Welcome to the Murney Tower Museum!

About Us

The Murney Tower Museum is a local history museum operated by the Kingston Historical Society in partnership with Parks Canada since 1925. It is located in one of the four Martello Towers of Kingston, Ontario and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Rideau Canal and Kingston Fortifications. It is the oldest operating museum in Kingston, which has a collection of domestic and military artifacts that portray 19th-century life in Kingston. It also offers guided tours, audio tours, educational programs, special events, and exhibits.

Announcements

Summer 2026 Events and Programs

The season is in full swing and we’re ready to reveal our Summer 2026 event lineup! Take a look at what we have coming up.

July 11th: Tunes in the Tower: A Night of Celtic Music: Join us for a night of live Celtic music from Kevin & the Kitchen Sink and some delightfully historic baked goods! Costumed encouraged.

July 23rd: Kids Take Over the Museum: There’s one day a year where the museum belongs to kids! Kids Take Over the Museum is a day of heritage workshops made specially for kids aged 5-12.

August 15th: Murney Fest: Murney Fest is an annual fun-filled day where you can play games, engage with local heritage sites, and take part Murney-inspired arts and crafts!

August 30th: Murney Cruise: Back by popular demand, we’re collaborating with Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises to host another Murney-themed sunset cruise.

For more information, please visit our events page.

Murney Tower Museum Presents New Haiku Exhibition in Partnership with Haiku Canada

Murney Tower Museum is proud to present a new poetry exhibition developed in partnership with Haiku Canada.

This first-of-its-kind exhibition features 42 English- and French-language haiku by members of Haiku Canada, a national society dedicated to promoting the creation and appreciation of haiku and related poetic forms. Rooted in moments of perception and lived experience, the exhibition reflects the spirit of haiku as an art form that captures fleeting yet meaningful impressions.

Inspired by Murney Tower itself, the selected works respond to the site’s architecture, atmosphere, surrounding landscape, and layered histories. Together, the poems offer quiet reflections on place, memory, nature, and connection across time.

Visitors are also invited to take part in an interactive station where they can compose and submit their own haiku, creating new reflections inspired by the tower and its surroundings.

New Exhibitions Now on View at Murney Tower Museum

Murney Tower Museum is pleased to introduce several new exhibitions on the barracks level.

Visitors can explore an exhibit showcasing artifacts and information about the Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment, as well as a display exploring the experiences of children and families who lived in the tower and in 19th-century Kingston. A new archival exhibit, Building Murney, explores the construction of the tower using materials from Queen’s University Archives and Library and Archives Canada. Our fourth feature exhibit highlights the museum’s Gardiner Collection, an array of royal commemorative pieces.

Together, these exhibitions feature never-before-seen artifacts from the museum’s collection and provide new glimpses into both Kingston’s history and the story of Murney Tower itself.

All exhibits are now open to visitors during regular museum hours.