Canada Day at the Museum

Celebrate Canada Day by dropping in for an afternoon of free, family-friendly activities at Museum London. From interactive art activities and performances to guided exhibition tours and Indigenous ceremony, we invite you to join us in honouring community, culture, and connection across all areas of the Museum and our grounds.

Program

Welcome and Smudge Ceremony
12:00 – 12:15 PM
Join Melissa Deleary and Mary Lou Smoke for a traditional welcome ceremony with Ojibwe language and teachings. Melissa DeLeary is an Urban Anishinaabe artist, language explorer, and musician who teaches basic words, phrases, and the cultural significance behind them. Mary Lou Smoke is a proud member of the Ojibway Nation and Bear Clan from Batchawana Bay, Ontario. She is a distinguished educator, activist, writer, and broadcaster and is deeply committed to advancing her community and championing social justice.

Reimagining July 1 with Sweet Labour Art Collective
12:15 – 1:45 PM
Through collaborative art scores, simple creative exercises, and an interactive multi-disciplinary film, Awahite: Strawberry Heart, participants will engage through movement, listening, and creative response. Designed for all ages and abilities, visitors are encouraged to come and go, take part at their own pace, observe, join in, and move between both. 

Musical Performance: Shawn Durant
2:00 – 3:00 PM & 3:15 – 3:45 PM
Shawn Durant is a Haudenosaunee artist and musician based in London, who fronts the rock band S.D. Henhawke alongside his brother Derek Durant. Together, their music pairs atmospheric synth and keyboards with acoustic guitar and vocals. Their music is a folky, dream-pop sound with lyrics that reminisce on the connection to nature, life’s joys and collective struggles.

Closing Smudge Ceremony 
3:45 – 4:00 PM
Join Melissa Deleary and Mary Lou Smoke for a closing smudge ceremony connecting us to the four elements. Together, we will celebrate the teachings of our Indigenous community members and honour their culture and connection to the land through traditional drumming and song.

Drop-in Activities

Secret Garden Scratch Art
12:00 – 2:00 PM
Inspired by artist Amanda McCavour, families can explore scratch‑and‑reveal art by creating their own botanical drawings. Make your own scratch paper and discover a colourful secret garden beneath the surface!

Relationship Mapping Art Activity: Creator’s Gifts with Jen Plourde
12:00 – 4:00 PM
Join us in our studio to create mixed-media maps with local artist Jen Plourde. Jen is a member of Matachewan First Nation (Ojibwe) and a descendant of French settlers who is passionate about sharing her love of nature and its gifts. Using mixed media techniques, participants will create and map connections between themselves, their ancestors, and our natural surroundings. 

Guided Exhibition Tours: The Fast and the Fascinating
12:00 – 4:00 PM
Join us in our Volunteer and Moore Galleries to hear unique stories, fun facts, and insider insights on the works featured in All Around Me, All Around You. Spend as much or as little time as you wish learning and engaging with key works, asking questions, and discussing in small groups.

Stitch and Celebrate
2:00 – 4:00 PM
Drop in to embroider your own Canada Day creation! Choose from classic designs like maple leaves and fireworks or find inspiration in the work of artist Amanda McCavour to embroider images of beautiful native plant species.