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

In 1995, the Oshawa Museum received a donation of letters written by William Garrow Jr. The collection includes over 18 letters written by William, most of them to his two sisters Leah and Lillian, while he was overseas during the First World War. It is a unique collection as it chronicles William’s time overseas, starting with his arrival in England, following him as he moved to the Western Front and ends with his family’s notification of his tragic death.

The letters have since been transcribed, digitized, and are the focus of the online exhibit, Letters from the Trenches.

Image: Letter from William Garrow to his sister, Lillian, 11 January 1916; Oshawa Museum archival collection (A995.8.18b).