The Goulbourn Museum is introducing their summer hours and will now be open from Thursday to Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Annual General Meeting and Contributors Event
On May 15, 2025, we gathered at Hazeldean Gardens to celebrate another fantastic year at the Goulbourn Museum. The evening was filled with familiar faces, delicious treats, and a heartfelt look back at 2024.
The night began with a slideshow highlighting the year’s events and milestones — a wonderful way to reminisce about the moments that made 2024 special. Attendees had the chance to mingle and reconnect with fellow members and contributors, strengthening the bonds that make our community so vibrant.
The Museum also announced our 2024 Contributor Award winners and expressed gratitude for their dedication and support. Award categories included the Heritage Champion Award, Community Engagement Award, Youth Leadership Award, and Behind-the-Scenes Star. Award Winners
No gathering would be complete without food! We indulged in the famous Richmond United Church ladies’ pies, with the peach variety stealing the spotlight as the crowd favorite.
The evening also included the approval of AGM documents, officially closing out the 2024 year. Your continued support — through your time, talents, and partnership — is what makes the Goulbourn Museum such a meaningful part of this community. 2024 Annual Report – LINK
Thanks to all who joined us, and a special shout-out to Hazeldean Gardens for hosting us in their beautiful space. We’re already looking forward to doing it all over again next May!
On behalf of the entire Museum team, thank you for being part of our story.
Thank You to Our Cleaning the Capital Volunteers!
On May 10th, the Goulbourn Museum took part in the City of Ottawa’s Cleaning the Capital initiative, and we couldn’t have done it without the help of our amazing volunteers! Over the course of six hours, 15 volunteers came out to spruce up the museum grounds — collecting 36 bags of compost and waste, washing windows, spreading mulch, and giving our gardens a much-needed spring refresh.
It was a great way for local youth to earn their high school community service hours while getting to know their local museum and spending time outdoors.
A huge thank you to everyone who came out to lend a hand—we truly appreciate your time, energy, and support. Here’s to a clean and welcoming space for all our summer visitors!
Stittsville Girl Guides Bring Wildflower Mural to Life at Goulbourn Museum
On Sunday, May 25th, the Goulbourn Museum was delighted to host the #12 Stittsville Girl Guides as they began a vibrant mural project on the fence posts surrounding the community garden.
The Guides participated in a painting workshop focused on stencil techniques to learn how to create their own wildflower designs. After practicing their skills they began the first phase of the mural.
Blending creativity with purpose, the mural celebrates the region’s natural heritage while fostering environmental awareness and youth engagement. Through their efforts, the Girl Guides are not only earning a badge in community service but are transforming the Museum’s outdoor space into a vibrant, educational, and welcoming environment for all. The mural will continue to take shape over the summer.
This initiative was made possible in part by funding from the Stittsville Community Association Micro-Grant 2025.
Encaustic Painting Workshop
On May 8th, the Goulbourn Museum kicked off its first adult art workshop of the year with an evening of encaustic painting — a fun and fascinating technique that combines wax, oil paint, paper, and other materials to create beautifully textured artwork.
The night was filled with creativity, great music, tasty refreshments, and fantastic company. It was a perfect way to unwind, try something new, and connect with fellow art lovers. We’re already looking forward to the next one — stay tuned for more workshops coming your way!
Doors Open Ottawa | June 7–8, 2025 | 10 AM – 4 PM
We’re excited to share a major milestone at the Goulbourn Museum — our collections are now online! Join us during Doors Open Ottawa as we officially launch two new digital resources: the Digital History Centre and our Online Artefact Catalogue.
These tools make it easier than ever to explore Goulbourn’s history. From the comfort of home — or right here at the Museum — you can browse artefacts, archival documents, and transcriptions created by our dedicated Archiving Goulbourn Project volunteers.
Drop in between 10 AM and 4 PM on Saturday, June 7 or Sunday, June 8 for an exclusive hands-on preview. Staff will be on-site to guide you through our new digital platforms and highlight fascinating materials like land deeds, family photos, wartime letters, and handwritten records.
We gratefully acknowledge the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Ottawa Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society for their generous support, which made this project — and its long-term preservation — possible.
Whether you’re a history buff, a curious local, or one of the many who helped make this project possible, we’d love to welcome you! Come celebrate with us, explore Goulbourn’s history, and see what’s next for your Museum! Can’t join us in person? Explore the new resources anytime at goulbournmuseum.ca.
Introducing our Summer Student
Laurianne is originally from Stittsville and is a fully bilingual staff member. She has recently completed her undergraduate studies in Anthropology and Art History at St Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia and is pursuing further studies in the Ottawa region. She has previously worked at the Diefenbunker and has been a tour guide in Ottawa for 3 years. She has done extensive volunteer work at Vintage Wings of Canada. Read More about Laurianne HERE.
