The Norfolk Arts Centre, formerly referred to as Lynnwood Arts Centre or the Campbell-Reid home, has operated continuously since 1974 as a public art gallery at 21 Lynnwood Avenue in Simcoe.

In 2003, the Corporation of Norfolk County assumed ownership and responsibility for the Lynnwood Arts Centre. At that time Norfolk Council appointed an Advisory Board, composed of volunteers who play a key role in advising the Arts Centre's staff. It was decided by the Restructuring Committee, that the name was to be changed to Norfolk Arts Centre at Lynnwood National Historic Site to reflect its new ownership status. Also in 2003, the art gallery space was reduced to provide offices for the County's Human Resources department.

In 1973, Lynnwood was designated a National Historic Site by the National Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada for its architectural features. The Classical Revival house "achieves its dignity through fine proportions and skilful use of classical motifs, rather than from the monumentality often associated with this style. The staircase, interior woodwork, including the seven original fireplaces and mantels, and the decorative plaster ceiling medallions and cornices, are all of exceptional quality." (Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, 1975)

Constructed in 1851, the Lynnwood Campbell/Reid house (commonly referred to as Lynnwood), is both historically and architecturally important. The building is a fine example of Revival Greek Architecture; exterior features include the portico, roofs, chimneys and porches; interior features include the front staircase, woodwork, seven original fireplaces and mantels and the decorative plaster ceiling medallions and cornices.

For over forty years Lynnwood served as the home of one of the town's wealthiest and most influential citizens – Duncan Campbell. The large and architecturally pretentious house, together with its unique grounds, was often the setting for gatherings of important and famous visitors to Simcoe.

Considered one of the founding pioneers of Simcoe, as well as one of its most successful men of business, Duncan Campbell was born at Greenock, Scotland, on April 2, 1802. A descendant from a distinguished family, Campbell was educated in Greenock before coming to Montreal in 1815. In 1818 he proceeded to Simcoe, then known as Birdtown, to take charge of a store kept there by William Bird. Subsequently, Mr. Campbell had the name of the town changed to Simcoe, in honour of Governor Simcoe who had given Aaron Culver 200 acres of land, which is embraced in the present site of the town. Through the initiatives of Mr. Campbell, a post office was eventually established in Simcoe and he became the first postmaster. Mr. Campbell was appointed agent of the Gore Bank and opened Simcoe's first bank, and later government land agent. Known to be generous and charitable Campbell passed away on March 9th, 1892. One of his sons donated to the town of Simcoe that part of his father's estate which is known as Lynnwood Park.

The house was designed by Architect Frederick W. Cumberland in the Greek Revival style of architecture.

The front portion of the house is almost square in plan, hip-roofed and crowned by four pairs of ornate octagonal chimneys. It is a solid brick building with fieldstone foundation walls and a full basement. The interior bearing walls throughout the house are constructed of red brick made in Simcoe. The outside front is symmetrical about a two-panelled front entrance door with adjacent sidelights and transom. All are protected by an imposing sandstone portico. The fluted Ionic columns, used in pairs to support the entablature, set the design motif for the building. The portico was originally enclosed by a winter vestibule built of wood which was removed in 1974. It has been stored for possible reconstruction.

A pair of double hung windows with semi-circular heads in a rectangular frame is centred above the main entrance. One double hung window flanks each side of the central entrance at the ground and second floor levels, dividing the façade into three distinct bays. All windows are divided into 12 panes of glass – 6 x 6. Sills are made of sandstone. The dentil motif used on the portico cornice, in stone, is repeated, in wood, in the cornice detail of the main roof.

The north and south sides are also divided into three bays with double hung windows and/or French doors filling the openings. On each floor, a pair of fixed shutters indicates the location of a blind window. This device was often used in the 19th century to maintain the overall symmetrical exterior design of the building, while at the same time, accommodating the interior plan requirements.

In the front entrance hall ornamental plaster work has been used generously on the ceiling for cornice and medallions. All door, window and baseboard trim throughout the house is intricate in design and was probably made of chestnut. The front and rear portions of the front hall are separated by an elegant archway, supported by the same fluted Ionic columns as found outside. The circular staircase to the upper floor is lit by a large round-headed stained glass window flanked by two wall niches. The four seasons are depicted in the window.

The door and fireplace mantel detailing varies greatly between the upper and lower floors. The fireplaces in the upstairs bedrooms, in particular, harkens back to earlier tastes when wood was used in a more delicate and intricate manner. This contrasts noticeably with the simpler, bolder lines found in the parlour mantels downstairs. One wonders if perhaps these two mantels came from Campbell's original octagonal frame house which stood nearby.

The kitchen wing is generally rectangular in shape with a gable roof. Originally only one gabled wing extended from the south wall, however, late in the century a major addition was built at the south-east corner of the wing creating the present second gabled projection. All the eaves are decorated with wooden fretwork and droplets and the peak of each gabled roof is crowned by a slender turned finial.

The original north and south porches were built with awning-type roofs supported on intricate wood latticework. Both porches deteriorated with time and weather and were replaced. The south porch was built in the 1930s – the present north porch was reconstructed in 1975 following the original 1851 design

At that time there was a wooded park adjacent to the north of the property that remained as a virgin forest with a small river along the eastern border. Campbell set about beautifying the grounds. Some native forest trees were allowed to stand and plants gathered from foreign countries were introduced. An imbedded stone fence with an iron turret at the top was constructed. There were barns for horses and kennels for hounds. Today there remains substantial lawn and garden areas around the primary residence.