"Kingston Heritage Sector is the most supportive, most collaborative sector I've ever seen internationally," Dr. Simge Erdogan-O'Connor says. "The way we see our sites is: my site is for you, your site is for me."

This collaborative spirit became the foundation for transformation at the Canadian Museum of Health Care. When the museum sought funding for its first accessibility project, a children's gallery, the Community Foundation for Kingston & Area provided crucial support. That single project sparked broader change. Erdogan-O'Connor held a series of focus groups and used those insights to rebuild the museum from the ground up. She rewrote the mission and vision, led a rebrand of the institution as the Canadian Museum of Health Care, and restructured the organization around three core pillars: human stories, contemporary connections, and community partnerships.

"The way we see our sites is: my site is for you, your site is for me."

Eight years into her life in Kingston, a city she chose deliberately when pursuing her PhD in cultural studies at Queen's, Erdogan-O'Connor saw an opportunity: the Canadian Museum of Health Care was one of dozens of cultural institutions in a city with more museums per capita than anywhere else in Canada, yet it was operating without a clear sense of shared purpose. The timing was critical. The City of Kingston Heritage Fund had declined by approximately 25 percent per site between 2024 and 2026, forcing museums across the sector to rethink their strategies.

"Kingston is known as Canada's museum capital," she explains. "With 24 museums and historic sites, plus 3 art galleries, we have an incredible network of cultural voices. The question is: how do we amplify them together?"

The strategy is already showing results. With the James Reed Funeral Home, the museum is developing a death care and end-of-life exhibit. With the Great Lakes Museum, the museum is developing joint children’s programming and exploring funding opportunities together.

The challenges remain substantial. The museum houses over 40,000 artifacts, with the majority of the collection is stored off-site. Funders often struggle to see heritage and healthcare as intersecting priorities. But Erdogan-O'Connor's vision is clear: museums work best when they work together, and Kingston's museum sector can be stronger through collaboration rather than competition.

To support the museum and organizations like it, donate to our Community Fund.