The Special Hidden Ontario Heritage Exposure Group Program brings five or more museums, heritage organizations, historical associations or re-enactment groups together to share their individual stories through Ontario Visited – Hidden Ontario. Coordinated group promotion and shared costs help preserve Ontario’s history, reach wider audiences and encourage more people to discover and experience our heritage.
Preserving Important Stories—and Helping More People Discover Them
Museums, heritage organizations, historical associations and re-enactment groups do more than preserve artifacts, buildings and traditions. They protect the stories that help people understand Ontario’s communities, its people and the events that shaped them.
Many of these organizations have remarkable stories to share but limited time, staff and promotional resources. Important collections, historic places, community archives, commemorations and living-history experiences can remain unknown—even to people living nearby.
The Special Hidden Ontario Heritage Exposure Group Program is designed to help heritage-focused organizations tell their stories, increase their visibility and encourage more people to visit, participate and learn.
Available exclusively through Ontario Visited – Hidden Ontario, the program combines individual evergreen storytelling with coordinated group exposure. It gives each participant their own feature while connecting them to a larger heritage story that can attract wider public interest.
The program is available to groups of five or more participants. Groups can select the promotional elements that best reflect their objectives and budget—they are not required to purchase every available element.
Required Program Elements
Every participating group must select the following two elements.
Individual Hidden Ontario Evergreen Articles
Each participant receives a professionally presented evergreen article published through Ontario Visited – Hidden Ontario.
The article can explore the participant’s history, collections, people, buildings, traditions, programs, commemorations, re-enactments or visitor experiences. It will also connect readers directly with the participant’s website.
Because the article remains available online, it can continue introducing the organization and its story to new audiences long after its original publication.
Participants can also share their articles through their websites, newsletters, email campaigns and social media channels.
Hidden Ontario Heritage Group Exposure Page
A dedicated Heritage Group Exposure Page introduces the group and brings all participating organizations together in one convenient online location.
Visitors can use the page to connect directly with each participant’s:
- Individual Hidden Ontario article
- Organization or group website
The page provides a central place for people to discover the group’s shared heritage and explore the individual stories of its participants.
The Heritage Group Exposure Page is included at no additional cost.
Choose at Least One Additional Element
In addition to the two required elements, the group must select at least one of the following promotional options.
Quarterly YouTube Heritage Group Videos
Four group videos will be published throughout the year.
The videos will introduce viewers to the group’s heritage stories, participating organizations and visitor experiences. Each video will direct viewers to the Heritage Group Exposure Page, where they can learn more about the individual participants.
Quarterly Meta Social Media Group Posts
Four group posts will be shared annually through Meta social media platforms.
These posts will renew awareness throughout the year, highlight the group’s collective heritage and direct audiences to the Heritage Group Exposure Page.
Heritage Group Branding Ads and Slider Ad
Coordinated Branding Ads and a Slider Ad will promote the group collectively through Ontario Visited.
The advertising will strengthen the group’s shared identity, maintain its visibility and direct interested audiences to the Heritage Group Exposure Page.
Individual Feature Event Listings
Each participant receives Feature Event Listings for three signature events.
Eligible events could include exhibitions, heritage celebrations, commemorations, historical tours, speaker programs, demonstrations, re-enactments, open houses and other public activities.
These listings give potential visitors timely reasons to learn more, make plans and attend.
How the Program Works
- A group enrols at least five museums, heritage organizations, historical associations, re-enactment groups or related participants.
- Each participant provides the information, photographs and links required for their individual Hidden Ontario article.
- A professionally presented evergreen article is created for every participant.
- A Heritage Group Exposure Page connects visitors with every participant’s article and website.
- The group selects at least one additional element: YouTube videos, Meta social media posts, Branding Ads and a Slider Ad, or Feature Event Listings.
- The group may choose any combination of the additional elements, including the complete six-element program.
- The cost of shared group elements is divided equally among all participants. As more participants join, the cost per participant decreases.
Flexible Program Options
A group might choose:
- Hidden Ontario Articles, Heritage Group Exposure Page and quarterly YouTube videos
- Hidden Ontario Articles, Heritage Group Exposure Page and quarterly Meta posts
- Hidden Ontario Articles, Heritage Group Exposure Page and group advertising
- Hidden Ontario Articles, Heritage Group Exposure Page and Feature Event Listings
- Any combination of the available elements
- The complete six-element program
This flexibility allows the group to build a program that reflects its audience, promotional priorities and available resources.
Program Pricing
| Program Element | Exposure Type | Price |
| Hidden Ontario Evergreen Article—Required | Individual | $95 per participant |
| Heritage Group Exposure Page—Required | Group | Included |
| Quarterly YouTube Heritage Group Videos | Group | $400 |
| Quarterly Meta Social Media Group Posts | Group | $400 |
| Branding Ads and Slider Ad | Group | $800 |
| Three Signature Feature Event Listings | Individual | $95 per participant |
How More Participants Reduce the Individual Cost
The costs of the shared promotional elements are divided equally among all participants. As the number of participating organizations increases, each pays a smaller portion of the shared cost.
The complete six-element program includes:
- $190 in individual elements per participant
- $1,600 in shared group exposure costs
Complete Program Cost Examples
| Participants | Complete Program Cost | Cost per Participant |
| 5 | $2,550.00 | $510.00 |
| 6 | $2,740.00 | $456.67 |
| 8 | $3,120.00 | $390.00 |
| 10 | $3,500.00 | $350.00 |
| 15 | $4,450.00 | $296.67 |
| 20 | $5,400.00 | $270.00 |
With five participants, the complete program costs $510 per participant. With ten participants, the cost decreases to $350 per participant. With twenty participants, it falls to $270 per participant.
Every participant receives the same individual benefits. The savings result from dividing the shared group exposure costs among more organizations.
Groups that select fewer optional elements will have a lower overall program cost.
Individual Heritage Stories—Strengthened by Group Exposure
The Special Hidden Ontario Heritage Exposure Group Program allows each participant to preserve and share its individual story while becoming part of a stronger collective heritage presence.
It provides an affordable way to increase public awareness, reach new audiences, support educational goals and encourage more people to visit Ontario’s museums, historic places, heritage organizations and living-history experiences.
By connecting individual stories through one coordinated program, Ontario’s history becomes easier to discover, explore and appreciate.
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