Barrie museum showcasing rich history of Grey and Simcoe Foresters

A museum in the heart of downtown Barrie is preserving and showcasing the Grey and Simcoe Foresters rich history and is welcoming the public through their doors this summer season on June 30, 2025. (CTV NEWS / Luke Simard)

The City of Barrie has a rich history when it comes to significant historical wars including the Grey and Simcoe Foresters.

A museum in the heart of downtown is preserving and showcasing the Grey and Simcoe Foresters’ history by welcoming the public through their doors this summer season.

Located at 36 Mulcaster Drive, the building was built in 1888 as an armory in Barrie. Since 1990, the building has now served as a museum for the regiment.

Founded in the 1860’s, the regiment will celebrate its 159th anniversary in September. Over 200 men and women are currently members of the regiment and train weekly in Barrie and around the region.

Darcy Murray, volunteer and historian for the regiment, said the museum plays a key role in showcasing the importance of the organization.

“During the first war, the regiment raised four different battalions and sent them overseas to fight in the trenches,” said Murray. “During the Second World War, we raised our regiment and sent them overseas in 1943 and a lot of them men, men from this area, were killed and wounded in fighting in World War one and World War two.”

The Museum contains artifacts from as early as the Boer War to present.

“Seven members are going over to Latvia soon and they’ll be in Latvia serving with the Korean military in Latvia,” said Murray.

Murray added that museums like Grey and Simcoe Foresters are important because they are a reminder to the public of mistakes made in that era.

“So, you need to know what happened in the past so you don’t make the same mistakes in the future,” said Murray. “So the history of the regiment shows you what was done in past wars, like when we sent 25 members to Bosnia in the 1990s.”

The museum also shows Indigenous history within the regiment and the members that have served from Indigenous communities in the region.

“Over 35 Indigenous members joined the Grey and Simcoe Foresters and served overseas,” said Murray. “In the Second World War the regiment raised 40-man Indigenous platoon and a lot of those members went over, saved and served in battle.”

For a full list of hours and operations you can click here.