Norman Sam Elder (July 17, 1939 – October 15, 2003) was a Canadian explorer, exotic animal owner, writer, artist, Olympic equestrian and one of Toronto's eccentrics.

He was the owner of the Norman Elder Museum at 140 Bedford Road in the Annex, an affluent neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario.

Two of the interior scenes in David Cronenberg's film Naked Lunch were shot in the museum's main living room and library.

The front garden of the museum was enclosed by an 8 foot high iron polar bear fence purchased from the Riverdale Zoo during renovations.

Norman's beloved dog Charley (who was stuffed and mounted on a movable wheeled platform) was retrieved and is owned by a private collector.

As an explorer, Elder embarked on lengthy expeditions to remote areas of Papua New Guinea, Namibia, the Amazon, the Congo, the Arctic, Madagascar, and many other countries.

He competed as a member of the Canadian Equestrian Team in Three-Day Eventing at the Olympic Games, first in Rome in 1960, and again in Mexico City in 1968.

[4] His brother Jim Elder also competed in the Olympics six times in equestrian events, winning one gold medal.