallery with a mezzanine. Additional space will be dedicated to curatorial functions and collection storage, among other elements.

The first phase of the project is anticipated to be finished by February 2026 with the entire project slated to be completed by 2030.

The Simcoe County Museum will be closed from November 2024 to March 2025 to facilitate the renovations. The Museum will continue to conduct outreach at local schools, and, weather permitting, plans to operate the Museum Skate Trail throughout the winter months.

Simcoe County Councillors pose with vintage steam-powered shovel used to break ground for the Simcoe County Museum’s multi-million-dollar expansion