Project Overview
The City of Niagara Falls Museums is undertaking a multi-year management and community exhibition initiative in response to the planned closure of the Willoughby Historical Museum (WHM). A full pause on collecting activities will be in effect for the duration of the project.
Niagara Falls City Council voted to close the Willoughby Historical Museum, located along the Niagara Parkway between Fort Erie and Chippawa at their August 26, 2025 Council meeting. The museum has operated for 57 years, having opened in 1968 in a former one-room schoolhouse.
Council’s decision considered several factors including consistently low visitation influenced by the museum’s rural location, small size, and seasonal hours, as well as a comparison of ongoing operating costs and the projected costs associated with relocating the collection.
The museum will not reopen, including for the 2026 summer season, as the closure and Optimization Project will be underway.
Artifact Review and Relocation
The Willoughby Historical Museum houses approximately 10,200 artifacts that will undergo a formal review where the collection will be assessed for retention, potential deaccession or relocation.
Additional staff will be hired to support documentation, movement, and decision-making throughout the transition.
Artifacts identified as historically significant or of long-term value will not be removed from the collection.
Purpose of the Transition
This transition supports broader efforts to improve operational efficiency across the City’s cultural assets.
Key goals include:
- Optimizing storage space
- Enhancing collection management practices
- Improving long-term preservation conditions for artifacts to ensure that historically significant items remain accessible and well cared for.
