An M4A3E8 Sherman at three-quarter view in a hangar, gun barrel to the left, white stars on the turret and hull, with a formation of Second World War vehicles behind it.

Largest operational collection in North America

4,000+ artefacts

1,560 m² MVCC

Oshawa, Ontario

History Lives here.

And it still runs.

M4 Sherman

Still running.

Plan your visit See what's running

The claim

The largest collection of operational historic military vehicles in North America.

Most museums keep their vehicles behind glass. Here, a very high percentage of the collection still runs, and the museum brings them out for public display more than any other museum does.

Lit display cases in a dark gallery holding a service uniform, medals on ribbon bars, helmets, a field radio and stencilled ammunition crates.
Demo render: artefacts in the display cases. Photo to supply: MVCC hall interior, rows of vehicles under work lights

The collection

Four thousand artefacts. Two galleries. One working floor.

Beyond the vehicles themselves, the museum holds more than 4,000 artefacts in its charge, together valued at over $1,500,000. Only about a quarter of that collection sits in the display cases at any one time. The rest lives inside the Military Vehicle Conservation Centre, which opened in 2018 with 1,560 square metres of enclosed display and work space.

4,000+

Artefacts in the museum's charge

1,560 m²

MVCC floor space

The lineage

Our history

  1. 1979

    Honorary Colonel Norman Wilton purchased nine Ferret Scout Cars from the Canadian Army. The Ontario Regiment Ceremonial Troop became known as the Ferret Club.

  2. 2017

    The Ferret Club and the Regimental Museum amalgamated into The Ontario Regiment (RCAC) Museum.

  3. 2018

    The Military Vehicle Conservation Centre opened: 1,560 square metres of enclosed display and work space.

  4. 2023

    The City of Oshawa designated the entire South Field a Historical District, managed by the museum.

The fleet

Eight from the collection.

  • An M4A3E8 Sherman at three-quarter view on the hangar floor, white stars on the turret and hull, its gun running out of frame.

    M4 Sherman

    A Second World War tank the museum runs for the public at its themed events throughout the year.

  • The museum's T-54 main battle tank lit from above in a dark studio, its gun traversed across the frame.

    T-54

    A Soviet main battle tank from the Duffy family's December 2025 gift, and a Gulf War veteran. The museum's blog calls it the first modern main battle tank.

  • A Renault M1917 light tank on a dark studio floor, riveted hull plates, domed turret and tail skid.

    Renault M1917

    A First World War light tank built in 1918, under restoration since 2025 as part of Project 1918.

  • A Ferret Scout Car standing on the show field at golden hour, a white star on its hull side.

    Ferret Scout Car

    One of nine Ferret Scout Cars purchased in 1979, the start of the museum's vehicle collection.

  • A T17E1 Staghound armoured car on the show field at golden hour, its turret gun over the left front wheel.

    T17E1 Staghound

    An armoured car the museum follows in its own Staghound Diaries, part of the museum's blog.

  • A Leopard 1 main battle tank on a dirt trail at golden hour, camouflage netting bound along its gun barrel.

    Leopard 1

    A Leopard 1A5BE main battle tank from the Duffy family's December 2025 gift.

  • An M113 armoured personnel carrier on the show field at golden hour, a white star on its hull side and the sun low behind it.

    M113 APC

    An armoured personnel carrier available as a ride at Aquino Tank Weekend, alongside the M548 Battle Bus.

  • Photo to supply: BMP-1

    BMP-1

    A Soviet armoured personnel carrier from the Duffy family's December 2025 gift.

Demo renders standing in for the museum's own vehicle photographs. Photos to supply: the eight vehicles named above

Project 1918

Project 1918

The museum's Renault M1917 light tank standing on the hall floor with a speaker addressing visitors beside it.
The Renault M1917 in the hall, shown to visitors. Project 1918 was announced in July 2025. Photograph: The Canadian Tank Museum

Announced in July 2025, the museum is restoring two First World War vehicles at once: a Renault M1917 light tank and a Nash Model 4017F ammunition truck, both built in 1918. The work is expected to take at least two years, filmed the whole way through for a YouTube series, with early access for Patreon supporters. The M1917 was acquired with the support of benefactor Brad Dunkley and museum president Alan Duffy.

Support on Patreon
The museum's Renault M1917 light tank held apart in mid air, every component suspended in a dark studio.

Turret

Announced in July 2025, two First World War vehicles are under restoration at once, both built in 1918: this Renault M1917 light tank and a Nash Model 4017F ammunition truck.

Riveted hull plates

The work is expected to take at least two years.

Track run

Every stage is filmed for a YouTube series, with early access for Patreon supporters.

Tail skid

An Ontario Regiment (Tank) crew drove a Renault M1917 through Oshawa in 1940, in a public demonstration of their training tanks.

