Campbell House Museum
Campbell House Museum
4.5
12:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday
9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday
12:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Sunday
12:00 PM - 4:30 PM
About
A rare example of Georgian architecture, this museum is the restored home of the first Chief Justice of Upper Canada.
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Address
Neighbourhood: Old Toronto
How to get there
- Osgoode • 1 min walk
- St. Andrew • 6 min walk
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
41 reviews
Excellent
19
Very good
17
Average
4
Poor
1
Terrible
0
Nkem O
Calgary, Canada113 contributions
Sept 2021 • Solo
This was a lovely little museum, and my experience was greatly enriched by the personalised tour guide. The history over the years is amazing. Unfortunately there wasn’t much furniture at the time I visited, but it is a nice place to spend about an hour or so.
Written 25 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bill s
1 contribution
Apr 2024 • Couples
We went to see a special presentation at Campbell House Museum called ‘ Place Settings: Exploring Food and Status in 1820’s York’. Which runs until June 1. The entire experience was thoroughly worthwhile as it combined the traditional items that adorn the house along with a variety of artifacts and information boards that are specific to this presentation put on by the University of Toronto Museum Studies Graduate Program. We learned a lot, not only about old Toronto but food history also. We were there for over an hour and could have stayed longer as there was much to take in.
Written 7 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MOrfitt2014
Dundalk, Canada1,778 contributions
Jun 2019 • Solo
For those interested in early Canadian & Toronto history this is a must stop.
The grand house was moved from its original location a few miles away back in the 1970's. Furnished fairly accurately.
Northwest corner of University Ave & Queen St. (Osgoode subway station)
$10
The grand house was moved from its original location a few miles away back in the 1970's. Furnished fairly accurately.
Northwest corner of University Ave & Queen St. (Osgoode subway station)
$10
Written 14 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SFDutchman
San Francisco, CA539 contributions
Nov 2016 • Couples
Walking by one day we researched the house on-line and decided to go on a Wednesday morning just after opening. It's a small historic house in the middle of busy "modern" Toronto. It is the oldest remaining house (although it was moved from its original location in 1972) from the Town of York (former name of Toronto. The home of a prominent judge. Our tour guide was Shannon who gave a very in-depth, and humorous tour of the house. We were lucky to be the only ones visiting so it was like a private tour. We loved her passion for the house and its history. The basement has a working kitchen just as it was in the 1800's. Enjoyed hearing that they still use the kitchen for tours and hands on cooking demos. The rest of the house - although small - was a walk through Toronto/York history. Allow for about an hour to an hour 1/2 for a visit.
Written 9 November 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeannie C
Oakville, Canada85 contributions
Aug 2016
This is a house that was built by the Chief Justice of Upper Canada in 1821, and is a beautiful example of Georgian architecture. The house has been moved from its original location but has been lovingly restored, right down to the brick floors in the kitchen. There are only six rooms open to the public, and during the summer there is some live theatre on the premises so many of the antiques are hidden away - I suggest not going in the summer. Everyone gets an individual tour with a live guide who brings the era to life and fills you with little stories and anecdotes of the history of early Toronto. If you have been to historic houses elsewhere (ie - the Southern US or Britain) and are familiar with Georgian architecture, you will be underwhelmed. However, it can be a great little history lesson and a peek into another world for those not fortunate to travel elsewhere.
Written 12 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
pixie471
Birmingham, UK51 contributions
Jul 2015 • Family
We stumbled upon this little gem purely by accident as my son attempted to photograph a black squirrel.we had only seen red and grey squirrels back home . As he approached the stairs in pursuit of the squirrel,the front door opened and we were met and welcomed in by the friendly and kind staff. What a remarkable piece of canadian history ,tucked away and so unobtrusive.the young guide was passionate and very knowledgeable,educating us in Toronto rich history.the house was remarkably well preserved and informative of a past we could appreciate . Well worth the visit
Written 1 October 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Friedrichshainer1034
233 contributions
English here - Deutsch unten!
(Computer translation from German)
"Toronto's best - do it!" - Friedrichshainer1034
Campbell House Toronto
Overall rating:
It is worthwhile to take some time for this unassuming building. To Toronto from times past to understand better is the Campbell House, as well as the First PostOffice Toronto country badly.
Flow and price:
At the entrance you will be welcomed and informed about it, that it is not this is a museum in the classic sense, but the house of the Bar Association. It isoffered for a donation but a guide. We have been C $ 5 per person. After the tour I took my donation really appropriate.
There are six rooms to see. Really interesting are five, the sixth is a function room of the lawyers. This is the game room, the dining room on the ground floor,the bedroom and the upstairs dance room. In the basement there is still a large kitchen to admire.
leadership:
First, a woman ran through the game room and told us all the objects in this room. Then they gave us a very young lady, her name is Bronwen, who explained to us the rest of the house. They answered our questions patientlyand had fun doing it, we explain the historical objects in their function and demonstrate. Whether it's a question of the bedpan, the candles safe or eventhe stove, she knew one or the other story that was previously unknown.
