Menu

Collections and Research

About Our Collections

The stewardship of the collections is a public trust. We value the trust placed with us to safeguard the collection, and we recognize our responsibility to strategically develop the collection for future generations. Our collection is diverse, just like Oshawa’s history, and we are committed to expanding the narratives we share. We care for over 50,000 objects and photographs covering social history, science, technology, and Indigenous history and will continue to strategically manage and develop the collection as a growing resource for education and research.

Column

Explore the Collection

Portions of the Oshawa Museum's Collections Database are available online, and more images and records will be added over time. Permission may be obtained to use collection images for education and scholarly purposes. Contact Archival or Curatorial staff for the most complete information about the online database and reproductions requests by email

curator@oshawamuseum.org

Online DatabaseOnline Database

Column

Online Resources

The focus of the archival collection is strictly items related to the history of Oshawa. Items found in this collection are available for those who are researching Oshawa's early pre-history as well as those who are interested in learning more about local businesses or researching their genealogy. A number of these resources have been made available online:

Online ResourcesOnline Resources

Column

Donate to the Collections

The collections comes from people just like you! While objects are sometimes purchased for specific exhibitions or programs, the vast majority of the Museum's objects are donated by the community.

Learn more about how you can help us preserve Oshawa's history for future generations.

How to DonateHow to Donate

ArteFACTs

Peter Pan Portable Gramophone (971.12.10)

With today’s technology, music is on demand and on the go. Back in the 1920s, a portable gramophone, like this Peter Pan model, would have meant you could take your music to the beach, on a picnic, or anywhere else you were going. Many different portable record players were introduced to the markets in the early 20^th century, many modelled after the popular and inexpensive box cameras, like the Kodak Brownies. The Peter Pan gramophone was made in England and were first available in 1923.

Information provided from The Routledge Guide to Music Technology, edited by Thom Holmes (2006).