Events & Programs

PumpHouse Play Days (Saturday Dino Edition!)

Saturday March 21, 28 & April 4 
Two Time Options: 10-11 a.m. & 12-1 p.m.
See below to register...

Your favourite Tuesday morning just got a Saturday spin.

By popular demand, PumpHouse PlayDay is coming to Saturdays — and we're making it extra special. These limited Saturday sessions combine the relaxed, drop-in spirit of PlayDay with a dinosaur focus, inspired by our Dinosaurs Among Us exhibit, which closes on April 15th.

Each Saturday features two session options where kids ages 0–7 create a fun, take-home dinosaur craft alongside their caregiver. No booking stress, no formal instruction — just show up, make something cool, and explore the museum while you're here.

What to expect:

Session runs one hour and features a self-guided dinosaur craft with all materials included. Simple instructions are provided so families can create comfortably at their own pace. Outside of your craft session, you can explore the museum, including Dinosaurs Among Us exhibit!

Saturday Session Dates & Crafts

March 28 — Dino Feet & Finger Puppets

REGISTER HERE: 10-11 a.m. session | 12-1 p.m. session

Little ones can choose to make wearable dinosaur claws for stomping fun, a tiny dino finger puppet for imaginative storytelling — or both! A session packed with pretend play and prehistoric creativity.

April 4 — Chomping Dino

REGISTER HERE: 10-11 a.m. session | 12-1 p.m. session

Kids design and assemble a playful dinosaur that actually chomps! Perfect for imaginative play and a little prehistoric roaring before the Dinosaurs Among Us exhibit closes April 15th.

Good to Know

• Caregivers must remain onsite at all times — this is not a drop-off program.
• Regular museum admission applies — included with Annual/Season Pass. Both children and accompanying adults must register
• Small snacks and drinks are welcome outside of exhibition areas.
• Strollers welcome; Discovery Centre is fully accessible.
• Come and go as you please within your registered session time.
• Best suited for children ages 0–7 (siblings of all ages welcome)

 

Extinction Party

Saturday, April 11 all day drop-in // PumpHouse Museum

Pre-register here

Despite repeated warnings, emergency committee meetings, and a vigorous meteor preparedness campaign, the end has arrived.

Join us on Saturday, April 11 for an Extinction Party celebrating the final weekend of Dinosaurs Among Us at the PumpHouse Museum.

Visitors can enjoy all-day dinosaur craft stations, add their mark to the dinosaur window mural, and experience the exhibition one last time before the dinosaurs make their departure on April 15.

The time is nigh. The crafts are ready.

Event Highlights

• Final weekend of Dinosaurs Among Us 
• All-day dinosaur craft stations 
• Community window mural 
• Fun for the whole family
• Pre-registration required, drop in anytime throughout the day (museum hours 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.)

 

 Dino-Lite Ticket Giveaway

To celebrate the final month of Dinosaurs Among Us at the PumpHouse Museum, we’re giving away something extra special…

🎟 4 tickets to Dino-Lite by Litewire Theatre

📍 Kingston Grand Theatre, Presented by Grand OnStage

📅 April 12 at 3:30 p.m.

About the Show

Dino-Lite, formerly known as Darwin the Dinosaur, is the recipient of the prestigious Jim Henson Foundation Grant and the first feature-length theatrical production created and performed by Ian Carney and Corbin Popp.

In this original glow-in-the-dark adventure, a famous scientist with magic powers brings a friendly dinosaur to life. When the dinosaur wanders away from home, he discovers a world of creatures that light up the darkness and help him find the true meaning of love.

Praised worldwide for its cutting-edge blend of puppetry, technology, and dance, Dino-Lite is visually spectacular and perfect for families. Learn more about the show on the Kingston Grand Website.

 

 How to Enter

To enter the giveaway (March 23–30):

1️⃣ Like the giveaway post 

2️⃣ Follow the PumpHouse Museum

3️⃣ Tag a friend in the comments

Winner will be selected by random draw on March 31 and contacted directly by the PumpHouse.

Tickets will be available for pick up at the PumpHouse Museum.

While you’re here — don’t miss your chance to experience Dinosaurs Among Us before it closes!

 

 

Giveaway Conditions

Eligibility: Open to Ontario residents. Employees of the City of Kingston and their immediate families are eligible. 

Contest Period: March 23, 2026 at 12:00 a.m. to March 30, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.  

