Whether you are traveling East or West you will always make your way to Winnipeg. As the geographical centre of Canada, Winnipeg is considered the gateway to Eastern and Western Canada. Surrounded by canola and wheat fields, southern Manitoba has some of the most picturesque views in the entire country. Winnipeg is the largest city of the Prairies and boasts the famous street corner of Portage and Main, known as possibly the “windiest corner on the continent”.
If you are in Winnipeg, Canada to do some business, it never hurts to take the time to visit the museums in this city. You will gain knowledge and insight from the Museums you visit. Winnipeg is rich in interesting historical buildings, it’s a shame to pass up.
Museums In Winnipeg, Canada
The following is a List Of Archaeological & Historical Museums In Winnipeg, Canada
Canadian Museum for Human Rights
The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is a Canadian Crown corporation and national museum located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, adjacent to The Forks. The purpose of the museum is to “explore the subject of human rights with a special but not exclusive reference to Canada, to enhance the public’s understanding of human rights, to promote respect for others and to encourage reflection and dialogue.”
Established in 2008 through the enactment of Bill C-42, an amendment of The Museums Act of Canada,the CMHR is the first new national museum created in Canada since 1967, and it is Canada’s first national museum ever to be located outside the National Capital Region. The Museum held its opening ceremonies on 19 September 2014
85 Israel Asper Way, Winnipeg, MB R3C 0L5, Canada
Phone: +1 877-877-6037
website: humanrights.ca
Located in one of the oldest sections of Winnipeg, Dalnavert reflects an era of wealth and decadence, with sparkling stained glass, rich wood paneling and Victorian antiques. It was built in 1895 for Sir Hugh John Macdonald, Premier of Manitoba in 1900, and son of Canada’s first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald.
Dalnavert was rescued from demolition by the Manitoba Historical Society in 1969 and has been meticulously restored. Dalnavert is one of Western Canada’s finest examples of Queen Anne Revival Architecture and has been recognized as a Municipal, Provincial, and National Historic Site. Dalnavert has been operating as a museum from 1974 to the present, offering a variety of programs including guided tours, school field trips, and seasonal exhibits and theatrical performances.
The objective of Dalnavert Museum is to foster an appreciation and an understanding of the late Victorian era in Winnipeg, through the preservation, exhibition and interpretation of the building and the museum’s collection. Dalnavert promotes an engagement with Winnipeg’s past through its immersing setting, touching on various topics including labour history, political history, and civic history. The museum encourages visitors to learn about the past and compare it to our lives in the present.
Address: 61 Carlton St, Winnipeg, MB R3C 1N9, Canada
Phone: +1 204-943-2835
Website: https://www.friendsofdalnavert.ca/
Winnipeg Railway Museum
The Winnipeg Railway Museum is a railway museum located on tracks 1 and 2 within the Via Rail-operated Union Station in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The museum is operated by volunteers from the Midwestern Rail Association Inc., a non-profit organization founded in 1975.
123 Main St, Winnipeg, MB R3C 1A3, Canada
Phone +1 204-942-4632
Website: http://wpgrailwaymuseum.com/
Children’s Museum Winnipeg
Housed in the oldest surviving train repair facility in Manitoba, the museum features twelve permanent galleries that spark kids’ creative learning. Visitors can hop aboard the authentic 1952 diesel locomotive and 1910 Pullman passenger coach, explore the five-storey tall Lasagna Lookout, test their perceptions in the giant Illusion Tunnel, perform water experiments in Splash Lab, and much more
45 Forks Market Rd, Winnipeg, MB R3C 4T6, Canada
Phone: +1 204-924-4000
Website: childrensmuseum.com
Royal Winnipeg Rifles Museum & Archives
Located at the Minto Armoury at 969 St. Matthews in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the Museum boasts an amazing collection of war artefacts and military paraphernalia from Canada-engaged military wars of the past two centuries.
