Step inside Prescott’s story at the Prescott Museum & Visitor Centre, where local history, community pride, and visitor discovery come together in the heart of downtown.

Located at 202 King Street West, the Museum invites visitors to explore seven themed exhibits that trace the people, places, and moments that helped shape Prescott. Whether you are visiting for the first time, rediscovering local history, or stopping in while exploring downtown and the waterfront, the Museum offers a welcoming place to connect with the community’s past and present.

The Visitor Centre is also a convenient stop for local information, Prescott merchandise, and souvenirs to help you make the most of your time in town.

Hours
Wednesday to Saturday
11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Explore the Exhibits

The Prescott Museum & Visitor Centre features seven themed exhibits that explore the people, industries, institutions, and events that helped shape Prescott over time. Through artifacts, photographs, maps, research, and interpretive displays, visitors can discover stories that connect the town’s beginnings to the community Prescott is today.

Prescott was founded in 1810 by Colonel Edward Jessup, a United Empire Loyalist who had supported the British during the American Revolution. After losing his land and wealth in America, Jessup received a land grant along the St. Lawrence River in the newly formed Augusta Township in 1784. In 1810, he surveyed the streets of a new town site and named it Prescott after the Governor of Canada. This exhibit explores the community’s earliest years through land surveys, murals, photographs, maps, and a series of wooden carvings by local resident Harold Rogerson depicting the activities of early settlers.

Fort Wellington has been central to Prescott’s history since the town’s earliest years. First constructed during the War of 1812 to help defend communications along the St. Lawrence River, the fort remained an important military site through several defining periods. It was rebuilt in 1837–38 in response to the Upper and Lower Canada Rebellions, and in November 1838 the garrison was called upon to defend Prescott from the Patriot Hunters before reinforcements could arrive. Later, in 1866–67, Fort Wellington again played a defensive role during the Fenian threat. Prescott also became a centre for recruitment and training at the outbreak of the First World War. This exhibit traces those moments and explores the military legacy that was central to Prescott's early evolution.

From the era of the forwarding trade to the present day, Prescott has long been a centre of industry and commerce. This exhibit explores how the town’s strategic location supported economic growth, from major enterprises such as J.P. Wiser’s distilling operations and the long-running Plumb coal service to the small independent businesses that helped define everyday life in Prescott. It is a look at how commerce, entrepreneurship, and industry shaped the community’s development across generations. 

Over the years, Prescott has been served by a number of remarkable medical practitioners. This exhibit highlights figures such as Dr. William Scott, who served the garrison at Fort Wellington during the War of 1812, as well as Dr. Hamilton Dibble Jessup and Dr. William Brouse, who each contributed to public life as both physicians and politicians. Visitors can also learn about Dr. Charles McPherson, remembered as the oldest practising doctor in Canada.

From its earliest days, Prescott has had a strong tradition of sport, recreation, and community involvement. This exhibit celebrates athletes such as Leo Boivin and Ned Hanlan, while also recognizing the many organizations that have helped animate local life, including groups such as the Rotary Club and the Prescott Citizens Band. It is a story of civic pride, volunteerism, and the clubs and institutions that have brought people together across generations.

Prescott’s location between Montreal and Toronto, and along the St. Lawrence River, made it an important transportation centre for generations. This exhibit explores how the forwarding trade helped drive early growth, how rail connections expanded Prescott’s role in the region, and how the waterfront rail yards became a busy point for freight movement between Canada and the United States. It also follows the transition into the age of motor vehicle travel, including the opening of Highway 401 in the Prescott area in 1961.

Explore our collection of activity sheets recounting Prescott's history. Available online and at the Museum & Visitor Centre.