Museums & Tours

Discover the Leacock Museum, a National Historic Site featuring literary humourist Stephen Leacock’s restored home, engaging exhibits, and year-round events.

Explore the Orillia Museum of Art & History, where art and local history come to life through exhibits, programs, and guided tours.

The OPP Museum preserves, documents, and interprets artifacts and archival materials that help to build an understanding of the history of policing in Ontario since the formation of Upper Canada in 1791, specializing in the material culture of the Ontario Provincial Police from 1909. Admission to the O.P.P. Museum is free.

Since its opening in 1895, the Orillia Opera House has been a focal point for the cultural life of the City of Orillia. The historic theatre has also previously been the home to Council Chambers, City Hall offices, market stalls, and most famously, the town's lock-up. Today, the Orillia Opera House features performances by a wide variety of internationally renowned artists.

Tripvia Tours is a free app offering three guided mobile tours of some of Orillia's main attractions. Discover history along the Millennium Trail, explore the Leacock Museum's historic gardens and grounds, or, discover the secrets behind downtown Orillia's most prominent heritage sites.

The City of Orillia is situated on the traditional territory of the Anishnaabeg, specifically the Chippewas of Rama First Nation, a member of the Chippewa Tri-Council and Three Fires Confederacy. For over 5000 years, this land existed as a gathering place for Indigenous Peoples. At the bottom of The Atherley Narrows, joining Lake Simcoe and Couchiching, the remains of one of North America's oldest human developments remain. Ancient fish weirs were used and cared for by the Huron-Wendat, and today the Chippewas. The Mnjikaning Fish Weirs are now a protected National Historic Site. 

We encourage you to visit our Indigenous Initiatives webpage to learn more about this land's extensive heritage, as well as discover ways to further honour and reflect upon the lives of Indigenous Peoples throughout history and today. 

Orillia was founded as a village in 1867 and incorporated as a town in 1875. Due to logging and rail links with Toronto and Georgian Bay, Orillia quickly became a commercial centre and summer resort in the mid 1800's. 

Through the efforts of many public figures and organizations, including the Municipal Heritage Committee, many of Orillia's earliest builds still stand today as protected sites.

Many of these sites are featured during our above free self-guided routes, as well as the Orillia Museum of Art & History's guided walking tours. 

Encompassing the Millennium Trail, a 9.5 km paved route which borders the City's main waterfronts, The Lightfoot Trail Network connects to the Uhthoff Trail in the north, the Oro-Medonte Rail Trail in the south-west and the Ramara Trail in the east.

Those who begin their journey from the Uhthoff Trail in the north and head towards the Ramara Trail in the east will discover all 14 of Orillia's heritage stories along the way. These plaques detail some of Orillia's most interesting landmarks and periods in history.

Orillia and area is home to four Provincial Plaques as a part of the Provincial Plaque Program, an effort to share stories of the people, places and events that have helped to shape the province.

The plaques can be found below:

• Chief William Yellowhead - Located at Couchiching Beach Park
• Founding of Orillia - Located at the Orillia Opera House
• Franklin Carmichael - Located at the Orillia Public Library
• Rama Indian Reserve - Located at United Church, Rama Road