969 St Matthews Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3G 0J7, Canada
Phone: +1 204-772-9746
Website: https://rwrmuseum.com/
Le Musée de Saint-Boniface Museum
Le Musée de Saint-Boniface Museum (also known as the SHoused in the oldest building in the City of Winnipeg, the former Grey Nun’s convent, the Le Musée de Saint-Boniface Museum offers a large significant collection of artifacts that preserve and present the heritage of early French-Canadians and Métis. This National Historic Site also contains artifacts relating to Louis Riel and his vision.
494 Tache Ave, Winnipeg, MB R2H 2B2, Canada
Phone: +1 204-237-4500
Website: msbm.mb.ca
Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada
The museum possesses one of the most significant bush plane collections globally. It is also home to an extensive collection of aircraft ranging from bush flying, military, passenger, experimental aircraft, and thousands of aviation artefacts.
Location: Treaty 1 territory, the traditional territory of Anishnaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, Lakota, and Dene Peoples, and the homeland of the Métis Nation.
Phone +1 204-786-5503
Website: https://royalaviationmuseum.com/
Winnipeg Police Museum
The Winnipeg Police Museum displays many artifacts related to the history of the Winnipeg Police Force, dating from its beginning in 1874. The largest artifact on display in the museum is a 1925 REO Police Patrol Wagon which is more commonly known as a “Paddy Wagon” and was used to convey prisoners by the Winnipeg Police Department from 1925 to 1930. Conducted tours can be arranged during the day and on some occasions in the early evening.
Address: 245 Smith St, Winnipeg, MB R3C 1K1, Canada
Phone: +1 204-986-3976
Website: winnipegpolicemuseum.ca
Winnipeg Art Gallery
Founded in 1912, the Winnipeg Art Gallery is one of Canada’s first civic art galleries, housed in an iconic modernist building in the heart of downtown Winnipeg.
300 Memorial Blvd, Winnipeg, MB R3C 1V1, Canada
Phone: +1 204-786-6641
Website: wag.ca
Seven Oaks House Museum
Seven Oaks House is one of the oldest surviving residences in Manitoba and one of a handful of log buildings remaining, which give a picture of life at Red River during the nineteenth century. Built in 1851-53 primarily of wood, the home of John Inkster and Mary Sinclair Inkster is today a valuable part of the province’s heritage. The house takes its name from a nearby creek where seven large oak trees once stood, marking the site of the Battle of Seven Oaks fought in 1816 between Red River colonists and representatives of the North West Company.
The house was residence to the Inkster family until 1912 when it was turned over to the City of Winnipeg. The house opened as a museum in 1958. Today its furnishings, many of them original to the red river settlement era, depict the lifestyle of the Inkster family.
Seven Oaks House Museum seeks to promote community pride and understanding of early Manitoba history through guided tours, school programming (focus towards Grade 5-9 Canadian History studies), and community events including Doors Open, and the yearly Summer Open House Community Appreciation BBQ.
Location: 50 Mac St, Winnipeg, MB R2V 4Z9, Canada
Phone: +1 204-339-7429
Website: sevenoakshouse.ca
The Historical Museum of St. James Assiniboia
Explore an authentic Red River frame log house built by William Brown and his Métis wife Charlotte Omand. Brown came from Orkney, Scotland in 1830 to work as a labourer for the Hudson’s Bay Company. He later retired from the company to assume a farming existence in the Red River Settlement established by Lord Selkirk.
The Museum complex consists of three buildings depicting the early economic, political, social and community development of the historic parishes of St.Francis-Xavier, Headingley, St.Charles and St.James. The Museum’s Red River Frame Log structure built in 1856 by Hudson’s Bay Company “servant”, William Brown is furnished to an interpretive period of circa 1880 to 1890. Originally from the Orkney Islands, William Brown settled in the newly created parish of Headingley upon retirement from the HBC company in 1853. A modern Display Building complements the William Brown House through various vignettes representing early settler life. The 1911 historic Municipal Hall Building features dioramas and free standing exhibits comprised of artefacts and archival material representative of the District of St.James-Assiniboia, the 1911 historic Municipal Hall of St. James-Assiniboia.
