Coldwater Canadiana Heritage Museum

Muskoka Lakes


Halfway between Orillia and Midland, on Hwy 12 before it connects with Hwy 400, you'll find this charming riverside folk museum with its sweet collection of colonial buildings tracing the history of village life from 1830 to 1950.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Muskoka Lakes attractions

1. Martyrs' Shrine

10.21 MILES

This monument to six Jesuit missionaries and two laypeople who met their gruesome demise during an Iroquois raid features garden walkways and the imposing…

2. Ste-Marie among the Hurons

10.28 MILES

Costumed staff members dote on visitors to this reconstructed 17th-century Jesuit mission, offering stories about hardship and torture with a cheerful…

3. Huronia Museum

12.26 MILES

Don't be fooled by the dated building or displays – this museum has an impressive collection of artifacts, many related to the region's maritime history…

4. Leacock Museum National Historic Site

13.71 MILES

In 1928 Canadian humorist Stephen Leacock built a lavish waterfront house that has since become the Leacock Museum. Some rooms were kept as Leacock left…

5. Discovery Harbour

15.8 MILES

Recommended guided tours of this reconstructed British naval base lead visitors through 19 buildings and replicas of two 18th-century vessels, recounting…

6. Muskoka Steamships & Discovery Centre

19.73 MILES

This well-conceived museum tells the region’s rich history of the First Nations people who lived here, the European settlers and loggers who displaced…

7. Awenda Provincial Park

19.84 MILES

About 15km from Penetanguishene, this picturesque park boasts four sandy swimming beaches, 31km of easy walking trails, 17km of backcountry ski trails and…