How to Enter: Participants must: Like a giveaway post 

Follow the PumpHouse Museum social media account 

Tag at least one friend in the comments 

Prize: One (1) winner will receive four (4) tickets to Dino-Lite at Kingston Grand Theatre on April 12 at 3:30 p.m. Approximate total value: $133.48 CAD. Prize has no cash value and cannot be exchanged or transferred.  

Winner Selection: One winner will be selected by random draw on March 31, 2026.  

Winner Notification: The winner will be contacted directly by the PumpHouse via direct message. The winner must respond within 48 hours to claim the prize else another winner will be selected.

Prize Collection: Tickets must be picked up in person at the PumpHouse Museum. 

Privacy: The PumpHouse will not request financial information, banking details, or payment to claim the prize.  

Publicity: By entering, winners consent to their name being announced publicly by the PumpHouse for the sole purpose of announcing the contest results

General: This contest is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram or Facebook. The PumpHouse reserves the right to cancel or modify the contest at any time.  

 

 

PumpHouse Play Days

Every Tuesday | 10 am–12pm
PumpHouse Museum, Discovery Centre | Drop-in

Need a play option that doesn’t involve overthinking, overpacking, or overcommitting?

PumpHouse Play Days are a weekly, drop-in play time designed to feel simple from start to finish. No booking, no instructions, no schedule to follow. Just show up, let the kids play, and take a breath.

Every Tuesday morning, the Discovery Centre is your place for unstructured, open-ended play. Kids can explore hands-on activities, build, create, socialize, and move freely. Each week features a new self-guided craft set out for anyone who wants to try it, alongside all our regular Discovery Centre favourites—like the giant Lite-Brite, blocks, K’NEX, and more.

While your kids are busy, you don’t have to be. Bring a coffee. Relax with waterfront views. Chat with other parents. Read a few pages of a book. Stay close—or sit back and let them do their thing.

Come for ten minutes or stay the whole morning. PumpHouse Play Days are meant to fit into your day, not take it over.

Why it works:

• Drop-in, open play—no planning required
• Included with museum admission and the Annual Pass
• A different self-guided craft each week
• Space for kids to play independently
• Time for adults to relax, reset, and just exist
• Explore other parts of the museum too, including the Exhibit Hall, Pump Room, and the kid-and-adult favourite Swyrich Train Room

Guidelines

• Caregivers must remain onsite at all times. PumpHouse Play Days are a shared play experience, not a drop-off program.
• Small snacks and drinks are welcome, but please enjoy them outside of exhibition areas. 
• Museum staff are present and available, but play time is unguided and self-directed. Caregivers are responsible for supervising their children.
• There is no age limit, but activities are best suited for children ages 0-4. Younger or older siblings are welcome to join in at their own pace.
• Strollers are welcome, and the Discovery Centre is fully accessible for families using mobility devices or strollers
• Come and go as you please.

If you’re looking for a low-stakes outing where everyone gets what they need, this is it.

How to join:

• Book at you would a normal museum visit! You can purchase ahead of time online, or simply turn up at the museum! 
• Included in annual pass!

 

PumpHouse Theme Days

Monthly Dress Up Days at the Museum

Dress up. Explore. Play. Repeat.

PumpHouse Theme Days are a new monthly tradition at the PumpHouse Museum, inviting families to add a little extra imagination to their museum visit.

Once a month, kids are encouraged to dress up according to a fun, easy theme, then head inside to explore the PumpHouse. Whether they’re padding around in pajamas, showing off their dino swag, or rocking the most gloriously mismatched outfit possible, Theme Days are all about playful self-expression and hands-on discovery.

There’s nothing formal to follow and no schedule to keep. Just come as you are (or as your theme-inspired alter ego), explore the museum at your own pace, and enjoy a visit that feels a little more special than usual.

A little extra fun

As a bonus, children who arrive dressed to match the monthly theme will receive one entry into a quarterly prize draw. Each Theme Day visit during the same quarter earns an additional entry, making repeat visits even more rewarding.

Prize bundles will vary and be inspired by current or upcoming exhibitions. Prizes may include PumpHouse swag items and free admission passes.

Upcoming Theme Days

• Wednesday, April 29 – Black & Yellow Bee Day 
• Friday, May 29 – Crazy Hair / Crazy Hat (PD Day) 
• Friday, June 26 – Rainbow Day 
• Thursday, July 2 – Canadian Tuxedo 
• Thursday, August 20 – Backwards Day 
• Saturday, September 12 – Dress Like a Teacher Day 
• Friday, October 30 – Costume Day 
• Tuesday, November 17 – Mismatched Day 
• Wednesday, December 2 – Ugly Sweater Day  .

