• A fresh, one foot layer of snow covers the John Brown House. The windows of the home are decorated with wreathes and the sun shines onto the house.

    Holidays @ the Homestead

    There are two ways to experience “Traditions Through Time” this year!

    A Festive Family Christmas - Dec 6

    Candlelit Christmas Tours - Dec 11, 12 & 13

    Get your tickets

  • Book a Guided Tour!

    Discover close to 240 years of rural Niagara history and built heritage at The Brown Homestead.

    Open by appointment through to Spring 2026.

    Book Your Tour

  • Reconciliation Action Plan

    With the guidance of the TRC’s findings and 94 Calls to Action, we embrace our responsibility to integrate these policy recommendations into our daily practices.

    Learn How

  • Mapping The Brown Homestead

    This interactive exhibit will guide you on a journey through the past by illustrating the changing layers and cultural landscape of The Brown Homestead over time.

    Explore

“When the past no longer illuminates the future, the spirit walks in darkness.”

— Alexis de Tocqueville

 Our Mission

Reimagining historic sites …

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Our History

Site of the oldest home in St. Catharines …

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Our Stories

Featured
Building Tradition
Building Tradition

Timber framing is also one of the oldest and most enduring building traditions. This article summarizes what our recent workshops at The Brown Homestead looked like, explores the value of passing on traditional craft knowledge, and explains why involving the community in the evolution of our site matters to us.

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Life on a Niagara Farm: A Historical Perspective
Life on a Niagara Farm: A Historical Perspective

Our site is steeped in hundreds of years of rich, layered, agricultural tradition. This article unites the past with the present, showcasing The Brown Homestead’s modern gardening practices while tying them into stories of past life here on this historic farmstead.

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An Ode to Operations
An Ode to Operations

Managing a museum or heritage building is no small feat—yet the people who keep these spaces operating smoothly often work behind-the-scenes, far from the spotlight. Our outgoing Operations Manager, Pam Dungao, reflects on the complexities and challenges of managing the site of the oldest home in St. Catharines and pays tribute to the unsung heroes of the heritage world.

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As our green thumbs are tested this summer, we revisit an episode from Season 2 digging into the story Victory Gardens. With urban farming trending and home gardens becoming popular again, we remember a time when almost everyone had their own vegetable patch at home. Join domestic historian Meg Grimsmo to explore the World War II era Victory Garden and why they may be the perfect cure for what ails us today.

Our Journey

From Niagara to Nova Scotia! ✈️ Sara travelled to Halifax this past weekend to present at the 2025 National Trust Conference. She spoke on how we're engaging the public in heritage conservation and our adaptive reuse projects. With attendees from
There are still a few spots left for this Saturday's Introductory Ontario Land Registry Workshop in Pelham! 🗺️ Our team of researchers are headed to Old Pelham Town Hall for a one-day workshop providing participants with basic hands-on knowledge an