Hutchison House Museum
This living museum was built in 1837 by volunteers for Dr. John Hutchison, Peterborough’s first resident physician.
Hours of Operation: June through Labour Day, Tuesday to Friday – 10 to 4 pm, Saturday and Sunday – 11 to 4pm. Costumed Guides on duty July and August 1 to 4pm
It is now a beautiful historical attraction which also features a room dedicated to Sir Sanford Fleming (proposer of standard time zones, designer of Canada’s first postage stamp, surveyor, map maker, and railroad engineer) who was a cousin of Dr. Hutchison.
An estimated 7,000 people visit the museum each year for guided tours and other special events. Through the year, the public is invited to enjoy Scottish Teas during July and August, monthly heritage lunches during the winter months, and many other activities for all age groups.
The museum is wheelchair accessible to the terrace, the historic 1840′s open-hearth kitchen, bookshop and an accessible washroom. Although the upper floors are only accessible by stairs, visitors can enjoy a virtual guided tour of the upper floors.
For the Literary Tourist: Some of Dr. Hutchison’s patients would become quite well known in the history of Upper Canada. For example, Susanna Moodie and husband John Dunbar Moodie; Thomas and Catharine Parr Traill, as well as Catharine and Susanna’s brother Samuel Strickland, were patients of the doctor. Thomas A. Stewart, his wife Frances and their family counted on the doctor’s friendship and medical services.
The bookshop located in the museum carries a great selection of in-print local interest titles (including those of Susanna Moodie, Catharine Parr Traill, and Frances Stewart). Their helpful staff might even be able to help you locate out of print books that are more difficult to find, plus there is a reference library that specializes in books about Hutchison, Fleming, medicine, local town histories etc.
Are you the owner of this business? Request an edit to this page.