Check out these fun and spooky Halloween events at museums around the Ottawa area!
Diefenbunker
Incident at the Bunker: A Zombie Adventure is Ottawa’s living version of the Walking Dead. Haunted Walks will take you on an interactive tour around the Cold War bunker. Zombies and surprises await you! Tours are offered on October 24, 25, 31 and November 1. Suggested for ages 12 and up. Click here for details.
Watson’s Mill
Take a dark and spooky tour through Watson’s “haunted” 1860’s flour mill. Recommended for children 10 and older. The Haunted Mill will take place at night from October 22-24. On Halloween, Watson’s Mill in Manotick is also holding a children’s Halloween party. Find the details here.
Nepean Museum A Pumpkin Party is occurring at the Nepean Museum. On Sunday October 25, families are invited to come carve pumpkins and make Halloween costumes. There will be professional face-painters, ready to transform guests into beautiful butterflies, ghastly ghosts and everything in between. Even better, this family event is free! Details here.
Cumberland Heritage Village Museum
Halloween Hijinks is a daytime event being held on Sunday October 25. Children are encouraged to wear their costumes and come trick-or-treating in the safe museum environment. They will go from one heritage building to the next, and costumed characters will give out period-appropriate treats. Click here for additional information.
Pinhey’s Point Historic Site
Halloween at Horaceville is taking place Sunday October 25 in the day. Families can come and carve pumpkins, snack on Halloween candy, and enjoy some scary stories. Pinhey’s Point is a historic site with 88 acres to explore. Click here for details about Halloween at Horaceville.
Canadian Aviation and Space Museum Halloween magic tricks and treats will be happening on Sunday October 25 at the museum. Guests are invited to wear their costumes to watch Illusionist Chris Pilsworth’s Halloween magic show. More information here.
Goulbourn Museum
The museum is welcoming children ages 6-11 on Sunday October 25 for Mansion Mayhem. They will spend the afternoon creating (and possibly eating) their own edible haunted houses, playing games and of course wearing their Halloween costumes. Click here for details.
Billings Estate National Historic Site
Séance and Halloween Party at the historic estate of the Billings family! On Sunday October 25 in the evening, a séance will take place with a psychic medium. The séance is an 18+ event, and there will also be Halloween treats and hot cider served. On October 31, a family friendly Halloween Party is planned. Children will be able to trick-or-treat at child-sized haunted houses. More details here.
Canadian Museum of Nature
Nature Nocturne, themed Giant Bug Invasion this month, is being held on October 30. One night before Halloween, guests are invited to dress in bug-inspired costumes for this 19+ adult-only event. Explore the museum galleries and enjoy music, dancing, food and drinks. Click here for additional information.
The Spencerville MillA Halloween masquerade ball will be held at the Spencerville Mill on October 30. Spend a night out at this is an adult-only event. Come dressed up because there will be prizes for the best costumes! More details here.
The Mississippi Valley Textile Museum
A haunted walk and movie screening will be taking place in Almonte. At night on October 30 , scary stories will be told during the tour which begins at Almonte Old Town Hall and ends at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum. The movie “The Ghosts of Mississippi Mills” will be played in the museum. Further information can be found here.
Upper Canada Village
Pumpkinferno displays over 6,000 intricately carved artificial pumpkins. The walking tour around the 1860’s themed living village takes around 40 minutes. A new Fish of the St. Lawrence exhibit was added this year. Pumpkinferno, a family friendly event, is open Thursday-Sunday evenings until November 1. Click here for more information.Canadian Agriculture and Food Museum
A Barnyard Hallowe’en is taking place during the daytime on October 31 and November 1. This museum celebrates Canada’s agriculture heritage and invites families to wear costumes, create “green goblin” smoothies, participate in decorating pumpkins, Halloween activities, scavenger hunts, wagon rides, and more. Click here for details.
Canadian Museum of History During October, children ages 5 and up can make Halloween crafts at the Canadian Museum of History. Little ones are also encouraged to find all of the bats hiding in the children’s section of the museum to win a Halloween prize. Craft details here and Bat Hunt details here.
Osgoode Township Museum
On Halloween, children can stop by the museum to get crafty by creating creepy creatures, participating in a Halloween maze, and visiting in the evening for trick-or-treating. Check out the details here.
Old Carleton County Jail
This former prison now functions as a youth hostel, the Ottawa Jail Hostel. Haunted Walks offers a Ghosts and the Gallows tour of the old jail throughout the year, including some tours on Halloween night. The jail opened in 1862, and Canada’s last execution took place there. Where else is more haunted on Halloween? Click here for further information.
Victoria Klassen, intern at the CMA, is a fourth-year Carleton University journalism and English student.
