Toronto Maritime Museum facts for kids
Stanley Barracks' Officers' Mess used as the Marine Museum
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| Established | 1958 |
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| Dissolved | 2008 |
| Location | Stanley Barracks 1958-1998 Queens Quay, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 1999-2008 |
| Type | Maritime museum |
The Toronto Maritime Museum was a special place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was also known by other names like the Toronto Waterfront Museum or The Pier Museum. Before 2000, it was called the Marine Museum or the Marine Museum of Upper Canada. This museum celebrated the amazing history of Toronto's waterfront. It also showed how shipping on the Great Lakes helped Toronto grow into the big city it is today.
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A Look Back: The Museum's Story
The Toronto Maritime Museum first opened in 1957. It was originally called the Marine Museum of Upper Canada. A very important person, Earl Mountbatten of Burma, officially opened it on August 26, 1959.
First Home: Stanley Barracks
The museum's first home was in a historic building. This building was the Officers' Quarters at Stanley Barracks. It was located on the grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition.
Inside, the museum displayed many items from Toronto's water history. This included cool model ships. Outside, visitors could see a real tugboat called the Ned Hanlan. There was also a huge ship anchor and a ship's propeller. For a while, an old train engine, locomotive 6213, was also stored outside.
In 1964, there was an idea to display even more historic ships. These included a ferry, a Chinese trading boat, and a steam tug. However, this plan did not happen.
Moving to the Waterfront
In 2000, the museum moved to a new spot. Its new address was Pier 4 at 245 Queens Quay West. This new location was a former warehouse built in the 1930s. It was much closer to downtown Toronto. This made it easier for tourists to visit. The City of Toronto Culture Division helped run the museum at this new site.
The Museum Closes
Sadly, even after moving, the museum closed its doors in 2008. There are no current plans to reopen it. The museum's collections are now kept in storage. Organizers are looking for ways to get money to bring the museum back.
The large outdoor displays were moved to new homes. The old train engine, locomotive 6213, went to the Toronto Railway Museum. It has been fixed up and is now kept indoors. The tugboat Ned Hanlan moved to Hanlan's Point Ferry Terminal on the Toronto Islands in 2012.
The building at Queens Quay that used to be the museum is now a craft beer store and restaurant. The old barracks building where the museum first started is now part of the Hotel X Toronto project.
Who the Museum Worked With
The Toronto Maritime Museum worked with several important groups. These included the CMA and the CHIN. It was also part of the Virtual Museum of Canada.