We made it fun, too, thanks for that - Bronwen.
"And the fun continues!"
Your Friedrichshainer1034
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Toronto´s Bestes - tu es!" von Friedrichshainer1034
Das Campbell House Toronto
Gesamtbewertung:
Es lohnt sich, sich etwas Zeit für dieses unscheinbare Gebäude zu nehmen. Um Toronto aus vergangener Zeit besser zu verstehen, gehört das Campbell Haus, genauso wie das Erste Post Office Toronto unbedingt dazu.
Ablauf und Preis:
Am Eingang wird man freundlich empfangen und darüber aufgeklärt, dass es sich hier nicht um eine Museum im klassischen Sinne handelt, sondern um das Haus der Anwaltsvereinigung. Es wird aber gegen eine Spende eine Führung angeboten. Wir haben pro Person 5 C$ gegeben. Nach der Führung fand ich meine Spende auch wirklich angemessen.
Es gibt sechs Räume zu sehen. Wirklich sehenswert sind fünf, der sechste ist eine Veranstaltungsraum der Anwälte. Es handelt sich um das Spielzimmer, das Eßzimmer im Erdgeschoss, das Schlafzimmer und das Tanzzimmer im ersten Stock. Im Keller gibt es dann noch eine große Küche zu bewundern.
Führung:
Zuerst führte eine Dame durch das Spielzimmer und erklärte uns alle Gegenstände in diesem Raum. Dann übergab sie uns an eine ganz junge Dame, ihr Name ist Bronwen, die uns den Rest des Hauses erklärte. Sie beantwortete unsere Fragen geduldig und hatte Spaß dabei, uns die historischen Gegenstände in ihrer Funktion zu erläutern und vorzuführen. Ob es sich nun um die Bettpfanne handelte, den Kerzensafe oder auch den Ofen, sie wußte die eine oder andere Geschichte, die uns bisher unbekannt war.
Uns hat es auch viel Spaß gemacht, vielen Dank dafür - Bronwen.
"Und der Spass geht weiter!"
Euer Friedrichshainer1034
(Computer translation from German)
"Toronto's best - do it!" - Friedrichshainer1034
Campbell House Toronto
Overall rating:
It is worthwhile to take some time for this unassuming building. To Toronto from times past to understand better is the Campbell House, as well as the First PostOffice Toronto country badly.
Flow and price:
At the entrance you will be welcomed and informed about it, that it is not this is a museum in the classic sense, but the house of the Bar Association. It isoffered for a donation but a guide. We have been C $ 5 per person. After the tour I took my donation really appropriate.
There are six rooms to see. Really interesting are five, the sixth is a function room of the lawyers. This is the game room, the dining room on the ground floor,the bedroom and the upstairs dance room. In the basement there is still a large kitchen to admire.
leadership:
First, a woman ran through the game room and told us all the objects in this room. Then they gave us a very young lady, her name is Bronwen, who explained to us the rest of the house. They answered our questions patientlyand had fun doing it, we explain the historical objects in their function and demonstrate. Whether it's a question of the bedpan, the candles safe or eventhe stove, she knew one or the other story that was previously unknown.
We made it fun, too, thanks for that - Bronwen.
"And the fun continues!"
Your Friedrichshainer1034
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Toronto´s Bestes - tu es!" von Friedrichshainer1034
Das Campbell House Toronto
Gesamtbewertung:
Es lohnt sich, sich etwas Zeit für dieses unscheinbare Gebäude zu nehmen. Um Toronto aus vergangener Zeit besser zu verstehen, gehört das Campbell Haus, genauso wie das Erste Post Office Toronto unbedingt dazu.
Ablauf und Preis:
Am Eingang wird man freundlich empfangen und darüber aufgeklärt, dass es sich hier nicht um eine Museum im klassischen Sinne handelt, sondern um das Haus der Anwaltsvereinigung. Es wird aber gegen eine Spende eine Führung angeboten. Wir haben pro Person 5 C$ gegeben. Nach der Führung fand ich meine Spende auch wirklich angemessen.
Es gibt sechs Räume zu sehen. Wirklich sehenswert sind fünf, der sechste ist eine Veranstaltungsraum der Anwälte. Es handelt sich um das Spielzimmer, das Eßzimmer im Erdgeschoss, das Schlafzimmer und das Tanzzimmer im ersten Stock. Im Keller gibt es dann noch eine große Küche zu bewundern.