Why families love Theme Days

• A simple excuse to dress up and have fun
• A relaxed way to explore the museum together

Attendance is included with regular museum admission. Pre-register or simply drop in with your themed outfit and a sense of curiosity.

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Early Learning Programs

Trains & Tots

June 2 - Aug 8, 2026
For ages 0-4 at the Pumphouse

Register for each session below

🚂 Trains & Tots is back at the PumpHouse Museum, and your little conductor is invited aboard! Designed for tots ages 0–4, this weekly early learning program turns the museum into a playful “discovery train” filled with songs, stories, crafts, movement games, and hands-on stations. Each week features a different theme (letters, numbers, shapes, emotions, fine motor fun, and more), built to support early development in a way that feels like pure fun. Caregivers stay on-site for the full session, and you’re welcome to keep exploring the museum after the program.

Trains & Tots: All Aboard (June 2)
Kick off the season with a train song, a train-themed read-aloud, model train exploration, and a paper conductor hat craft.
Register here

Trains & Tots: Sounds of the Railway (June 9)
Explore train sounds through story time, a listening/guessing game, and a hands-on train whistle craft.
Register here

Trains & Tots: Trainbow (June 16)
Celebrate colour and inclusivity with a read-aloud, matching colourful objects to train cars, and making friendship bracelets.
Register here

Trains & Tots: Locomotive Letters (June 23)
Learn letters with a song, alphabet story time, a playful obstacle course, and a “letter smokestack” craft to take home.
Register here

Trains & Tots: Shapes on the Tracks (July 7)
A shape-filled train ride with an interactive read-aloud, building train cars with magnet tiles, and Train Shape Twister.
Register here

Trains & Tots: Counting Train Cars (July 14)
Practice early numeracy with a themed read-aloud, train car art activity, and a movement-based train tracks game.
Register here

Trains & Tots: Emotions Express (July 21)
Explore feelings with a themed read-aloud, sticker faces activity, and guided meditation for little learners.
Register here

Trains & Tots: Choo-Choo Fine Motor Fun (July 28)
Build fine motor skills through story time, song, and stations like lacing, tracing, and playdough decoration.
Register here

Trains & Tots: Contrasting Caboose (Aug 11)
Learn “same and different” through songs, matching giant train cards, and a game of Train Conductor Says.
Register here

Trains & Tots: Animals on Board (Aug 18)
Animal-themed story time, helping mini animals board the train, and decorating animal masks to take home.
Register here

Program Details:

When: Tuesdays, 10:30–11:10 am | June 2 – August 18
Where: PumpHouse Museum, 23 Ontario Street
Ages: Designed for tots 0–4
Pre-registration: Recommended (limited spots)

What to Expect:

• 40-minute structured session: A mix of singing, story time, movement, and a themed craft or activity. 
• New theme each week: Early learning topics like shapes, counting, letters, emotions, colours, and fine motor skills. 
• Hands-on, developmentally appropriate activities: Stations and games designed for tiny hands and growing brains. 
• Caregiver-required: Children must be accompanied by a caregiver who remains on-site for the full session. 
• Flexible environment: Need a wiggle break? No problem. Step out, reset, and hop back in when ready. 
• Optional museum time after: Stay and explore the museum together after the program.

 

Busy Bees

June 3 - July 8, 2026
at the PumpHouse for ages 0-3 years

Register for each session below

Buzz into learning at Busy Bees, a weekly early years program that turns the PumpHouse Museum into a hive of hands-on discovery! Designed for little ones ages 0–3 (with older siblings always welcome), each session features playful, developmentally appropriate activities that get kids moving, exploring, creating, and imagining. Through sensory play, simple crafts, songs and movement, and gentle nature-based learning, children will discover how bees live, work, communicate, and help flowers grow, all through the kind of “learn-with-your-whole-body” fun that works best for tiny humans. Some portions of the program may take place outdoors, rain or shine, so dress for the weather. Caregivers stay with their child for the duration of the session, and you’re welcome to enjoy more museum time after your program.

