KIRKLAND LAKE - After closing its doors more than five months ago, the Museum of Northern History is preparing to welcome visitors once again.
The Oakes Project: Heritage, Arts, and Tourism (TOPHAT), the not-for-profit organization now managing the museum, made the announcement on Monday. It’s expected to reopen next month.
TOPHAT president Ann Black has volunteered with the museum for over 15 years and is excited about its reopening.
“It almost feels a little bit unbelievable that we are here. In a relatively short time we’ve accomplished quite a bit,” she said.
In 2024, Kirkland Lake ended its lease with the Ontario Heritage Trust (OHT) for the Sir Harry Oakes Château, citing high repair costs. In response, TOPHAT formed to save the Museum of Northern History.
Backed by a petition with nearly 8,500 signatures and annual funding pledged by Alamos Gold, Agnico Eagle Mines, and a “royalty partner,” TOPHAT secured funding to keep the museum operating.
Black said the museum will reopen under a new agreement between TOPHAT and the OHT.
Rather than continuing the town’s former lease, TOPHAT now has a license agreement with the OHT. Black described it as a renewable, short-term arrangement that ensures the museum’s immediate future.
The community is enthusiastic about the reopening. She said they have received “hundreds of responses” and offers of new donations to the museum's collection.
Black said that residents are eager for the return of traditional exhibits and events as well as the introduction of new programming.
While preparations are still underway, the aim is to reopen the museum’s doors to the public in early February.
“The employees that have been with the museum for quite a number of years are still with us, which is a blessing, because I don't know how we could possibly start from scratch. So they're crucial to this whole thing,” she said.
SEE: Historic Kirkland Lake château faced year of uncertainty
In September, TOPHAT had become a registered not-for-profit corporation. The group also established a board of directors, including representatives from Agnico Eagle Mines and Alamos Gold.
Black said TOPHAT has plans to gain charitable status to further support its mission.
“Once you get charitable status, it does lead to more tax reporting and stuff like that, but it’s crucial if you're looking for large enough donations that people would want a receipt,” she said.
The museum has the potential to be a year-round tourist attraction that Black believes can play a key role in diversifying Kirkland Lake’s economy.
“You can’t rely on solely one thing. You need to be able to expand your economic interests. Tourism is one of those, and the museum is just the perfect fit for that,” she said.
SEE: One of the world’s best-unsolved crime stories started in the North
The château is nearly a century old and was built by Oakes, who became a multi-millionaire during Kirkland Lake’s gold rush. He built the home in 1929 to use during visits to his mining properties. His permanent home was in Niagara Falls.
In 1934 Oakes moved to the Bahamas as a protest against the Canadian tax system and was knighted by King George VI in 1939. Four years later, Oakes was murdered at his Bahamas home. The crime remains unsolved.
