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Bruce County Archives

Government

The Bruce County Archives is a proud part of the Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre, which is owned and operated by the Corporation of the County of Bruce.

The Archives are housed on the third floor of the 1878 Southampton School, which forms part of the Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre. The School was retrofitted during the 2003-2005 Museum rebuild project. The Archives and Reading Room consist of the Archival Stacks storage area (1500 sq ft) and the Reading Room (900 sq ft).

Stored on the shelves in the Archives are photographs, letters, postcards, family histories, land records, maps, newspapers, local histories, scrapbooks, business records, municipal records, organizational records, videotapes and almost every other kind of record imaginable that tells the story of Bruce County – both past and present. The Archives have been the collective memory of the County since 1955.

We also hold the library of the Bruce County Genealogical Society so the Reading Room contains wonderful resources for Genealogists. We also receive reference materials from the Bruce & Grey Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society.

We have some finding aids available for researchers, but a discussion with the Archives staff will probably bring out a number of other possible sources of information. Our finding aids are available for review on our website - http://www.brucemuseum.ca/archives-and-research/archives/finding-aids/

November 6, 2011 - March 25, 2012: Tuesday to Saturday 10:00am – 4:30pm
March 26, 2012 - November 3, 2012: Monday to Staturday 10:00am – 4:30pm, Sunday 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm
For holiday hours, please see our website: http://www.brucemuseum.ca/plan-a-visit/admission-hours/

Entrance to the Reading Room is free to members of the Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre. Otherwise, a daily pass is available for $5.00 and a yearly pass is available for $25.00.

When you arrive in the Reading Room, you will be asked to read our access and use policy and fill out a registration form. These are also available for review through our website.

Knowledgeable staff, and sometimes volunteers, supervise the Reading Room and are available to assist researchers in the Archives. The Archivist and/or Archival Assistants are present Monday to Friday, and sometimes weekends. It is always a good idea to call ahead before your visit to the Reading Room. It will allow the archives staff to prepare materials in storage and to reserve the microfilm readers if necessary. A consultation with the archives staff is always a good way to begin your visit as they will be able to direct you to the appropriate resources quickly.

For those who are unable to attend the Archives in person, Fee for Service Research is conducted on an as time permits basis for $25.00 per hour plus copies, shipping and tax. If we are unable to accommodate an in-depth research request, we may be able to provide you with a list of researchers who can help you.

Copies - letter and legal size: $0.25
Copies - ledger size: $0.50

The Archives also offers reproduction of historic photographs available online (http://photos.brucemuseum.ca/) and in the Archives. For more details on reproduction fees, please contact the Archives.

For preservation and security reasons, the archival storage room is not accessible to the public. The majority of the records held within this room, however, are available for public use. Researchers must conduct their work in the Reading Room and the Archivist or Archival Assistants will retrieve any archival records needed. If you need access to archival records on a weekend, call the Bruce County Archives before your visit to make arrangements with the Archivist or Archival Assistant.

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