The National Presbyterian Museum was established by founding Curator, the late Rev. Dr. John A. Johnston, of MacNab Street Presbyterian Church, Hamilton, Ont., to exhibit artefacts that help tell the story of faith of Canadian Presbyterians. From its modest beginnings in a storage space in a Hamilton church in 1996, the Museum officially opened in the renovated lower level of St. John’s Presbyterian Church at 415 Broadview Avenue, Toronto on Sunday, September 29, 2002.
For 16 years, St. John’s Church in the Riverdale district generously hosted the Museum. With the need of the congregation to redevelop its 1908 building, it became necessary for the Museum to search for a new home.
In October 2018, the National Presbyterian Museum closed its Toronto site. The collection of the National Presbyterian Museum was transferred to the Advisory Committee of the Presbyterian Church Heritage Centre (PCHC).
The Presbyterian Church Heritage Centre will open in 2023 in Carlisle United Church in the village of Carlisle, ON (the Carlisle that is located in the Municipality of North Middlesex, 6 kms east of Ailsa Craig).
Curator Ian Mason is responsible for packing the collection of the former National Presbyterian Museum and preparing an inventory.
Marilyn Repchuck, Chair of the Presbyterian Church Heritage Centre’s Advisory Committee, is looking forward to the launch of our fund-raising campaign that will begin in conjunction with General Assembly 2021.