Doors Open Markham

Doors Open Ontario is a province-wide heritage tourism program that offers free public access to unique and historically significant places across Ontario. Working with communities throughout the province, the Ontario Heritage Trust opens the doors, gates, and courtyards of some of Ontario’s most fascinating cultural sites and invites the public to explore the stories within. The City of Markham is proud to once again participate in this exciting and enriching event.

About Doors Open

Event Details

Date: Saturday, September 26, 2026

Time: 10 AM to 4 PM

Ages: All Ages

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Must See Attractions

Markham Village

Exterior of the Markham Village Train Station with light siding, red trim, and a railway platform.

Markham Village Train Station (Community Centre)

The restored 1871 railway station was the Markham Village Conservancy’s first major project, completed in 2000. Its exterior colours replicate the c. 1910 palette. Today, it serves GO Transit commuters and hosts community events.

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photo of Markham Village Fire Station No. 97

Markham Fire Station No. 97

Inspired by late nineteenth-century firehalls, this building features a 60-foot hose-drying tower replica. Visitors can learn about fire prevention during the annual Doors Open Markham event.

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Photo of Markham Museum (John Lunau Centre)

Markham Museum

Join us in the vault for a behind-the-scenes 30-minute tour of the collections vault, archives, and curatorial workroom, exploring areas rarely seen by the public. Note: Only the vault tour is free; general museum admission is not included in the event.

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Markham Village Walking Tour

Join us for a 45-minute guided walking tour of Markham Village’s historic commercial core. Explore notable heritage buildings and sites dating back to 1826. Tours begin at 10 AM and 1 PM from Old Town Hall.

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Unionville

photo of Varley Art Gallery

Varley Art Gallery of Markham

Located in Unionville’s historic core, the Varley Art Gallery showcases postmodern architecture. Named after Group of Seven artist Fred Varley, it features his work alongside diverse collections by notable Canadian artists.

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Exterior view of the McKay Art Centre, a historic white heritage house with green trim, decorative gables, and a covered porch, surrounded by mature trees and flowering gardens. A Canadian flag and hanging flower baskets are visible near the entrance.

McKay Art Centre

This distinctive example of Ontario vernacular architecture blends Gothic and Classical Revival details. Once home to Salem Eckardt and Group of Seven artist Frederick Varley, it now showcases local artists and offers art instruction programs.

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Photo of Unionville Curling Club

Unionville Curling Club

Curling is a social, interactive pastime that promotes communication, leadership, strategy, and fun. Founded in 1919, the Unionville Curling Club has grown from a small converted barn into one of Ontario’s most respected clubs

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Photo of Central United Church

Central United Church

Visit this stunning Unionville church, built in 1879 in the early Gothic Revival style. It features red brick with buff trim, a raised foundation, and a slender central tower topped with a broach spire. Guided tours are available.

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Photo of Stiver Mill

Stiver Mill (Community Centre)

Unionville’s restored Stiver Mill, a local landmark and rental space, includes a rare grain elevator section and a 1930s feed mill addition. The western portion is unique in the region. Opens at 11 AM and features historic photos.

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Photo of Stiver Mill

Unionville Train Station (Community Centre)

Visit one of Canada’s oldest remaining railway stations, built in 1870 for the Toronto and Nipissing Railway. It features board-and-batten siding, a gable roof, and multi-paned windows, and was restored as a community centre in 1989.

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Thornhill

Photo of the The Heintzman House

Heintzman House

Visit Heintzman House, an early 19th-century adobe brick cottage expanded in 1817 and transformed in 1930s, now an elegant heritage site offering guided tours and displays for visitors.

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Thornhill Walking Tour

Join the Thornhill Historical Society for a 30-minute guided street tour of historic Thornhill Village. Discover notable architecture and former homes of Group of Seven artists. Tours begin at the library in the morning and afternoon.

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Photo of Thornhill Village Library

Markham Public Library - Thornhill Village Branch

This mid-nineteenth-century house was converted into a public library in the 1970s. It remains a cherished community amenity that complements Colborne Street’s exceptional historic streetscape.

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Exterior view of Wong Dai Sin Temple in Markham, featuring a modern structure with angled rust-coloured metal panels, a white elevated entrance supported by columns, and a small shrine beneath the overhang, surrounded by greenery.

Wong Dai Sin Temple

Contemporary architecture houses the Fung Loy Kok Institute of Taoism, a modern sacred space supporting a vibrant Taoist community and dedicated to spiritual development through tai chi, study, and practice.

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Central Markham

Exterior view of the York University Markham Campus, featuring a modern building façade with large glass windows, vertical wood-toned panels, and prominent “YORK” signage against a blue sky.

York University Markham Campus

York University’s state-of-the-art Markham Centre campus fosters a collegial academic environment through interconnected multi-storey spaces, with programs and research focused on technology and entrepreneurship in a vibrant downtown setting.

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Photo of York Region District School Board’s Museum & Archives

York District School Board Museum and Archives (Buttonville)

Located in the former Brown’s Corner/Buttonville Schoolhouse, the Museum and Archives preserves the history of public education in York Region. It features a recreated 1800s classroom where visitors can experience student life and write on a slate.

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Photo of St. Maurice and St. Verena Coptic Orthodox Church

St. Maurice & St. Verena Coptic Orthodox Church (SMSV)

This place of worship features a unique architectural design that blends ancient tradition with contemporary appeal. Originating in Egypt, the Coptic Church is represented here with a community complex including a gymnasium, banquet hall, daycare, recording studio, and classrooms.

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