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Photo: Canmenwalker, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Good spot to spend a couple of hours if you want to learn about the history of Peterborough and surrounding area. The exhibits, stories and photos take you through some of the local First Nations history, European settlement and the city's early growth. There is also an archives that is accessible by appointment and a small gift shop. The museum is on top of Armour Hill, which provides views of the city and area.
The Peterborough Museum & Archives, formerly the Peterborough Centennial Museum and Archives (PCMA), is a historical museum located in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. Found only a short distance from the Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Site of the Peterborough Lift Lock, the museum has a history spanning well over a century and is home to the second oldest historical collection of its kind within Ontario. Thousands of linear feet of archival materials and over 33,000 artifacts are included in the collection, of which only 3% is displayed at any one time due to space restrictions.
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Built in 1904, the lift lock is the highest hydraulic lift lock in the world, raising boats 65 m. Watch the boats and lock operate from the bank of the canal or stop by the visitor's centre, which has exhibits and explains how the lock works. It's best to go in summer (between Victoria Day and Canadian Thanksgiving) when the Trent Severn waterway is operational.
In winter, the area below the Lift Lock is turned into an outdoor skating rink that can be nearly 400 m long. Family skating is closer to the Lift Lock; hockey is closer to the Maria St bridge. Operations are weather-dependent — a flag will indicate the current status (green means safe, red means unsafe).
Small park with a beach, playground, splash pad and picnic tables with mature trees. The park provides views of Little Lake and the fountain. A short walk on a good trail at the south end of the park takes you to Lock 20 (of the Trent Severn Waterway), with additional picnic tables and views of Little Lake. The Lock is notable as one of the few remaining locks where the gates are opened manually.
Has displays of watercraft from Canada and around the world, plus exhibits on the role canoes and kayaks have played in Canada.
Historic market building and Peterborough landmark since 1890, including the four-faced clock tower that looks over downtown. The ground floor is mostly retail while the second floor now hosts the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre. There's an exhibit in the ground floor lobby that displays the history of the building and nearby area.
Pretty spot in summer with boats, parks and the fountain in the middle of the lake. Centennial Fountain, located in the middle of Little Lake, is the biggest jet fountain in Canada shooting water 75 m into the air. Del Crary Park provides good views of the lake and fountain, and the bandshell hosts numerous concerts in the summer. Fountain usually operates 10AM-midnight from late May to early Oct.