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The Leacock Museum is a homestead museum dedicated to preserving the history of Stephen Leacock, his family and lifestyle on the shores of Lake Couchiching. The home preserves the style and elegance of the early 20th Century by showcasing original and era-appropriate furniture in most rooms. However, there is always something new to see at the Leacock Museum!
Your ticket includes access to all of the permanent & temporary exhibits on display (excluding "Boating old Brewery Bay" which is only available to view exclusively during the House and Grounds History Tour).
Follow us on social media to stay up to date on exhibits @leacockmuseum
Current Exhibits:
Murder by the Book: From Fiction to Reality
Open until Spring 2026
Our new exhibit at the Leacock Museum, Murder by the Book: from Fiction to Reality, highlights the history of Murder Mysteries and how reality mirrors the fictional world.
From oral origins to modern-day writers, the exhibit features the authors: Charles Perrault, Edgar Allen Poe, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Stephen King, Gillian Flynn, Stephen Leacock, and others! Dive into what a Murder Mystery is, the characterization of detectives in literature, the construction of the police force, and real-life murderous stories.
For the Love of Liquor
Permanent Exhibit
Come and see the Leacock Museum cellar and billiards room and our newest exhibit “For the Love of Liquor.” Learn about Prohibition in Ontario, and one of the longest dry towns in the province, Orillia. Discover the role Stephen Leacock played in the repeal of Prohibition in Ontario and his own family’s history in the alcohol industry.
On display, guests will see original billiards accessories, Leacock’s Madeira, and an unpublished chapter written by Leacock! Come on down(stairs) and explore Leacock’s favourite part of his home.
*This exhibit is in the basement which may cause barriers to mobility and access. For more information, please contact the museum at 705-325-2196.
Hours and booking information
Leacock and the Montreal Melon
Permanent Outdoor Living Exhibit
This might be one of the Leacock Museum's most exciting discoveries yet! In 2017, staff at the Leacock Museum found detailed notes inside a farming journal which showed that Stephen Leacock had been growing Montreal Melons all along while others assumed they were extinct.
Learn about why these melons were so coveted and why they cost as much as a steak! This exhibit has opened on the Leacock grounds, and is free to the public. In addition, the Leacock Museum grounds have received a "historical" upgrade! Check out the other eight outdoor informational signs around the grounds for a more cohesive experience.
** This exhibit is free to all and is displayed in the backyard of the Leacock home. Fruits and vegetables will be present depending on time of year and growing season.
Click here to see Leacock Museum staff try the Montreal Melon and describe its flavour!
Boating Old Brewery Bay
Permanent Exhibit
*Please note that the boathouse will be available to view exclusively during the House and Grounds History Tour.
Upcoming Exhibits:
Check back here for more information about exhibits in 2026!
Past Exhibits:
Monster, She Wrote |
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Based on the novel Monster, She Wrote: The Women who Pioneered Horror & Speculative Fiction written by Lisa Kröger and Melanie R. Anderson
In collaboration with authors, Lisa Kröger and Melanie R. Anderson, the Leacock Museum presents "Monster, She Wrote" a temporary exhibit about horror novels through the centuries, written by women.
Women’s contribution to horror and speculative fiction has historically gone unnoticed, painting an incomplete picture of women’s literary accomplishments throughout history. As such, this exhibition presents an opportunity to introduce visitors to the pioneering works of women writers in a male-dominated field and to understand the world of literature through the perspective of women writers during this period. Some of the stories, however, have survived generations, such as Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.
The Leacock Museum is proud to present this exhibit which has been prepared with participation from various local artists. The artists created pieces based on diverse stories, in diverse medias, to showcase their local artistry and bring the stories to life. |
100 Years of the Great Gatsby |
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May 1 until October 4, 2025
On display, guests found a letter hand-written from F. Scott Fitzgerald to Stephen Leacock, himself. This along with other fascinating treasures that told the tale of Gatsby. Guests found themselves in the midst of the roaring 20s at the Leacock Museum! |
75 Years of Laughs: Reminiscing the Leacock Medal for Humour |
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September 21, 2022 until August 3, 2025 (many, but not all items have been moved to the Library for permanent display) |
From War to Wonders: Mapping Escapism in a Time of Turmoil |
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March 2 until December 20, 2024 - Temporary Exhibit
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How We Kept Mother's Day |
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May 3 until December 11, 2024 - Temporary Mini-Exhibit
The tradition of celebrating Mother's Day began in 1908. In the early 1900s, Canadian author, Stephen Leacock, observed the idea with a funny short story about a family who takes advantage of the holiday by going fishing while they left their mother at home to enjoy her special day (after doing all of the cooking, cleaning, and preparation for the occasion, of course). Stephen Leacock's real-life mother, Agnes Butler Leacock, was a force to be reckoned with. Agnes's life told the tale of a strong, independent woman with a very interesting backstory. Agnes spent much time at the Leacock summer home at Old Brewery Bay during her life and even had her own room in the household. |
Decoding Anne Lister: History's First Modern Lesbian |
| Sept. 16 until June 30, 2024 - Temporary Exhibit
Extended until June 30, 2024 -- Reviled and hidden away for decades because of the stories they contained, Anne Lister’s diaries and her life are the focus of a fascinating exhibit at the Leacock Museum. Now famously known as "history’s first modern lesbian" and the focus of a popular TV show, Anne Lister meticulously captured the details of her life including love affairs, business deals, and politics in a partially encoded diary that scholars have worked for decades to transcribe. The exhibit will focus on the life of this revolutionary British lesbian while exploring themes of Canadian Queer history, the art of code breaking, and the world in which Anne Lister existed. *Anne Lister photo by permission of Shibden Hall. |
A Leacock Love Story |
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February 10 until August 31, 2023 - Exhibit Completed |
Entertaining Entertainers: Mary Pickford, Queen of the Silver Screen |
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May 21 until October 28, 2022 - Exhibit completed |
You've got that right, old sport! The Leacock Museum hosted a real wingding to celebrate The Great Gatsby's 100th Anniversary since publication! In 1925, F. Scott Fitzgerald published the novel we all know and love today -- but at the time, it was not the success we know it to be. How did this novel gain popularity over the decades, and why? 
