Beachville District Museum — Attraction in South-West Oxford

Date of visit : Saturday June 7th, 2025

A Hidden Gem with a Big League Story

After learning about Beachville's baseball legacy during our visit to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys, we knew we had to make the trip—and wow, was it worth it! We were lucky enough to enjoy a private tour, and it truly elevated the experience. The museum staff were outstanding—knowledgeable, passionate, and eager to share the incredible local history that makes this place so special.

The exhibits are beautifully curated, blending national significance with small-town charm. Of course, the highlight was learning about the first recorded baseball game played right here in 1838, but there’s so much more to discover—from limestone heritage to mastodon bones, all thoughtfully presented.

We love visiting Small town – local history museums wherever we go, and we have seen a lot. The BEachville District Museum exceeded all of our expectations. It is by far one of the best local history museums – one that other travellers should take note of.

It’s rare to find a museum this rich in content, so well presented, yet still feel like you’ve stumbled upon a well-kept secret. The Beachville District Museum is undoubtedly a hidden gem, one that we’ll recommend to history buffs, sports fans, and curious...

Got a great tour of the historic Downing residence. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the area, and the museum staff seems to be working very hard to update and expand the exhibits.

Our reason for visiting was to learn more about the first recorded baseball game, which took place in a field near here on June 4, 1848. The museum had an interesting collection of early baseball equipment, jerseys, and artefacts related to the game and subsequent early baseball history. They had an awesome waxed-leather baseball that you could handle, and were planning to share the instructions for making your own in the future.

We visited as a part of the Southwestern Ontario Baseball Heritage pass, which allows you to visit this museum, the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, and Labatt Memorial Park in London for...

My two grandchildren, ages 9 & 11, a friend and I, participated in the Butter Churn Picnic offered by Beachville Museum and we all thoroughly enjoyed the experience. When we first arrived Monica took us on a tour of the museum where we learned how the first baseballs were made, what toys children used to play with and so much more. The kids were encouraged to ask questions and given an opportunity to use a fountain pen. Then it was time to make some butter in the gazebo where the kids found out how painstakingly long it took to churn cream into butter. Eating the butter on breads from a picnic basket made their hard work worthwhile. We highly recommend this experience. Monica was an amazing tour guide with a real passion for her work...