Get in touch: Hillary House National Historic Site, 15372 Yonge Street, Aurora, Ontario • 905-727-8991 • community@aurorahs.com

Programs

A group of children in uniforms gather around a Victorian-themed dining table, and listen to an AHS tour guide.

The AHS is pleased to offer a variety of programs for our audiences.

The AHS hosts school groups for single-day educational programming, activities for camps, exploratory games for scouts and guides, youth-oriented programs, senior-specific activities, and many other customized programs at Hillary House National Historic Site. There is an option to book programs as an outreach visit or as a virtual-only program.

Our educational strategic focus and intentions of our organization are: Through thoughtful community-based programming, AHS will promote awareness, connection, insight and pride in our community and heritage.

The AHS is dedicated to providing safe, accessible, engaging and innovative programming. Please reach out if you require any modifications to the available programs.

Send an Inquiry Email

Audience-Specific Offerings

For more information on what the AHS offers, or to book a program, please email community@aurorahs.com or call at 905-727-8991 to make an inquiry.

St. Anne’s Academy school visit of young ladies take an enthusiastic photo by the Hillary House front door with their two teachers.

School Visits & Camps

A group of teenagers are gathered at a table with laptops and notebooks, smiling and posing for the camera.

Youth Programs

The hands of children peak out from the edges of the photo, gathering in the center of a grey table to spin hand-made decorative spinners.

Scouts & Guides

A group of older women are gathered at a table doing watercolour painting in a living room space.

Senior Programs

A woman in a white shirt and black pants speaks to a group behind the camera, standing by a PowerPoint presentation showing images of cursive writing on letters.

Outreach Visits

School Visits & Camps: The AHS offers customizable programs for Grades 3 to 12, following the Ontario Curriculum. Contact the AHS to receive the full educational programming package. The AHS aims to connect to your classroom needs. We have a room capacity of 25 people, not including teachers or supervising leaders. Our program offerings usually involve a tour of Hillary House and an activity or game. Some examples include:

  • A Day in the Life: History Through Primary Sources
  • Getting to Know Aurora: Historic Walking Tours
  • Look Up! Exploring Art & Architecture at Hillary House
  • Career Pathways 101: Introductions to Careers in Cultural Institutions
  • Secrets in Material Culture: Investigating the Archives

We also host camps! Book your camp group with us, either at Hillary House or at your organization’s location. We are flexible with age groups, program modifications, and camp theme. Get in touch with us to discuss a potential program.

Youth Programs: The AHS has hosted a Youth Mentorship Program in the past. Offered exclusively for youth in Grades 9 to 12, this program takes place every other week, from 3:30pm to 5:30pm at Hillary House National Historic Site. Students earn regular volunteer hours while learning about working in the arts and culture field, guided by our knowledgeable AHS Staff. Explore community hotspots together, learn basic transferable job skills, and work on a collaborative peer exhibition that will open at the end of the program in May. Get passionate about your interests, showcase your talents, and develop your skills. Please email to inquire about future sessions. Throughout the year, the AHS also hosts special events catered to the interests of youth. Please see our Events page for what may be coming up.

Scouts & Guides: We welcome Boy Scouts and Girl Guides groups for single-day programs to help fulfill their badge requirements. Below is the overview of programs. Please email community@aurorahs.com for full program details.

  • History Through Play (Beavers) – About historical games and recreational hobbies
  • Explore Aurora’s Past (Cubs) – Scavenger hunts and other exploratory activities
  • Hands-on with Artifacts (Scouts) – Learning about everyday life through interaction with historical objects
  • Connect with Your Senses (Sparks) – Sensory boxes and connecting with historical spaces around you
  • Listening to Her Story (Embers) – Learn about Canadian stories as told through the lens of local historical women
  • My Town (Guides) – Understand the evolution of technology and ways of life, using your own town as an example
  • Meaningful Objects, Past & Present (Pathfinders) – Exploring how objects are meaningful to people, societies, and how this changes

Seniors Programs: Get paired up with an AHS youth or adult volunteer for our Seniors Programs and get to know historic Aurora. Play Victorian Era games together, or get hands-on with artifacts from the Hillary House collection. Explore local history through engaging activities and exchanging stories with other community members. All programs are designed to come to you, but you can also join them at Hillary House too!

Outreach Visits: We can come to you. The AHS is pleased to prepare a presentation, activity or craft, to be facilitated at your organization’s location. In the past, we have been to school classrooms, senior centres, libraries, and many more. We are also happy to participate in larger community events, preparing a booth to engage with audiences about what the AHS has to offer. Get in touch with us to explore more options.

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