Busy Bees – Lesson 1: Build-a-Bee! (June 3, 2026)
Kids explore what makes a bee a bee by learning bee body parts through movement, sensory play, and building their own bee.
Register here

Busy Bees – Lesson 2: Buzz & Bloom! (June 10, 2026)
A bee-and-flower friendship lesson: children discover how bees visit flowers with colourful sensory play and a make-your-own flower activity.
Register here

Busy Bees – Lesson 3: Fly, Sip, Stir! (June 17, 2026)
Honey-making pretend play! Little ones “fly” from flower to hive, collect nectar, and work together to turn it into honey, with a sweet surprise.
Register here

Busy Bees – Lesson 4: Wiggle & Waggle! (June 24, 2026)
Communication time: kids learn that bees “talk” by dancing through movement games, tracing activities, and lots of waggle-dancing.
Register here

Busy Bees – Lesson 5: Bee Kind (July 8, 2026)
A gentle wrap-up focused on kindness and respect for bees, with movement games, a simple craft, and a short garden walk to care for flowers.
Register here

Program Details:

When: Wednesdays, 10:30–11:15 am, June 3 – July 8, 2026
Where: PumpHouse Museum, 23 Ontario Street
Ages: Designed for children 0–3 (older siblings welcome)
Pre-registration: Recommended (limited spots)

What to Expect:

• A different bee-themed adventure each week: Build-a-Bee, Buzz & Bloom, Fly/Sip/Stir (honey-making play), Wiggle & Waggle (bee dancing), and Bee Kind. 
• Hands-on early learning: Movement, sensory exploration, simple crafts, and imaginative play that supports early development. 
• Caregiver-friendly + flexible: Caregivers participate and remain on-site; kids are welcome to take breaks as needed. 
• Indoor + occasional outdoor time: Some activities may happen outside, rain or shine, so come dressed for the weather.

 

Water Warriors

July 15 - August 19, 2026
At the PumpHouse, for Ages 4-7

Register for each session below

💧 Water Warriors is back at the PumpHouse Museum for a five-week summer adventure where fun meets water learning! Designed for children ages 4–7 (with younger siblings welcome alongside a caregiver), this weekly program invites kids to explore how water moves, how we keep it clean, how scientists study it, and how we can protect it. Each session includes a mix of hands-on activities, movement, story time, and simple experiments, using the PumpHouse’s real history and Lake Ontario right outside our doors to bring learning to life. Portions of the program take place outdoors, rain or shine, so please dress for the weather.

Lesson 1: Water on the Move (July 15, 2026)
Follow water’s journey from Lake Ontario to our taps and learn how pipes and pumps helped Kingston get running water.
Register Here

Lesson 2: Clean Water Keepers (July 22, 2026)
Explore why clean water matters, hear surprising PumpHouse history, and build a simple water filter to clean “lake water.”
Register Here

Lesson 3: Water Scientists at the Lake (July 29, 2026)
Head to Lake Ontario to observe and test real lake water and learn how water scientists monitor lake health.
Register Here

Lesson 4: Water Is Life (August 12, 2026)
Discover how water supports plants, animals, and people through games, movement, and creative activities.
Register Here

Lesson 5: Protecting Our Water (August 19, 2026)
Wrap up by learning simple ways to protect water every day, then celebrate everything our Water Warriors learned.
Register Here

Program Details:

When: Wednesdays, 10:30–11:15 am | July 15 – August 19, 2026
Where: PumpHouse Museum, 23 Ontario Street
Ages: Designed for children 4–7 (younger siblings welcome with a caregiver)
Pre-registration: Recommended (limited spots)

What to Expect:

• Weekly themed sessions: A new water-focused topic each week, from how water moves through the city to lake science and everyday water protection. 
• Hands-on learning: Simple experiments and activities (like building a basic water filter and testing lake water) designed for ages 4–7. 
• Movement + story time: Active games and guided storytelling to keep learning playful and engaging. 
• Outdoor exploration: Some portions take place outdoors (often near Lake Ontario), rain or shine, so dress for the weather. 
• Caregivers stay on-site: Children must be accompanied by a caregiver who remains on-site for the full session. Younger siblings are welcome to attend alongside a caregiver. 
• Supportive, flexible environment: Kids can take breaks as needed, then jump back in when ready.

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School Programs

 

You can book any of our school and group programs through our online form 

We are currently offering the following programs at the PumpHouse Museum:

• Water Water Everywhere 
• Simple Machines 
• Fossils & Feathers

Check out our City Hall program:

• Beards & Biases

Check out our MacLachlan Woodworking Museum Programs:

• Nailed It 
• Habitat Heroes

Thank you to our Velociraptor Visionary Sponsor: Loopstra Nixon LLP for supporting our Dinosaurs Among Us educational programming.