About the Cultural Centre

The Minden Hills Cultural Centre sits on a beautiful four-acre site near downtown Minden.  The Cultural Centre showcases the Agnes Jamieson Gallery, Nature’s Place, and the Minden Hills Museum and Heritage Village. 

The Cultural Center is open Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

  • It began with the Agnes Jamieson Gallery in 1981. Named in honour of Dr. Agnes Jamieson, family doctor in Minden, and named Ontario’s first female coroner, 1950.  In 1934 she had a patient in the city, named Andre Lapine, who she encouraged to visit Minden to recuperate.  A famous painter and friends with the Group of Seven, Andre Lapine went on to paint extensively in the Haliburton Highlands. The Agnes Jamieson Gallery was built to house Canada’s largest collection of Lapine paintings.  Since then, many local and national artists have displayed their work in this beautiful facility.

  • The Minden Hills Museum and Heritage Village was established by community volunteers with the intent of preserving the history and artifacts of the Village of Minden and its surrounding area. The site consists of five historic buildings recreating what life was like up to 150 years ago.  A farmhouse, schoolhouse and the Sterling Bank, all show the life style from the early 1900’s.

  • Nature’s Place is a sustainable building constructed of straw bales.  Educational events such as Birds of Prey education and demonstration sessions are held here to help us understand our environment and the human impact we have on it.

  • The Minden Hills Branch of the Haliburton County Library is co-joined with the Gallery. The Centre is linked to downtown by the Riverwalk and Boardwalk.  The boardwalk crosses through the natural wetlands adjacent to the Centre.

  • The Minden Hills Cultural Centre regularly hosts a wide variety of events such as:

    • Christmas in the Village

    • Festival of Trees

    • Santa Visits

    • Fire and Ice

    • Halloween events

    • Movie nights

    • Artist’s talks

    • Quilting shows

    • 3 Sisters Gardens

    • Horticultural and educational events; jointly with Archie Stouffer school

This vision all started with Dr. Agnes Jamieson’s idea that art and culture should be available to everyone.

Dr. Jamieson moved to Minden during World War II to replace the existing doctor, who had left to serve overseas. She was a hard-working woman, a true pioneer doctor, who drove the back roads – in a buggy and car – to treat her patients. She became the first female coroner in Ontario and was awarded the Order of Ontario.

Help carry on Dr. Jamieson’s vision by visiting the Centre and consider becoming a Friend of the Cultural Centre.