Adventures in Time Travel
March Break at the Museum
Looking for family-friendly activities during March Break? Feed your curiosity and travel back in time at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons! With take-home crafts, historical demonstrations, storytelling and more, we guarantee your journey to the 17th century will be both educational and fun. No time machine, or reservations, required.
Dates & Times:
Dates: Monday, March 16 to Friday, March 20
Times: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tickets Details:
- Tickets are $12, tax included
- Children five and under are free
- No reservations required!
- Ontario Teachers, Members of the Canadian Military, and Indigenous peoples are eligible for free admission with valid ID
- Season passes include this event
- A support person accompanying a paying guest with a disability is eligible for free admission
- Please read the information found under “Plan Your Visit” below for more details
Tickets available soon!
What to expect:
This is our third year offering travel travelling fun during March Break and the program keeps getting better! We’ve expanded the event’s footprint and continue to add even more exciting activities each year.
All-day Outdoor Activities
- Explore the historic site and find unique historical objects with our outdoor scavenger hunt
- Roast bannock over a fire and dip it in syrup for a delicious treat (available until 3:30 p.m.)
- Try on historical costumes in the Shoemaker/Tailor’s workshop
- Play traditional First Nations games in En Pilier and take some home
- Make a mini cob of corn out of colourful beads
- Watch the historic blacksmith at work
- Explore several historical buildings and imagine life in 17th century Wendake including:
- longhouses
- wigwams
- blacksmith shop
- chapel
- cookhouse
- en pilier
- shoemaker/tailor’s
- Church of St. Joseph
- and more!
All-day Indoor Activities
- Discover centuries-old artefacts in our indoor scavenger hunt
- Make your own clay pots and okies to take home
- Make a mini birch bark canoe out of paper and popsicle sticks
- Create and decorate your own corn husk doll
- Make your own version of a mokuk (birch bark basket) with paper
Timed historical presentations in the longhouse
- 10:30 a.m., noon and 2:30 p.m. – Learn the French and Wendat methods for starting fires in the 17th century
- 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. – Listen to Indigenous stories in the longhouse
Please note that children must be accompanied by an adult.
Kid-friendly meal options:
Visit Restaurant Sainte-Marie for a convenient and delicious addition to your time travelling adventure! For a historic option, try the three sisters soup and bannock. They also have a $10 kids’ menu with classics like chicken fingers and fries.
Image Gallery:
Please click each image below to see a larger version.
Upcoming events at Sainte-Marie
Beyond the palisades
Step into a world rarely seen by the public. Beyond the Palisades is a one-night-only experience that invites you to explore Sainte-Marie among the Hurons in a whole new light—after hours, with exclusive access to hidden treasures, engaging speakers, live music, and a cultured atmosphere.
Sky stories
Let our most knowledgeable costumed interpreters share captivating stories of how the Wendat and French in the 17th century looked to the stars for guidance. Discover how constellations shaped travel, seasonal knowledge, and cultural traditions that connected communities to the land and each other. Add a touch of wonder to your Dinner Under the Stars or overnight cabin stay by gathering around a cozy fire inside a traditional longhouse as sparks rise toward the night sky.
Sweetwater Harvest Festival
Celebrate the arrival of spring at both Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre and Sainte-Marie among the Hurons! Experience the joys of maple season with hands‑on demonstrations, outdoor activities and crafts for all ages, and a vibrant look at local heritage and nature. From tasting fresh maple taffy to shopping a vendor market, it’s the perfect family-friendly way to enjoy the season and explore two of Midland’s most iconic sites.
While we love our furry friends, we are not able to accommodate pets at this special event (service dogs are welcomed of course). Thank you for your understanding.
- Restaurant Sainte-Marie will be open during this event and offering delicious lunch, dinner, and kid-friendly options.
- The Flint and Timbre Co. gift shop will be open.
- Sainte-Marie among the Hurons is a mask-friendly environment.
- Smoking or vaping (including marijuana) is not permitted on Sainte-Marie property.
16164 Highway 12 East, Midland, ON, L4R 4K8
Parking Info
There is ample parking for visitors including those with RVs and buses. Please park in the parking lot provided and make your way to the admissions entrance. We also have bike racks available for cyclists coming from the Tay Trail.
Need more info?
Please contact us at hhp@ontario.ca or (705) 526-7838 if you have any questions.
Ontario’s first European Community, Sainte-Marie among the Hurons was the headquarters for the French Jesuit Mission to the Huron-Wendat people. In 1639, the Jesuits, along with French lay workers, began construction of a fenced community that included barracks, a church, workshops, residences, and a sheltered area for Indigenous visitors. This community was abandoned and burned down in 1649.
After extensive archaeological and historical research, Sainte-Marie among the Hurons is now recreated on its original site, where the mission’s compelling story is brought to life with costumed historical interpreters, demonstrations and hands-on activities.
Located near Midland, on the Wye River, this world-renowned reconstruction offers visitors a unique opportunity to see the earliest Canadian pioneer life through self-guided visits, group tours, interactive education programs, and special events. Complete your experience by exploring our interpretive museum and themed gift shop.
