Canada's
Penitentiary
Museum
Come visit Canada's Penitentiary Museum, the award-winning museum dedicated solely to the preservation and interpretation of the history of our federal penitentiaries. Located at the birthplace of the Correctional Service of Canada in Kingston Ontario, the museum is housed within Cedarhedge, which once housed the wardens of Kingston Penitentiary.
HOURS OF OPERATION 2025:
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Monday to Sunday
May 1st to October 31st
ADMISSION
Charitable Donation
PARKING
555 King Street West
Last admission at 3:30pm. Hours subject to change.
For tickets and information about the KP Tours across the street, please visit https://www.kingstonpentour.com/
News
Canada’s Penitentiary Museum Is Hiring! / Le Musée pénitentiaire du Canada embauche! Canada’s Penitentiary Museum, located in the old Warden’s residence of Kingston Penitentiary, is looking for interested applicants for the summer season (May 1 to September 1). The Museum…
For the Museum's 60th anniversary, we're looking back at our history - and what better way then by looking at some of the coverage of the Museum in the media over the years. In 1984, Andre Furlani, staff writer for…
For the Museum's 60th anniversary, we're looking back at our history - and what better way then by looking at some of the coverage of the Museum in the media over the years. In 1969, William Ramsay interviewed Murray Millar,…
A wonderful profile in Let's Talk, an official Correctional Service of Canada, about our curator Dave St. Onge, discussing the Museum's 60th anniversary, our history, our collection, including some new acquisitions, and our enduring popularity. A fitting tribute to Dave's…
May 20, 2024 marks the official 60th anniversary of Canada’s Penitentiary Museum. On May 20, 1964, Superintendent Robert Cunningham wrote to all Regional Directors and the Wardens of all Penitentiary Service institutions to report that a room had been set…
The Museum
Located at the birthplace of the Correctional Service of Canada in Kingston Ontario, the museum is housed within the former residence of the warden of Kingston Penitentiary.
Friends of the Penitentiary Museum
The "Friends of the Penitentiary Museum" are a volunteer group dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of the fascinating history of Canada's Federal penitentiary system. Some of us have a correctional background. Others have a passionate interest in Canada's history. It would seem we are not alone in thinking exposure to correctional history is key to understanding any society. Currently more than 50,000 people per year visit this award-winning museum housed in the former Warden's residence of Kingston Penitentiary.