Our Story

The Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society was established in 1908 to preserve and interpret the history of Northwestern Ontario through lectures, publications, the erection of monuments and plaques, and the preservation of documents.

Among the Society’s many achievements in its early years was the publication of a lengthy series of valuable historical reports and the construction of a monument to the original Fort William fur trading post at the foot of McTavish Street in Thunder Bay. It was unveiled in 1916 by our founding father, Peter McKellar.

Our Museum

By 1942, enough documents and artifacts had been gathered to justify opening a museum in the basement of the Brodie Street Library, and in 1972, the Museum relocated to new premises in a former registry office at 219 May Street South. Due to limited space for its expanding activities, the Society launched a major campaign in the mid-1990s to acquire and renovate a former police station and courthouse, which now serves as the home of the Thunder Bay Museum. Our main exhibit gallery opened in 1997.

Our Mandate

The Society’s mandate has always been to serve both the city and district of Thunder Bay in Northwestern Ontario, Canada, and to preserve the history of the entire region. Today, an active and efficient organization has taken on responsibilities far beyond those of its founders. The Society functions as a museum, an archives, and a historical society, offering a wide range of programs and services in each area. 

Our Vision

Through its exhibits, publications, collections, and programs, the Thunder Bay Museum plans to connect with the people of Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario in a spirit of openness, universal access, trust, freedom of expression, and debate. Our motto, “Learning Though History,” highlights our core commitment to education and a dedication to fostering a community where citizens have equal opportunities to participate in public life, culture, and the exploration of our shared past.

Our Future

Although today the museum and its programs are fully operational, renovations to our building are still ongoing.

Work has been completed on all three floors of the interior, including galleries, library, archives, and administration areas. However, as this artist’s rendering shows, plans are in place to restore the front facade to its 1910 design. This restoration was partly done in 2007, along with the addition of a visible storage gallery at the front right of the building. Only the upper part of the facade remains to be finished.