We are open throughout the year! Visit Hillary House National Historic Site, a historic house museum from the Victorian period. We welcome you for a guided tour, to host your private events, or to join one of our many programs. Stop by our Gift Shop or simply enjoy the beautiful grounds. Come and see this unique and nationally-designated property within the Aurora community.
Hillary House National Historic Site
15372 Yonge Street, Aurora, Ontario, L4G 1N8
(905) 727-8991 • community@aurorahs.com
Open Monday to Friday, 10AM to 4PM*
While we accept walk-in visits, pre-booked appointments/tours are preferred.
Please call or email ahead to book your visit today.
Thank you for your understanding!
*Hillary House is occasionally closed for private rentals and special events, both inside our heritage property and outside on our grounds. We recommend that you contact our office to ensure availability prior to your visit.
Admission to Museum: $5.00 per person for individuals 12 years of age and older. Personal caregivers have free admission. Service animals are welcome.
Access to Grounds & Gift Shop: Free
Gift Shop Donation Drop-off: South Entrance, cabinet marked “Drop-off for Gift Shop” for resale items in our Gift Shop. For larger items, please contact the AHS Office. For Museum Artifact Donations, please contact the Curator/Manager directly to arrange the transfer of artifacts.
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Before Arriving to Hillary House
General Guidelines: To protect you, our team, the artifacts, and the building, we have some general guidelines to consider prior to your visit.
- Masks are optional inside Hillary House and our Staff would be happy to wear a mask upon visitor’s request.
- We do not allow pets inside the museum. Service animals are welcome.
- No food or drinks permitted on tours.
- Backpacks and larger bags must stay in our Coat Closet during your visit inside.
- Due to having artifacts on open display in the historic rooms, we do not permit self-guided tours.
Entrance: Our south South Door (in front of the parking lot) is open for visitor access, which is the closest door to the AHS Office and our Gift Shop. Our heritage Front Door is usually locked, but you may ring its door bell, use the door knocker, or call our office for the door to be opened. See instructions on the Front Door’s sidelight window to use the heritage entrance.
Parking: We have limited on-site parking, but it is available for visitors to use and it is complimentary with your visit. Access is through a driveway off of Yonge Street. We recommend you park at one of the many free parking areas nearby, less than a 5 minute walk. There is free parking on surrounding streets including Yonge St, Irwin Ave, Catherine Ave, and Maple St. Our Front Gate is open for pedestrian access during opening hours.
Accessibility
Due to our heritage infrastructure, Hillary House is not an accessible building. We are limited in the changes that we can make to our heritage property; however, we want to invite everyone to be able to enjoy our site. Please get in touch with us if you have accessibility inquires, and we have various ways in which we may be able to meet your needs. Here are some of our accessibility notes to consider before your visit:
- Please be aware that our grounds are uneven, both inside and outside the historic house. The outside walkways and driveway can be especially slippery during colder months. For this reason, we ask that you navigate the grounds carefully.
- We do not have an elevator. Access to all three floors, including access to the washrooms, requires using stairs. All of our stairs have banisters, but some stairs are longer and/or steeper than others. Please get in touch with us if you have concerns with using stairs, as we have some alternatives available to still providing you a fulsome tour.
- Our historic rooms have low lighting. We add additional lights where we can and AHS Staff are with you on the property at all times.
- Door frames can be low and sometimes narrow. We ask that you watch your head on low entryways when navigating the property. Contact us if you are interested to know the dimensions of our stairways and stairs.
- The historic house has medical artifacts and anatomical sketches on display, which may be uncomfortable for some visitors. Please let your tour guide know about your preferences, and we can certainly avoid those spaces on your tour.
- A French-language tour booklet is available, upon request.
We are always updating our Accessibility Package that provides a more detailed outline of our site’s limitations. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work on improving our offerings to the community. Please let us know how we can better serve your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do guided tours have to be pre-booked?
Drop-ins are welcome. However, tours are dependent on AHS Staff and venue availability. We sometimes have schools groups/ other groups visiting, or private rentals happening during our opening hours. We recommend you call ahead so that we can make sure that staff/volunteers are available to give you a tour.
Can I donate an antique item from Aurora for your historical collection?
We are extremely limited on items that we accept into the museum collection. Our Collections Policy outlines our Collecting Mandate, which is to only accept items that are directly related to the people who lived inside Hillary House, with emphasis on the Hillary family. For general Aurora inquiries and donations, please visit the Aurora Museum & Archives website here.
Can I wander around the museum without a guided tour?
We do not permit wandering and/or self-guided tours because our museum has artifacts on open display in the historic rooms. However, you may wander the outdoor grounds and read our historic panels without a tour guide and at any time. Hillary House and its gardens are considered to be one big artifact, so please treat the property with respect during your visit, whether it is inside or outside.
Other than a tour, what else can I do there?
Enjoy the grounds for free! You can sketch in our gardens, do plein air painting, picnic with friends, or take pictures of our lovely architecture. The AHS also runs several programs and special events. Stay up-to-date with what is happening by visiting our Events or Programs website pages, following our social media, or by signing up for The Attic newsletter. Most of our events require pre-registration, so plan ahead!
Are you the Aurora Museum?
No, we are the Aurora Historical Society, an independent non-profit organization and registered charity. We understand that our names can be confusing. The Aurora Museum & Archives is the Town of Aurora’s municipally operated museum and a completely separate organization. The mission of the Aurora Museum & Archives is to serve as a repository for the collective stories and experiences of the Town of Aurora.
Is the property available for private rental?
Yes, we have several Rental Packages for both private and commercial use. We often have people using our heritage property for photography, filming, weddings, baby showers, concerts, meetings, and the list goes on. Please contact us to receive our rental packages, including fees and booking information.
*Please note: Commercial photography has a fee. Please contact us to learn more.
Can I use the Grass Tennis Court?
The historic Grass Tennis Court on the north side of our property is considered as an artifact! We ask that people please do not play on it. Our AHS Garden Volunteers put in a lot of effort to keep the grounds in good condition. Occasionally, we will run specific events that allows you to play on the Court, but generally we ask that you only admire it.