Idler wheel

Acquired with the support of benefactor Brad Dunkley and museum president Alan Duffy, the M1917 is being restored to run, not to sit behind glass.

A Renault M1917 light tank driving down an Oshawa street in 1940, its commander in the open turret hatch and a crowd of onlookers pressed along the kerb behind it.
An Ontario Regiment (Tank) crew drove a Renault M1917 through Oshawa in 1940, during a public demonstration of their training tanks. Photograph: The Canadian Tank Museum
The same Renault M1917 today, unrestored, standing on a workshop floor with rusted track links and bare rivets.
The Renault M1917 before restoration. The work is expected to take at least two years. Photograph: The Canadian Tank Museum
The museum's T-54 Soviet main battle tank, lit from above in a dark gallery, gun traversed to the left.

The Duffy Collection

The cold war, donated whole.

20

Vehicles donated, fully restored and in working order, valued at over $2,000,000

1990-91

Operation Granby, the Gulf War service eleven of these vehicles saw

In December 2025, the Duffy family donated twenty tanks and armoured vehicles to the museum, all fully restored and in working order, together valued at over two million dollars. The gift includes a Soviet T-54 main battle tank, a BMP-1, a British Chieftain Mk11, a Leopard 1A5BE, and eleven British CVR(T) vehicles that served with the British Army in the Gulf War, Operation Granby, 1990 to 1991. These vehicles actually served, and Mr. Duffy reconnected several of them with their former crews. It is the world's largest privately held set of British Gulf War vehicles.

The museum's own T-54 Soviet Main Battle Tank, part of the Gulf War Veteran Collection. The museum's blog calls it "often referred to as the first modern Main Battle Tank."

See the T-54 and the rest of the Cold War fleet in person at Armageddon, the museum's final show of the year, 17 October 2026.

Get tickets
An M4A3E8 Sherman driving hard across the demonstration field at golden hour, dust off its tracks, a second vehicle running behind it.

Demo render: a vehicle running the demonstration field. Video or photo to supply: vehicles running at a public event, dust, engine smoke

See them run

Most museums display their vehicles. Here, they run.

Final show of 2026

Armageddon

17 October 2026

See the cold war veterans at our final show of the year.

Tickets

Public events

The 2026 season.

The museum's public events in the 2026 season
EventDateTickets
Winter Warfare 7 February 2026 (ended)
March Break Tank School 16 to 20 March 2026, the Junior Tanker Experience (ended)
Evolution 2 May 2026, with Doors Open Oshawa (ended)
Korea 8 August 2026, remembering the conflict in Korea, 1950 to 1953 (ended)
Armageddon 17 October 2026, the final show of the year (tickets available now) Get tickets
A line of Canadian-service vehicles posed on the museum's south field at golden hour, an M4A3E8 Sherman closing the formation with dust still hanging behind it.

Demo sequence: the show line forms up on the south field. Photo to supply: staged battle re-enactment with vehicles and infantry at Aquino

Aquino Tank Weekend

11 to 13 June 2027

Aquino Tank Weekend

Canada's largest military vehicle display show.

Aquino Tank Weekend ticket prices in Canadian dollars
TicketPrice
Full weekend (only ticket upgradeable to a main battle tank ride)$40 to $110
Saturday$20 to $45
Sunday$20 to $40
Family of five$100

Taxes and fees extra. Vehicle rides (M548 Battle Bus, M113 APC) sold separately.

Named for a 1944 battle in the Second World War's Italian campaign in which Canadian soldiers fought.

Presented by World of Tanks Modern Armor

Plan your visit

Plan your visit

Address

1000 Stevenson Road North, Oshawa, Ontario, L1J 5P5

Directions

From Highway 401, take exit 415 to Stevenson Road South and continue north roughly 10 minutes to the airport south field. Keep left on arrival. The museum sits across from the community soccer pitch.

Access

All exhibits are indoors across two galleries, all at ground level. Benches, wheelchairs and walking aids are available.

Opening hours by season
SeasonDatesHours
Summer Canada Day to Labour Day Seven days a week, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Spring and Fall March Break to 30 June; 8 September to Remembrance Day Seven days a week, 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Winter 12 November to March Break Thursdays to Sundays, 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Closures and modified hours can occur for special events or weather.

Audio guide

The free Canadian Tank Museum app carries 70 audio tracks in English, French and German, with QR codes posted at each exhibit. Available on the App Store and Google Play.

Get tickets Book a group tour

More from the museum

Keep up with the collection.

  • The blog

    The museum's own blog covers regimental history, the vehicles, and the artefacts in its care, including the ongoing Staghound Diaries.

  • Project 1918 on YouTube

    Every stage of the Renault M1917 and Nash Model 4017F restoration is filmed for a YouTube series, with early access for Patreon supporters.

    Support on Patreon

  • The audio guide

    The free Canadian Tank Museum app carries 70 audio tracks in English, French and German, with a QR code at every exhibit.