From Stop-Motion to Stories of Freedom: Family Learning at Doors Open Chatham-Kent

What do stop-motion animation, student-coded video games, rarely seen museum artifacts and a walk through a Carolinian forest have in common? Families can experience them all during Doors Open Chatham-Kent on Saturday, October 3, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This free, one-day event invites visitors to explore 13 sites across communities including Chatham, Dresden, Bothwell, Blenheim, Thamesville and North Buxton. Along the way, young visitors can experiment with art and technology, discover important Black history, peek behind the scenes at a theatre, explore historic buildings and connect with the natural world. Keep reading for the complete list of participating sites and our interview with Ismay Earl from the Doors Open Chatham-Kent team, including family-friendly highlights and tips for planning your day.

For students, Doors Open Chatham-Kent offers an opportunity to see just how many school subjects can be explored beyond the classroom. Art, technology and coding come together at SheepDog Animation, while galleries and museums invite children to create, investigate collections and learn how artifacts are preserved. Three participating sites provide opportunities to explore Chatham-Kent's significant Black history, while Sycamore Woods takes learning outdoors into a Carolinian forest. Part of the Ontario Heritage Trust's Doors Open Ontario program, the event encourages families to follow their curiosity and experience history, art, technology, nature and culture in the places where those stories come to life.

Where Is Chatham-Kent? Exploring Southwestern Ontario

Located in Southwestern Ontario, Chatham-Kent is a large municipality made up of urban centres, small towns, rural communities and agricultural areas. Chatham is its largest population centre, but communities including Dresden, Blenheim, Bothwell, Thamesville and Wallaceburg each contribute their own histories and identities to the region. That geography is especially important during Doors Open Chatham-Kent, where participating sites are spread across the municipality and give families an opportunity to experience several different communities in a single day.

From Chatham, Windsor is approximately 80 kilometres away, or around a one-hour drive; London is approximately 115 kilometres away, or around one hour and 25 minutes by car; and Sarnia is approximately 75 kilometres away, or just over an hour's drive. Travel times will vary depending on traffic, starting location and which Doors Open sites families choose to visit, particularly because the participating locations are spread throughout Chatham-Kent.

For families with school-aged children, Chatham-Kent is primarily served by the Lambton Kent District School Board (LKDSB) and St. Clair Catholic District School Board (SCCDSB). French-language public education is also available through Conseil scolaire Viamonde, while French-language Catholic education is provided by Conseil scolaire catholique Providence. With participating sites touching on Canadian and Black history, visual arts, technology, coding, nature, architecture and local heritage, Doors Open Chatham-Kent gives students an opportunity to connect subjects they encounter at school with the communities around them.

Participating Sites at Doors Open Chatham-Kent

This year, visitors can explore 13 sites across Chatham-Kent:

• ARTspace — 165 King Street West, Chatham, Ontario N7M 1E4
• Bothwell Town Hall and Jim Kish Theatre — 320 Main Street, Bothwell, Ontario N0P 1C0
• Buxton National Historic Site & Museum — 21975 A.D. Shadd Road, North Buxton, Ontario N0P 1Y0
• Chatham Capitol Theatre — 238 King Street West, Chatham, Ontario N7M 1E7
• Chatham-Kent Black Mecca Museum — 177 King Street East, Chatham, Ontario N7M 3N1
• Chatham-Kent Museum — 75 William Street North, Chatham, Ontario N7M 4L4
• Glenlochie Lodge — 384 St. George Street North, Dresden, Ontario N0P 1M0
• Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History — 29251 Freedom Road, Dresden, Ontario N0P 1M0
• Red Barn Brewing Company — 20466 Lagoon Road, Blenheim, Ontario N0P 1A0
• SheepDog Animation — 18707 Kent Bridge Road, Chatham-Kent, Ontario N0P 1X0
• Sycamore Woods — 85 Maplewood Crescent, Wallaceburg, Ontario N8A 4K9
• Thames Art Gallery — 75 William Street North, Chatham, Ontario N7M 4L4 
• Thamesville Old Town Hall Museum — 3 London Road, Thamesville, Ontario N0P 2K0

Visitors should review the official Doors Open Chatham-Kent event page before setting out for the latest information about individual site hours, accessibility, parking, tours and activities. Some participating locations have different operating hours, and advance registration is required to visit Sycamore Woods.

Check Out Our Full Interview with Ismay Earl About Doors Open Chatham-Kent

Doors Open Chatham-Kent includes 13 sites spread across communities including Chatham, Dresden, Bothwell, Blenheim and Thamesville. What do you think families can learn about Chatham-Kent by exploring these different communities in one day?

Families interested in exploring the rich Black history of Chatham-Kent and southwestern Ontario should make sure to stop at the Black Mecca Museum, Josiah Henson Museum, and Buxton National Historic sites! Each site has a different history and activity to share, and families should try to get to at least one of these three sites on October 3.

At the Chatham-Kent Museum and Thames Art Gallery, families will have the opportunity to learn about how collections are stored and managed, and about specific items within the collection. In the Capitol Theatre, families will get a behind-the-scenes tour and learn about what it takes to put on a successful show.

For those interested in learning about some of Chatham-Kent’s heritage buildings, sites like Bothwell Old Town Hall and Jim Kish Theatre, Glenlochie Lodge, Josiah Henson Museum, Thamesville Old Town Hall Museum, and Buxton National Historic Site will be the sites to visit!

