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Museum of Dufferin to host Mini Olympics event for Family Day

February 5, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Joshua Drakes, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Museum of Dufferin is bringing some Olympic spirit to Family Day with a Mini Olympics event that combines local history, interactive programming and free admission for families across the county.

The event is building off of the museum’s annual Family Day tradition, with this year drawing inspiration from the Winter Olympics taking place at the same time.

Jessica Mascitelli, programs and outreach coordinator for the museum, said that they saw an opportunity to create a themed day that would appeal to visitors of all ages while also highlighting rarely seen items from the collection.

“We were looking for something fun and engaging for Family Day this year, and with the Olympics happening at the same time, it felt like a natural fit,” she said. “It gave us a theme that works for all ages.”

As part of the celebration, the museum will showcase Olympic-themed artifacts not normally on display.

“We have a few fun items that we’re bringing out,” Mascitelli said. “Things like an Olympic torch from the Vancouver 2010 games, as well as some collections of sports equipment, as well as photos from our archives, from different athletes that have participated in the games that are from Dufferin County, and all sorts of different kind of cool objects that people can see that aren’t normally out right now, as we don’t have an exhibit themed around them.”

“So it’s kind of a special preview of extra objects in our collection that aren’t normally on display.”

Beyond the exhibits, the Mini Olympics will feature a full day of activities designed to encourage participation and exploration. Families can watch live Olympic coverage together inside one of the museum’s historic buildings, take part in Olympic-themed games, and follow a scavenger hunt that leads them throughout the site.

Admission to the event is free, though Mascitelli said that visitors are asked to register for timed entry slots in advance. The system is intended to manage crowd flow and ensure a consistent experience throughout the day.

Mascitelli said that museum staff hope the Mini Olympics will attract new visitors and, if successful, become a recurring Family Day tradition. The Mini Olympics is just one part of the museum’s ongoing focus on finding new and engaging events to bring families out together.

“Our goal is always to make history accessible and welcoming,” she said. “This is just another way to get the community involved. We’re really trying to increase our number of programs and events for all ages. I highly recommend just checking us out.”

The Mini Olympics promises to be a fun day to attend with family or friends, to watch the games or to enjoy one of the many activities put on by the museum.

To learn more, go to https://dufferinmuseum.shop/pages/events.

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