Welcome to the Murney Tower Museum!
A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE
Operated by the Kingston Historical Society since 1925.
About Us
The Murney Tower Museum is a local history museum operated by the Kingston Historical Society in partnership with Parks Canada since 1925. It is located in one of the four Martello Towers of Kingston, Ontario and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Rideau Canal and Kingston Fortifications. It is the oldest operating museum in Kingston, which has a collection of domestic and military artifacts that portray 19th-century life in Kingston. It also offers guided tours, audio tours, educational programs, special events, and exhibits.
Announcements
Upcoming Events
There’s always something going on for the Murney Tower Museum, even when we’re closed for the season! Here’s what’s happening in September and October:
Sunday, August 9th from 11:00 AM -3:00 PM: Murney Tower Museum will be at the Great Lakes Museum for their 50th Anniversary celebration! Join us for crafts and activities as we celebrate one of our fellow Kingston museums. See the Great Lakes Museum for details.
Saturday, September 13th from 2:00-4:00 PM: Join us at the KFPL Central Branch (130 Johnson St.) for a special story time for our children’s book, The Time-Travelling Adventures of Mr. Murney, along with some crafts, activities, and treats! Admission is free, registration is required. See event page for details.
Friday, October 10th to Sunday, October 12th, from 5:00 PM-12:030 AM: Phantoms of Yore and the Haunted Walk are back for another year of paranormal investigations at Murney Tower Museum. With family-friendly options available, there’s some spooky fun available for everyone. See event page for details.
Strategic Plan Survey
We’re working on our 2026-2031 Strategic Plan and we need your help! We want to know what we’re doing right and what opportunities we have to improve Murney Tower Museum over the next five years.
The survey takes approximately 7 minutes to complete. Completing the survey provides you with the chance to win a gift card!
Click here to take our survey and let us know what you think!
2024 Annual Report
Our 2024 Annual Report is now live! Find out more about our mission, our operations, and the ways we strive to serve the community.
To read our current and past Annual Reports, click here.
Centennial Celebrations
Murney Tower Museum will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2025! To commemorate this once-in-a-lifetime event, we are planning a series of community activities and events that will occur throughout 2025.
To learn more about our Centennial Initiative and to donate to our Love Murney campaign, click here.
Visitor Information
Murney Tower Museum is OPEN! Join us from 10-5 every day throughout the summer.
We acknowledge that Murney Tower Museum is situated on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe. We recognize that this is shared land through the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Covenant with Anishinaabe, Huron-Wendat, and Haudenosaunee nations hundreds of years ago. We are grateful to continue to share this land to teach, learn, celebrate, and live.
Murney Tower Museum acknowledges with thanks the continued financial support of the City of Kingston, Tourism Kingston, and the Kingston and Area Association of Museums, Art Galleries and Historic Sites.
