Billy Bishop Home and Museum, National historic site and military museum in Owen Sound, Canada.
Billy Bishop Home and Museum is a two-and-a-half storey brick house at 948 Third Avenue West in Owen Sound, built in 1884. It is the birthplace and childhood home of First World War flying ace William Avery "Billy" Bishop, who lived here until leaving for the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston. The interior keeps the Bishop family's original hardwood floors, Victorian furnishings and personal possessions, alongside uniforms, medals, photos and models from Canadians who fought in the two World Wars.
The house at 948 Third Avenue West was built in 1884 and was Billy Bishop's birthplace and childhood home until he left for the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston. It was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 2002. Bishop, born in 1894, later flew with the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force, was credited with at least 72 enemy aircraft, and received the Victoria Cross.
The museum displays uniforms, medals, and photographs that tell stories of soldiers from this region during the World Wars. Visitors see personal objects showing how the conflict shaped the lives of people in this community.
The house stands at 948 Third Avenue West in Owen Sound, and a gift shop is open during museum hours. Group tours and any special events in the front parlours should be arranged with the museum in advance. Bishop's modest gravesite lies in Greenwood Cemetery elsewhere in the city.
Bishop's modest gravesite lies in Greenwood Cemetery in Owen Sound, not at the house. The museum building itself dates from 1884 and was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 2002, while a plaque erected by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada records his 72 downed aircraft and his Victoria Cross.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,926 contributors worldwide.