Exhibits and Tours
Explore the exhibits and tours where history, literature, and lakeside heritage come together. Discover permanent and rotating exhibits that highlight the life and work of Stephen Leacock, the history of the Old Brewery Bay site, and stories that shaped Orillia. Guided and self‑guided tours offer visitors of all ages an engaging way to experience this nationally significant cultural landmark.
Book a Tour of the Leacock Museum
Self-guided tours occur daily. To purchase your ticket, please visit the museum gift shop.
Bonus! Explore the grounds of the Leacock Museum at your leisure, using our free self-guided audio tour
Alternate Tour Options:
"The Whole Story: House and Boathouse Guided Tour" (May 16 to August 30, 2026)
Discounted Group Tour Bookings (pre-booked groups of 10 or more guests)
After Hours at the Museum (pre-booked groups - supernatural investigations)
Current Exhibits
The Children of Old Brewery Bay
Permanent Exhibit
The Leacock Museum is introducing its newest exhibit, The Children of Old Brewery Bay! This exhibit will feature much awaited information about Stephen Leacock Jr., the Old Brewery Bay Players, the children who frequented the beautiful property, and many other tidbits that are important to the history of the Leacock home and grounds.
BONUS -- guests will get to see a spectacular dollhouse that belonged to Stephen Leacock's sister, and which was used in the early 1900s to advertise what homes could look like if they were lit with electricity! You don't want to miss this one.
This exhibit is located on the second floor which may cause barriers to mobility and access. For more information, please contact the museum at 705-325-2196.
Murder by the Book: From Fiction to Reality
Open until July 19, 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: The Basement and Billiards Room
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 located within the basement exhibit spaces, which may cause barriers to mobility and access. For more information, please contact the museum at 705-325-2196.
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 watch a video about the Montreal Melon's history.
Boating Old Brewery Bay
Permanent Exhibit
Opening Victoria Day weekend, step inside Stephen Leacock's boathouse and discover his love for the lake. This exhibit features photographs taken by world renowned photographer, Yousuf Karsh.
Guests will learn about historical boating equipment, historical Orillia boat-makers, Leacock's own boating treasures, and the inspiration behind some of Leacock's most famous stories.
*Please note that the boathouse will be available to view exclusively during The Whole Story: House and Boathouse Tour.
Upcoming Exhibits
His Name, Her Genius
Opening August 1, 2026
More Information Coming Soon
Past Exhibits
This exhibit was 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 presented "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 presented 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 was proud to present this exhibit which had 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.
May 1 until October 4, 2025
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?
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
September 21, 2022 until August 3, 2025 (many, but not all items have been moved to the Library for permanent display)
Guests visited the Leacock Museum’s permanent exhibit which featured past winners of the Leacock Medal such as Robertson Davies, Mordecai Richler, and Farley Mowat!
This exhibit taught about Farley Mowat's secret office and some of the items that may have been inside.
Guests could see the medals themselves and learn information about their designer, Emanuel Hahn -- who also designed many of Canada's coins!
From War to Wonders: Mapping Escapism in a Time of Turmoil
March 2 until December 20, 2024
Ever wonder where fantastic novel ideas come from? Often, ideas inside fantasy novels are not so far-fetched after all. While some read to immerse themselves into new worlds, others write about them -- though sometimes it is difficult to avoid real life from impacting the stories. Guests escaped into the Leacock Museum's exhibit, From War to Wonders: Mapping Escapism in a Time of Turmoil, to learn how some of the most popular fantasy novels were impacted by the First and Second World Wars.
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.
February 10 until August 31, 2023
Stephen Leacock's house in Orillia was a labour of love. He built it for his wife, Beatrix. Unfortunately, Beatrix did not live to see it completed. Something did survive though... Discovered during restoration inside Stephen's bedroom closet -- Beatrix's final letters. These letters, sent by Beatrix during her final days, were on display along with the romantic story.
Learn about their love story and life together and why Beatrix was not simply, Stephen Leacock's wife.
Entertaining Entertainers: Mary Pickford, Queen of the Silver Screen
May 21 until October 28, 2022
This exhibit explored the friendship of Stephen Leacock and Mary Pickford as well as Pickford’s legendary silent film career.
“The Girl with the Golden Curls” was the first Canadian to win an Oscar, the first actress to make 1 million dollars a year, and the first person to be filmed in a close-up.
Guests of the exhibit were welcomed to vote on which of Leacock’s famous friends to focus on next; some of which include Charlie Chaplin, F. Scott Fitzgerald and J.M. Barrie!
The Leacock Museum thanks the Mary Pickford Foundation for their partnership on this exhibit.
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