The Simcoe County Museum turned back the clock to break ground on an expansion of the facility, located on Highway 26 in Midhurst.
A vintage 1922 Erie B Steam Shovel dug away dirt to launch a new 11,200-square-foot expansion including 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.
"We're trying to showcase our history," said Simcoe County Warden Basil Clarke. "It's easy to take life for granted, but you don't realize how hard the early settlers worked and the tools that they used to build this beautiful country and this beautiful county we have today."
The $16.6 million project received a nearly $5 million donation from Charles Matthews, a museum supporter who died in December 2016.
Museum curator Kelley Smith Jones says Charles and his brother had a career moving heritage buildings.
"They moved a couple of our buildings, most notably our 1922 cottage in 2005."
The rest of the expansion is being funded by the County of Simcoe through reserves.
Clarke says the museum is focused on sharing the history of the county.
"We always encourage people to come out and reflect on the past. It's very tough to move forward if you don't remember where you came from."
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 Ski Trail throughout the winter months.
