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County plans to upgrade museum with $18 million expansion

July 10, 2023   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

Simcoe County Council has endorsed a plan to build up the heritage and cultural buildings at the Simcoe County Museum with an $18 million expansion.

The plan includes the creation of the Matthews Innovation and Transportation Gallery and several upgrades to the existing museum over seven years. These upgrades include improved gallery space and visitor experience, environmentally-friendly design with a Zero Carbon Building, improved security for temporary exhibits, and a more efficient room for meetings and special events.

The expansion will take place in three phases.

The most ambitious project will be a 5,000-square-foot Matthews Innovation and Transportation Gallery and a 2,300-square-foot space for curatorial functions and collections storage. An additional 2,633 square foot mezzanine overlooking the new gallery will provide opportunities for additional themed exhibitions as well as interpretive and programming space.

“This exciting project that we are undertaking preserves the past while looking to the future of the Simcoe County Museum,” said County Warden Basil Clarke. “This is largely thanks to the generosity of the late Charles Matthews, who saw something special in this museum and the history it showcases. We are incredibly grateful for the legacy he has left behind and it is an honour to name the new gallery the Matthews Innovation and Transportation Gallery in his memory.”

The Matthews Innovation and Transportation Gallery is named in honour of Simcoe County Museum’s largest-ever donor, Charles Matthews, whose bequest of almost $5 million will allow the museum to better display and care for museum collections, highlight Simcoe County’s historical innovation, and provide enhance cultural and heritage experiences for residents and visitors.

In addition to the noted long-term and ongoing utility cost savings that a Zero Carbon Building will provide, it offers additional benefits like charred timber construction, triple-glazed windows that will provide an exceptional view to the heritage and display buildings, and solar panels that offset the hydro consumption.

Work on all phases is expected to be complete by 2030, in time for the celebration of the Simcoe County Museum’s 100th anniversary.

Work on phase one is expected to begin in spring 2024.

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