The Historical Museum Association of St. James-Assiniboia has approximately 5000 artefacts in its reserve collection of a human history/humanities nature including costumes, militaria, decorative arts and native ethnology which preserves the history of the St. James-Assinaboia area. The museum also promotes late 19th century pioneer history through interactive theatrical performances and educational programming offered to local schools and the community.
3180 Portage Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3K 0Y5, Canada
Phone: +1 204-888-8706
Website: stjamesmuseum.com
Manitoba Electrical Museum
Manitoba Electrical Museum and Education Centre is a museum in Winnipeg, Manitoba, dedicated to the electrical history of Manitoba. It is a volunteer-run organization housed in a converted electrical substation building.
The Museum is affiliated with: CMA, CHIN, and Virtual Museum of Canada.
680 Harrow St, Winnipeg, MB R3M 3A3, Canada
Phone: +1 204-360-7905
Website: manitobaelectricalmuseum.ca
Fort Garry Horse Museum & Archives
The Fort Garry Horse is an Armoured Reconnaissance unit in the Canadian Army Reserve based at Lieutenant-Colonel Harcus Strachan, VC, MC Armoury (formerly named McGregor Armoury) in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
The museum displays the history of The Fort Garry Horse, a regiment of the Canadian Forces Army, from its origin to the present through use of artefacts, photographs and archival material
551 Machray Ave, Winnipeg, MB R2W 1A8, Canada
Phone: +1 204-586-6298
Website: fortgarryhorse.ca
The museum preserves the history of the navy through the collecting of documents, pictures, books, military artifacts, etc., pertaining to the Navy from the period of organization onwards. The museum provides a training facility to teach Naval and HMCS Chippawa history. It stimulates and fosters, within the general public, an interest in the Navy, its activities and accomplishments
1 Navy Way, Winnipeg, MB R3C 4J7, Canada
Phone: +1 204-943-7745
Website: naval-museum.mb.ca
The Living Prairie Museum
The Living Prairie Museum is a 13 hectare tall grass prairie preserve in Winnipeg. Set aside in 1968, the preserve features more than 150 different grass and wildflower species and an array of prairie wildlife in their natural habitat. Prior to European settlement, tall grass prairie covered one million square kilometres in central North America, stretching from Texas to southern Manitoba. Today, tall grass prairie is all but gone. In Manitoba only 1/20th of 1% of the original tall grass prairie remains. The Living Prairie Museum is one of the few remaining fragments of this once vast ecosystem.
The goal of Living Prairie Museum is to provide awareness and conservation of natural areas, specifically tall grass prairie, through environmental education. On the museum site is an interpretive centre which houses a gallery, office & administrative space for museum staff, bookstore/gift shop, and an observation deck with an excellent view of the grass prairie preserve. The interpretive centre opens annually with the blooming of Manitoba’s provincial flower, the prairie crocus and remains open until mid September. Throughout the summer, museum staff are available for guided hikes and environmental educational programs for youth. Everyone is welcome to go for a hike on the museum’s self guided trail year-round from dawn until dusk.
2795 Ness Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3J 3S4, Canada
Phone: +1 204-832-0167
Website:winnipeg.ca
Fire Fighters Museum Winnipeg
The Fire Fighters Museum was built in 1904 and was an active fire hall until 1990, displays hand and horse-drawn, steam and early motorized fire apparatus, artifacts, photographs and records dating back to the 1880’s.
56 Maple St, Winnipeg, MB R3B 0Y8, Canada
+1 204-942-4817
Website: wpgfiremuseum.ca
Transcona Museum
The vision of the Transcona Historical Museum is to maintain and promote the history, stories and community spirit of Transcona. Featuring rotating exhibits the Transcona Historical Museum invites you to explore the community of Transcona through its local legacy of the railway, the building of the community, wartime experiences, and remembrance and so much more.