Führung:
Zuerst führte eine Dame durch das Spielzimmer und erklärte uns alle Gegenstände in diesem Raum. Dann übergab sie uns an eine ganz junge Dame, ihr Name ist Bronwen, die uns den Rest des Hauses erklärte. Sie beantwortete unsere Fragen geduldig und hatte Spaß dabei, uns die historischen Gegenstände in ihrer Funktion zu erläutern und vorzuführen. Ob es sich nun um die Bettpfanne handelte, den Kerzensafe oder auch den Ofen, sie wußte die eine oder andere Geschichte, die uns bisher unbekannt war.
Uns hat es auch viel Spaß gemacht, vielen Dank dafür - Bronwen.
"Und der Spass geht weiter!"
Euer Friedrichshainer1034
Written 11 October 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
baroom
Mississauga, Canada3,171 contributions
May 2022
This was second on our list for day 1 of Doors Open Toronto weekend (May 28-29). We got here after lunch and the lineup had already reached past the gates and about halfway to the corner of Queen St W and University Ave. We waited 28 mins to get inside Campbell House Museum for a self-guided tour. Staff outside the front doors told us to check out the 2 ground floor rooms first then head upstairs and finally let ourselves out at the back.
I initially thought that Campbell House Museum would be like other historic houses--such as the restored Mackenzie House also in downtown Toronto--that provide a snapshot of life in the 1800s. Campbell House has the distinction of being the oldest surviving building from the Town of York but I did not realize it was more of an exhibit space than a museum house. I was expecting an 1800s era house furnished with historic artifacts but then I started seeing contemporary art pieces here and there, which, to my untrained eye, looked entirely out of place. There was a humanoid table and what looked like melted wax frame in the dining room and a weird-looking sedan chair in the other room. I was confused at first because I had no idea what I was looking at. I obviously did not do my homework or I would have known what to expect. I did like the Town of York diorama encased in glass on the second floor landing.
I am not a big fan of museum-house-meets-contemporary-art so Campbell House lost some of its appeal to me. I believe we saw 4 rooms in all, 2 downstairs and 2 upstairs, but we actually spent more time in the queue outside than inside this place. Good thing we saved $10/person since admission was free on Doors Open day.
I initially thought that Campbell House Museum would be like other historic houses--such as the restored Mackenzie House also in downtown Toronto--that provide a snapshot of life in the 1800s. Campbell House has the distinction of being the oldest surviving building from the Town of York but I did not realize it was more of an exhibit space than a museum house. I was expecting an 1800s era house furnished with historic artifacts but then I started seeing contemporary art pieces here and there, which, to my untrained eye, looked entirely out of place. There was a humanoid table and what looked like melted wax frame in the dining room and a weird-looking sedan chair in the other room. I was confused at first because I had no idea what I was looking at. I obviously did not do my homework or I would have known what to expect. I did like the Town of York diorama encased in glass on the second floor landing.
I am not a big fan of museum-house-meets-contemporary-art so Campbell House lost some of its appeal to me. I believe we saw 4 rooms in all, 2 downstairs and 2 upstairs, but we actually spent more time in the queue outside than inside this place. Good thing we saved $10/person since admission was free on Doors Open day.
Written 2 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MandMUrban
Toronto, Canada103 contributions
Mar 2018 • Couples
This travelling exhibit ends this week at Campbell House.
The crystals are only one part of it.
Niches feature a number of well known Canadians like Massey, Reford and McCrae. The people chosen represent the Victorian meaning/quality of the flowers sent home from the First World War.
There are WWI artifacts, photos, films and even smells.
You could easily go through it in an hour. You could spend more time. The docents are quite eager to share their knowledge with you.
Go - it will touch your heart.
The crystals are only one part of it.
Niches feature a number of well known Canadians like Massey, Reford and McCrae. The people chosen represent the Victorian meaning/quality of the flowers sent home from the First World War.
There are WWI artifacts, photos, films and even smells.
You could easily go through it in an hour. You could spend more time. The docents are quite eager to share their knowledge with you.
Go - it will touch your heart.
Written 13 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Countrygirl6841
Caledon, Canada94 contributions
Feb 2018 • Family
This display of War Flowers is a travelling exhibit on at this museum from Jan 24 to March 25, 2018. The show was inspired by a Canadian soldier, George Stephen Cantilever who sent letters home to his youngest child every day he was overseas and Includeded in each letter was a flower he had picked. That is the basis of the multi sensory display. There are 10 stations, each with a handwritten letter to his daughter Celia and the accompanying flower. At each station is a picture of the flower, an explanation of its significance, and a button one can push and get the scent of the flower. Each of the stations names a Canadian who was involved in the war. At each station is an exquisite piece of crystal with scenes of the war. The walls of the two rooms of the exhibit are draped with black cloths. On these drapes are printed the names of the 68,000 Canadian soldiers who died in WW1. One comes away reflecting on how human nature can find beauty in the most horrible of ceircumstances. Well worth an hour of your time.
Written 4 February 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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