MUSEUM
Artifacts and photographs in the museum provide educational insight into the marine history on Lake of Bays.
Lake of Bays Marine Museum
At the Marine Museum next to the SS Bigwin dock in Dorset, Ontario, you will find several historical collections from the marine history on Lake of Bays. There are artifacts and photographs on display from the legendary Bigwin Inn.
The Marine Museum has a great selection of apparel, cottage gifts, books and SS Bigwin souvenirs.
Museum Hours 2024
Friday to Tuesday from 10:00am until 4:00pm
History of the Old Clayton Property
The old Clayton property in Dorset, now the permanent home of the SS Bigwin, has a considerable marine history itself. The property, wharf, and building were once used by the Huntsville/Lake of Bays Navigation Company and the Bigwin Livery Company for selling tickets, storing shipments and mail. The telegraph office was once housed in the building.
The upstairs of the building was the sleeping quarters of the ship captains of the Mohawk Belle and the Iroquois steamships. The steamship operators used the wharf area since 1885 and the ticket office directly beside the wharf since approximately 1918 as the centre for steamship traffic across Lake of Bays.