Residents and visitors to Kingston are invited to take guided tours of City Hall to learn the stories behind the artifacts, portraits and architecture within City Hall, a working National Historic Site.
Conducted by knowledgeable volunteer guides, the program begins August 8, 2020 and continues each Saturday throughout August from 1pm to 4pm.
“We are excited to be able to offer the history of City Hall once again this year and proud to share its stories with our residents and visitors. These free tours offer a unique perspective on City Hall and share an important part of Kingston’s heritage with visitors and residents,” said Jennifer Campbell, manager, cultural heritage.
Those interested in taking a guided tour are asked to line up at the base of the stairs leading up the front entrance of City Hall, located at 216 Ontario Street. Visitors requiring an accessible entry may use the Market Street entrance.
Guides will meet groups there and bring them inside to begin their tour, which lasts approximately 30 minutes. Tours will be on a first come first served basis.
In-order to maintain physical distancing, tours will be limited to 6 people. Additional measures include requiring masks to be worn upon entering City Hall, answering standard COVID-19 related screening questions, providing contact information for every member of the tour party, and sanitizing their hands.
Highlights for this year’s tour include “the site’s unique architectural details, the continued use of the site as a public building and seat of government, the stained glass windows within Memorial Hall, Council Chambers, community history exhibits on display in the architectural niches and an installation highlighting the most recent recipients of the Mayors Arts Awards.”
Some areas of City Hall will remain closed to the public this tour season due to health and safety reasons.
You can plan your trip or learn more about all the public areas within city hall by exploring the site’s VR experience. And visit the City Hall Tours page for more details about the tours and the new safety measures now in place.
Photo: Google.com
