Battlefield Park and the Gage house occupy land traditionally used by Indigenous peoples. In the early 19th century, the Gage family farmhouse was a community hub for farmers, itinerant preachers and Indigenous peoples who came to meet and trade at James Gage’s store. The site also features the Eagles Among Us art installation. Created by Indigenous artist David General, this work is dedicated to peace and reconciliation after the war.

Known as Dundurn Castle, this 40-room Italianate-style villa was built in the 1830s on Burlington Heights, also the site of a fortified military encampment established by the British during the War of 1812. It was home to Sir Allan Napier MacNab, railway magnate, lawyer and Premier of the United Canadas from 1854 to 1856. Today, Dundurn National Historic Site tells the story of the MacNab family and the servants who lived and worked at the house.

Enerals and Pricilla Griffin, fleeing enslavement in the US and seeking a better life for themselves and their children, settled in Ancaster and purchased Griffin House in 1834. The Griffin family lived on this 20-hectare site for 150 years as prosperous farmers and active members of both white and Black communities in Hamilton and Ancaster. Today Griffin House stands as a testament to the determination and accomplishments of African American/Canadian people who broke the colour barrier to become prominent community figures.

Fieldcote is a cultural heritage centre that collects and exhibits local history and promotes fine arts in Ancaster. The Tudor-revival house is set in three hectares (7 acres) of park and woodlands featuring walking trails, public art and award-winning gardens.

Housed in an 1875 farmhouse in Gage Park, the Hamilton Children’s Museum invites young visitors to stretch their imagination as they touch, build and experiment in a friendly, child-focused setting. Home to interactive, hands-on galleries, the museum encourages learning through self-directed play and offers a range of engaging programs and experiences to children and their families. The Hamilton Children's Museum is currently undergoing major construction and will re-open to the public with expanded spaces and new exhibitions in 2025.

The Hamilton Military Museum preserves and shares the military history of Hamilton and area through exhibits, programs and events. The building that houses it was originally constructed as a gate house for Dundurn National Historic Site by Sir Allan MacNab in the late 1830s. First known as Battery Lodge, the Museum  is located on the site of a War of 1812 artillery emplacement.

The Hamilton Museum of Steam & Technology is located in the 1859 Hamilton Waterworks. The building houses the two massive rotative beam engines which pumped a supply of clean water to the City of Hamilton.  The Museum preserves and interprets the original waterworks complex and through it the social and mechanical life of Canada’s early industrial revolution. The Hamilton Waterworks has been designated a Canadian Civil and Power Engineering Landmark.

The wrecks of the Hamilton and Scourge are a designated Historic Site of Canada. Designed as merchant schooners, both vessels were converted into American warships when the War of 1812 began and played a role in the capture of Fort George on May 27, 1813. While stationed off Port Dalhousie, they capsized and sank with a loss of over 50 lives during a sudden squall in the early morning of August 8, 1813. Discovered 90 metres below the surface of Lake Ontario in 1973, these remarkably preserved wrecks are outstanding archaeological records of shipbuilding and naval warfare of their time. 

The new Visitor Experience Centre is designed to provide the highest quality experience for tourists and locals, showcasing Hamilton’s rich cultural heritage and providing meeting and event space for the City and its community partners. The Visitor Experience Centre is a go-to destination for tourist information and also offers a diverse program of temporary exhibitions that are free to visit.

Located in downtown Hamilton, the house known as Whitehern was home to three generations of the McQuesten family. In 1959, the three surviving members of the family bequeathed the home to the City, along with with the original contents. The house and gardens opened as a museum in 1971. The McQuesten family’s history includes several distinguished members who were responsible for the development of industry in Hamilton and for parks, highways, bridges, and landmarks throughout the Golden Horseshoe and Niagara and other parts of Ontario.