About Us
The Elliot Lake Museum is a community museum which facilitates the preservation of the Elliot Lake area's history. Tracing our heritage right from its geological foundations, the museum showcases early Indigenous culture, trapping and logging industry, and Elliot Lake's civic pride, with a special emphasis on the prospecting and mining which put us on the map.
The museum is preparing a move to a new facility and does not currently have permanent, staffed exhibition space. In the interim, please check out our satellite exhibits, visit our Facebook page, or contact us about accessing our collections and special programming.
Mission
The Elliot Lake Museum is dedicated to engaging and educating our community and visitors by collecting, preserving, interpreting, and sharing our ongoing heritage and history in an inclusive capacity.
Vision
The Elliot Lake Museum (ELM) will be an inviting destination for education and entertainment, accessible to all. It will be the preserver of the community’s stories and collective identity, and will be valued and supported as a vital asset in the area.
The ELM will be innovative and take advantage of new technologies and partnerships. The ELM will seek collaborations within Elliot Lake, our First Nations neighbours, and the museum community, to help build a thriving membership and a strong, committed volunteer base.
The ELM will foster participation and interest in the community’s heritage and contribute to the overall cultural vitality of Elliot Lake through its exhibitions and quality programs for residents and visitors of all ages and circumstances.
Museum Constituents
| Canadian Mining Hall of Fame |
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The museum hosts the northern home of the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame (CMHF). The CMHF is dedicated to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding lifetime achievement in the mining industry, featuring photos and contributions. Three of Elliot Lake's notable founders, Franc Joubin, Joseph Hirshhorn, and Stephen Roman are all enshrined in the CMHF. Learn more about the contributions of these individuals on our uranium mining page. |
| Miners' Memorial Park |
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Elliot Lake's Miners' Memorial Park, located on the shores of Horne Lake, is home to the Mining Monument, the Miners' Memorial, and the Prospectors' Monument. The park is dedicated to the area's heritage of uranium mining. The Elliot Lake Museum looks after all new memorial brick and memorial wall additions. |
| Ranger's Heritage Centre |
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The Ranger's Heritage Centre is not open to the public for the 2024 season—thank you for your understanding. The Fire Ranger’s Heritage Centre is the restored ranger’s cabin which housed the tower watchman and his family during fire watch months. This cabin now acts as a seasonal satellite location for the Elliot Lake Museum where you can pick up souvenirs, snacks, and brochures as well as historical information on the fire tower and surrounding area. |
Collections
The Elliot Lake Museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting artefacts, in a responsible and sustainable manner, which illustrate the heritage and evolving history of the City of Elliot Lake and its surrounding area.
The museum's artefacts—objects, photos, documents, and other—are categorized into five collections:
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Geology |
| The Elliot Lake area sits upon some of the oldest rocks in the world. The geology collection pays tribute to our community's foundation—not just the array of minerals beneath our feet, but also the uranium which put us on the map. |
| First Nations |
| Elliot Lake is the inherent territory of the Serpent River First Nation and Huron Robinson Treaty land. The First Nations collection facilitates our Indigenous neighbours—Serpent River, Mississaugi, and Sagamok—to tell their stories. |
| Trapping & Logging |
| Minerals are not the only capital our area had to offer; the trapping and logging collection provides insight into the history of harvesting other abundant, local natural resources: wildlife and forest. |
| Prospecting & Mining |
| Elliot Lake sits atop a geological reservoir ripe for assaying and extracting. This collection traces the history of the prospecting and mining of the mineral which, for a period, branded Elliot Lake the "Uranium Capital of the World," through to the decommissioning of this industry. |
| Civic |
| The civic collection documents Elliot Lake's history from mining encampment, to Township, to City, highlighting the rise and fall of industries and the individuals whose dedication to the community made it a true "jewel in the wilderness." |
Donations
Do you have an interesting item to donate to the museum that relates to the history of the Elliot Lake area? Use this form to connect with our team.
Events & Programs
The Elliot Lake Museum plans and hosts special and recurrent events and programs. Contact the museum for specialized programming and access to our collections for your classroom, community group, or organization.
Geology Tours
The Elliot Lake Museum Geology Tours take you north up Hwy 108 to experience some of the Elliot Lake area's most unique and eye-catching geological formations.
| Dates & Times |
| Date: TBA
Time: TBA |
| General Details |
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Cost: None. Location: Drop-off and pick-up at W.H. Collins Hall Centre. Tour conducted north on Hwy 108. To note: Optional 1km hike. Bathroom facility available at midpoint. Comfortable clothing and footwear recommended. |
Mine Site Tours
Rehabilitated Mine Site Tours are offered in partnership with BHP during our annual Heritage Days festivities held throughout the July long weekend.
| 2024 - Quirke Mine Site |
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On June 27, 2024, BHP hosted a guided tour of the decommissioned Quirke Mine site and tailing management areas.
Photo Gallery: Quirke Site Tour will appear here on the public site.
Quirke Mine operated from October of 1956 to September of 1961, producing 3.7 million tons of ore, and again from 1967 to August of 1990, producing 42 million tons of ore. Demolition of the Quirke Mine began in 1992, alongside construction of a tailings management area and the flooding of 160 acres of tailings. Today, BHP looks after the continued rehabilitation of the area.
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Trivia Nights
Join the Elliot Lake Museum for Trivia Nights hosted at the Collins Hall.
Test your knowledge and memory against other teams and enjoy a friendly competition of general trivia to win prizes. Expect a category all about our community’s history to see if you can truly become Elliot Lake’s Trivia Champs!
| Dates and Times |
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Upcoming dates TBA. |
| How to register |
| Fill out our online form, email the museum, or give us a call at (705) 848-2287 ext. 2402. |
| Categories |
| Each event will have three categories comprised of a mix of questions regarding general knowledge, music, entertainment, sports, and Elliot Lake's own history. |
| Prizes |
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Prizes will be awarded to first and second place overall. |
Day of Mourning Ceremony
On Canada's Annual Day of Mourning, April 28, a ceremony is held at the Miners' Memorial to commemorate the individuals being added to the wall and bring awareness to workplace safety and occupational exposures.
| Application Process |
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The Miners' Memorial honours those who lost their lives from working in the Elliot Lake mines. If you believe a loved one is eligible for this tribute, please review our Memorial Wall Application Form and contact the museum. New inductees are reviewed by the Miners' Memorial Name Selection Subcommittee in January of each year and and proposed to Council for final approval. |
Exhibits
The Elliot Lake Museum does not currently have a permanent, staffed exhibition space.
Satellite Exhibits
Visit these locations for informative and engaging rotating exhibits about the history of the Elliot Lake area.
| Elliot Lake Public Library |
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Check back soon! |
| Fire Ranger's Cabin |
| Check back soon! |
Virtual Exhibits
Follow us on our Facebook for insights into the museum's collections through curated, historically significant artefacts and photographs:
Quick Links
Virtual Platforms
Miners' Memorial Park
Miners' Memorial Park Miners' Memorial Bricks Miners' Memorial Walls
Contact Us