With so many different heritage sites, businesses, and museums offering engaging programming, families are sure to learn all about the history, heritage, and culture of Chatham-Kent!

SheepDog Animation offers a fascinating combination of traditional art, filmmaking and modern technology, including stop-motion animation and video games designed and coded by students. What can young visitors expect from this experience, and how might it inspire kids interested in art, science, technology or coding?

We are so excited that SheepDog Animation decided to join this initiative – this is a must-visit site for all aspiring artists, coders, and scientists! Visitors should expect to play games designed and coded by SheepDog Animation’s own students, and learn about what it takes to create hand-drawn animations, code from scratch, and create unique art experiences!

Several participating sites offer hands-on or interactive experiences for children. Which activities would you especially recommend for families with younger visitors who learn best by doing?

For families who prefer to engage in hands-on learning opportunities, sites like ARTspace, Red Barn Brewery, Thames Art Gallery and the Chatham-Kent Museum are recommended. Children can explore the rainbow and learn about colours at the Chatham-Kent Museum, get active with some cornhole at Red Barn Brewing, get crafty with a fun fall-inspired activity at ARTspace, or complete some artwork from their imagination at Thames Art Gallery!

For families who only have a few hours to explore, are there particular sites you would consider "can't-miss" for children and teens? What makes those experiences stand out?

SheepDog Animation, Buxton National Historic Site and Museum and Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History all offer fun interactive activities for children and teens. Learn about and experience stop-motion animation through hands-on stations at SheepDog Animation. Play some trivia bingo and earn a prize at Buxton National Historic Site and Museum. Contribute to a future exhibit at the Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History and vote on the next artifact to be featured.

For those that want to connect with and explore nature, Sycamore Woods is the place for you. Participants must register ahead of time at this location.

With participating locations spread across Chatham-Kent, what advice would you give families for planning their route? Are there particular sites that can easily be grouped together?

For those with limited time and who do not want to travel far, Chatham-Kent Black Mecca Museum, Chatham Capitol Theatre, ARTspace, Chatham-Kent Museum, and Thames Art Gallery are located in downtown Chatham or close to downtown.

If you are looking to engage with Chatham-Kent history and spend some time in nature, participants can explore Glenlochie Lodge, Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History, and Sycamore Woods, all located within 20 minutes of each other. Have a bit more time to explore? Visitors can add Thamesville Old Town Hall Museum and Bothwell Town Hall and Jim Kish Theatre to the itinerary.

Located on the other side of Chatham-Kent? Visitors can group Buxton National Historic Site & Museum, SheepDog Animation and Red Barn Brewing Company.

Places like museums, galleries, historic homes and creative studios can bring subjects like history, art, technology and social studies to life. What do you hope students and families take away from experiencing these places outside of a traditional classroom?

The hands-on and interactive nature of the sites allows participants to engage with the information in a different way and speak with experts at the places they are visiting. The Doors Open format also allows participants to focus on areas of interest and visit places they may not have known about or considered visiting. Chatham-Kent has a lot to offer, and Doors Open provides a unique peek behind the curtain of how some of these places operate.

Exploring Doors Open Chatham-Kent can easily turn into a full-day family adventure. Are there any favourite local places you would recommend for visitors to stop for lunch, a snack or a sweet treat along the way?

Chatham-Kent has many wonderful places to stop for a bite to eat. While you’re exploring Red Barn Brewing Company, take advantage of the food they have available on site.

Stop at Parks Blueberries (14815 Longwoods Rd, Bothwell, ON N0P 1C0) on your way to Bothwell Town Hall and Jim Kish Theatre for some baked goods filled with blueberries direct from their farm.

Just down the street from the Thamesville Old Town Hall Museum enjoy some butter bombs and fresh-baked sourdough at the Bent Tin (7 London Rd, Thamesville, ON N0P 2K0).

While visiting Glenlochie Lodge or Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History, enjoy some food at Burns Restaurant or Union Block Bakery ( 413 St George St, Dresden, ON N0P 1M0).

After spending some time in nature exploring Sycamore Woods, stop by The Black Goose Grill (525 James St, Wallaceburg, ON N8A 2P1), Glasstown Brewing Co. (331 James St, Wallaceburg, ON N8A 2N6) or The Stubby Goat (153 Nelson St, Wallaceburg, ON N8A 4G2).

Downtown Chatham offers many places to enjoy some food. Stop for a bite at The Garden, Sons of Kent (27 Adelaide St S, Chatham, ON N7M 4P9), or Crow City Coffee.

If you are looking for a place with a unique view, stop by Hangar 6 Café (8528 14 Line, Chatham-Kent, ON N0P 1W0) where your food is served with a view of some airplanes.

Discover Chatham-Kent Beyond the Classroom

From creating stop-motion animation and playing student-coded video games to examining historical artifacts and walking through a Carolinian forest, Doors Open Chatham-Kent shows families just how many different forms learning can take. The event also provides an important opportunity to explore the region's Black history, step inside heritage buildings, experience local art and meet the people who preserve and share these stories. Whether a young visitor is interested in history, technology, nature, art or simply discovering somewhere new, Doors Open turns Chatham-Kent into a community-wide classroom for the day. Mark your calendar for Saturday, October 3, 2026, and follow your family's curiosity across the municipality. Not in the Chatham-Kent area? You can also explore the Doors Open Quinte West event on October 3 or visit Doors Open Niagara Falls on October 18