Heritage Centre Home
The exhibits at the Heritage Centre are designed to provide an educational and entertaining experience that people of all ages will enjoy. Featured in the galleries are:
Coming to Canada: Resettling in Richmond Hill - Now Open
Through the use of photos, artifacts and stories, this exhibit highlights the journey of settlers to Canada, and specifically Richmond Hill, over the last 200 years.
Stories from Ontario's Movie Theatres - Opens May 11
Do you remember the excitement of that special night at the movies? Was it your first evening show as a child, the first date with your future spouse, or just the thrill of seeing the best movie ever? The theatre regulatory files held by the Archives of Ontario tell stories of the theatres, their owners, and sometimes even their patrons.
Stories from Ontario's Movie Theatres [PDF]
The Collection
Historic Artifacts and Art
The Town of Richmond Hill holds the collection in public trust for the education and enjoyment of the general public. The collection consists of more than 4,000 artifacts including:
The Phyllis Rawlinson Estate;
The Langstaff Collection; and
The Richmond Hill Historical Society Collection.
Artifacts represent the mid 19th Century to the present day, ranging from building artifacts, home furnishings, tools, textiles, recreational artifacts and much more.
Archives
Working with the Richmond Hill Public Library our archival collection contains:
Municipal records such as Council Minutes, Assessment Rolls, Voters' Lists, and documents detailing significant municipal policies, decisions, and activities; 
Historic photographs documenting changing landscapes and architecture, leisure and work, personalities and special events;
Maps, plans, and architectural drawings from the 1850's to the 1980's;
Records of local organizations past and present; and
Papers of individual residents or former residents.
For more information on the Archival Collection and to view the Richmond Hill Library’s local history photographic collection, click here.
Archaeology
The Town of Richmond Hill is also proud to house an extensive prehistoric and historic Archaeology Collection. In 1988, the Town’s Planning & Development Department (now Planning & Regulatory Services Department) adopted the Archaeological Master Plan produced by Archaeological Services Inc. It has been a beneficial tool to the Archaeological Community and the Town. A total of 119 archaeological sites throughout the Town have been identified, researched, and excavated to a satisfactory level, since 1988.
The following four sites, McGaw, Lake Wilcox, Murphy-Goulding/Orion and the Vanderburgh House, stand out as intriguing, exceptional and unique examples of local history. These sites range from a pristine pre-contact First Nation site to a EuroCanadian farmstead that shed light on a period where there was an absence of archival information, not just in Richmond Hill, but in what became the province of Ontario.
Donations
The Town of Richmond Hill collects significant artifacts related to its social, political and economic history as represented by the past, present and future of the community. For organizations and individuals interested in donating artifacts, archival material or art to the Town of Richmond Hill Collection, please contact the Arts and Heritage Coordinator at (905) 737-8985, ext. 6007 or mmackenzie@richmondhill.ca.
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