Planning a Visit to the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre

Address 

1932 Welland Canals Pkwy. (formerly Government Road)
St. Catharines, ON,  L2R 7K6

See below for directions

 Hours of Operation

Year-round: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Closed Good Friday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

Research Centre: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Admission by Donation

As of May 10, 2011, the St. Catharines Museum is open to the public by donation. Suggested donation is $4 per person. For information and pricing for group tours and educational programming, please see Museum Tours and Programming below.

Admission donations help support the museum's ability to provide:

• Travelling exhibits. An average of three exhibits per year are rented from museums around the country, including the Canadian Museum of Civilization and the Royal Ontario Museum
• Educational and public programming
• Conservation and preservation of valued and historic artifacts to be kept in trust for present and future generations
• Development of in-house exhibits. Artifacts and archival records from our collection are used to bring forward the stories from our own local heritage
• And much more!

Inside and Out

Merritt's Mercantile

The gift shop at the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre carries a wide variety of gifts, specialty items, Canadiana, books and more. Coffee, tea, and snacks are also available.

Visit the Museum Gift Shop

Lock View Lounge

Brand new in 2011, the Lock View Lounge, located on the second floor of the centre, provides a panoramic view of Lock 3 with comfortable seating. This area is especially popular in inclement weather!

Visitors are encouraged to enjoy their refreshments while watching the ships in comfort.

Lock 3 Viewing Platform

Take the elevator to the third floor and exit directly onto the Lock 3 Viewing Platform for an up-close and personal view of the lock and the ships that traverse it.

Check ship times for the Welland Canal

*Select Welland Lock 3 from the pull-down menu.

Discovery Park

An outdoor picnic area, playground and our Discovery Park, filled with interesting artifacts and information about the Welland Canals. Plenty of great photo ops.

You can also make the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre your starting and stopping place for walking, biking, rollerblading and more on the Greater Niagara Circle Route and paved multi-use trail.

Museum Tours and Programs

Educational Tours and Programs

Learn more about our Museum Programs

Non-school Group Tours

The museum offers specialty tours, such as black history, Welland Canals, community history and our all-encompassing general tour. Included is a 15-minute video on the Welland Canals (also available in French).

Group tour:  $3.98 plus HST

Video Only: $25.00 per booked group.

Please call 905-984-8880 to book your tour.

Public Programming

The Museum offers public programming at varying times of the year, including weekend activities, which complement the travelling exhibit on display during that time.

In some cases, an admission fee may apply.

For more information, please call 905-984-8880.

Local Directions

From Downtown St. Catharines

Go east on St. Paul Street. Turn right onto Queenston Street (at the fork in the road). Follow Queenston Street and turn right at Welland Canals Parkway. The museum is half a kilometre on your left.

From the Pen Centre Mall

Go east on Glendale Avenue. Continue on this road, following the St. Catharines Museum at Lock 3 signs. Turn left at Welland Canals Parkway just before the Glendale lift bridge. The museum is half a kilometre on your right.

From Port Dalhousie

Go south on Lakeport Road. Turn left onto Lakeshore Road. Turn right onto Bunting Road (just before the Lock 1 lift bridge). Turn left again onto Welland Canals Parkway. Continue on the parkway. The museum is about a 10-minute drive and is on your left.

From Other Cities

From Hamilton/Toronto

Follow the QEW eastbound over the Garden City Skyway and exit at Glendale Avenue. Follow Glendale Avenue west, cross the lift bridge, turn right onto Welland Canals Parkway. The museum is located half a kilometre on your right.

From Niagara Falls, ON

Follow the QEW Toronto. Exit at Glendale Avenue. Follow Glendale Avenue west, cross the lift bridge and  turn right onto Welland Canals Parkway. The museum is located half a kilometre on your right.

From Niagara-on-the-Lake

Follow Highway 55. Turn right at Queenston Street (under the Garden City Skyway). Cross the lift bridge and turn left onto Welland Canals Parkway. The museum is located half a kilometre on your left.

From Buffalo, NY

Cross the Peace Bridge and take the QEW Toronto. Exit at Glendale Avenue. Follow Glendale Avenue west, cross the lift bridge and turn right onto Welland Canals Parkway. The museum is located half a kilometre on your right.

From Niagara Falls, NY

Cross the Rainbow Bridge. Follow the signs to Highway 420. Take the QEW Toronto. Exit at Glendale Avenue. Follow Glendale Avenue west, cross the lift bridge and turn right onto Welland Canals Parkway. The museum is located half a kilometre on your right.