The Simcoe County Archives is a civic space dedicated to the care, preservation, and public understanding of the County’s collective memory.


 

Located adjacent to the Simcoe County Museum, by Moriyama Teshima, the Archives has stewarded public records and select private records since 1966, supporting researchers, historians, and the public in engaging with Simcoe County’s past.

The renovation is organized around a contemporary interpretation of the traditional reading room—an environment shaped for quiet focus, patience, and close study.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Warm wood finishes and a deep, restrained colour palette draw from the language of historic libraries, establishing a sense of familiarity and gravity while supporting evolving research practices. Integrated acoustic treatments reinforce a calm, contemplative atmosphere, allowing visitors to work with archival materials in comfort and concentration.

 
 
 
 

Public and staff spaces are carefully articulated to support both access and long-term preservation. From a clearly defined reception area, staff have direct access to all support spaces, the existing climate-controlled archival vault, as well as the new processing, digitization, and temporary storage areas.

 
 
 
 
 
 

Upgraded research stations, offices, meeting spaces, and support areas provide the infrastructure for day-to-day archival operations. Materials and detailing were developed in close collaboration with archive staff and the County to meet stringent archival standards, ensuring that finishes, building systems, and construction methods protect the collection’s integrity, even as the Archives remained partially operational during construction.