Peterborough Museum & Archives, Historical museum in Peterborough, Canada

Peterborough Museum & Archives sits on Armour Hill and holds a large collection of regional objects and documents from the area. The facility includes exhibition spaces and archival areas that together preserve records of local history.

Peterborough's first museum opened on October 31, 1898 as the Victoria Museum, run by the local historical society near Inverlea Park. In 1912 the collection moved to the Carnegie Public Library on George Street. The current building, designed by Craig, Zeidler and Strong, opened on October 28, 1967 as a centennial project; archives were added in the mid-1970s.

The archives hold a pressed-flower album made by pioneer author and botanist Catharine Parr Traill, and the original Peter Robinson papers documenting the 1823 emigration of Irish settlers to Ontario. The Balsillie Collection of Roy Studio Images preserves over 300,000 film and glass plate negatives dating back to 1896.

The building is easy to reach on foot and welcomes visitors with regular opening hours throughout the week. It is helpful to check the current schedule in advance, as hours may vary depending on the season or special closures.

The collection ranks among the oldest of its kind in the province and most items remain out of public view. What visitors see displayed represents just a small fraction of what is stored in the archives.