Tasked with carefully transporting more than 530 linear metres of archival materials and hundreds of artifacts, Northumberland County Archives & Museum (NCAM) will soon be on the move.
NCAM recently announced the museum’s current location on Ontario Street in Cobourg will be closed to the public as of February 22, as the museum’s team prepares, catalogues, and safely packages its historical possessions for the transition into its new home on Courthouse Road in Cobourg.
Non-mandatory archival services — including research assistance, donation assessments, and and genealogical services — will be temporarily unavailable to allow staff to focus on preparing the collection for the move and setting up the new facility. The museum will continue to provide essential services, including inquiries related to government records and freedom of information requests.
County archivist Abigail Miller told kawarthaNOW the long-awaited location inside Northumberland County’s new Golden Plough Lodge long-term care home, expected to open in the fall, will be special for staff and the public alike.
“We’re thrilled that this new archives and museum will provide the space to celebrate and share Northumberland’s rich cultural heritage,” Miller told kawarthaNOW. “With an exciting inaugural exhibition on the horizon, it’s set to become a must-visit destination, adding even more to the vibrant attractions across our region.”
NCAM collects, cares for, and provides access to archival materials and artifacts that represent the stories of the people, places, and development of the county. The new NCAM site will offer enhanced programming opportunities for the community, increased access to local historical and cultural collections, and state-of-the-art archival conservation equipment to better preserve Northumberland’s history.
The new location will also include an expanded reading room for research, a programming space for museum exhibitions and community groups, specialized standard collections storage, and a conservation lab.
As staff prepare to vacate the museum’s current site on Ontario Street in Cobourg, they’ll also begin preparations to open the new location, including setting up the facility and preparing exhibits for the museum space.
“This transition period marks an important step toward the opening of our new facility,” said Miller in a statement. “We thank everyone for their understanding as we work behind the scenes to get the collection ready for its future home.”
Miller added that residents can follow the museum on Facebook @NCAMofficial for updates on the move.
NCAM’s last day of being open to the public in its current location will be next Friday (February 21). Any requests for research assistance underway at the time will be completed, but new requests will not be accepted until NCAM opens at the new Courthouse Road location in the fall.
Residents who have questions or concerns about the temporary changes to NCAM services can contact the NCAM team at ncam@northumberland.ca.
NCAM’s new location is part of a collaboration with the Golden Plough Lodge, the only municipally operated long-term care home in Northumberland. The new 203,000-square foot and 180-bed facility in which NCAM will be located is adjacent to the existing Golden Plough Lodge, situated on county-owned property.
For the long-term care home, the occupancy date for staff is set for June 2025, at which time furnishing, set-up, and commissioning will take place. Residents are expected to move into the new facility in the fall of 2025.
More information about the NCAM project and the new Golden Plough Lodge is available on Northumberland County’s website.