Over the years, the Transcona Historical Museum has acquired an extensive collection of artifacts, photographs and documentary records that together tell the story of our community history. These collections include everything from railway artifacts, items from early Transcona businesses, historic clothing and household objects, to special natural and cultural history collections that include over 8000 moths and butterflies from around the world, 1000 Manitoba bird eggs and 3500 archaeological/First Nations artifacts from throughout Manitoba.
One of the primary goals of the Transcona Historical Museum is to maintain & preserve this collection, and interpret and exhibit it to the public through educational programming. The Transcona Historical Museum also seeks to promote the community spirit of Transcona through special events, community engagement and partnerships.
141 Regent Ave W, Winnipeg, MB R2C 1R1, Canada
Phone: +1 204-222-0423
Website: transconamuseum.mb.ca
Ross House Museum
Ross House is one of the oldest homes in Winnipeg, and it served as the first official Post Office in Western Canada. It was built in 1854 for William and Jemima Ross, members of a prominent Métis family in the Red River Settlement. Their carefully restored log home now offers visitors an immersive look into daily life in early Manitoba.
In February of 1855, the Council of Assiniboia recognized the settlers’ mail service by way of Pembina and appointed William Ross postmaster. The office was in the log house he had built for his home – Ross House.
Ross House Museum is an important piece of Red River Settlement architecture and, since its relocation in 1984, has become an integral part of the historic Point Douglas neighbourhood. Ross House was built in 1852 on what is known now as Market Avenue, near the Red River. Through the efforts of the Manitoba Historical Society, the building was saved from demolition and relocated to James Avenue in 1946. In 1949, the Society moved the structure to the park across from the CPR station on Higgins Avenue and restored the building to its present physical state. In 1984, the building was moved to its present location on Meade Street in Joe Zuken park and is now owned by the City of Winnipeg.
Ross House’s primary goals are to share the stories associated with the Ross family, the Coldwell family, the history of the Red River Settlement, and the historic North Point Douglas community where Ross House resides. Ross House Museum seeks to promote an engagement with history and community spirit by acting as a hub for community and history by providing educational materials for classrooms and by hosting community-oriented events.
140 Meade St N, Winnipeg, MB R2W 3K4, Canada
Phone: +1 204-942-5396
Website: rosshousemuseum.ca
Legion House Museum
The Museum depicts the military history of Manitoba with artefacts from the earliest conflicts between the French and English, Lower Fort Garry in the 1840s, the Red River Expedition, Nile Expedition of 1884, Northwest Canada Rebellion 1885, South Africa 1899-1902, First World War, Second World War, Korean War, Cold War, Peace-keeping, NATO and Afghanistan. Uniforms, medals and equipment are on exhibit from all eras.
134 Marion St, Winnipeg, MB R2H 0T4, Canada
+1 204-825-2961
Website: mhsm.ca
Ukrainian Museum of Canada Manitoba Branch
The Ukrainian Museum of Canada UWAC formed in 1950 features a collection of Ukrainian folk arts, traditional dress of various regions, a library and gift shop.
1175 Main St, Winnipeg, MB R2W 3S4, Canada
Phone +1 204-582-1018
Website umcmb.ca
Costume Museum of Canada
The Costume Museum of Canada is Canada’s first museum dedicated to the collection, preservation and presentation of clothing and textiles. The collection reflects the identity and social history of Canadians urban and rural, public and private.
The collection of 35,000 artifacts is stored in Winnipeg and includes men’s women’s and children’s clothing, accessories and miscellaneous accoutrements. One of the earliest artifacts is a blue and white silk taffeta dress with matching shoes circa 1765.
The museum has its roots in Dugald Manitoba with the work of the Women’s Institute who began with fashion shows in 1953 and then opened a museum in 1983. In 2007 the museum was relocated to Winnipeg.
70 Arthur St #410, Winnipeg, MB R3B 1G7, Canada
Phone: +1 204-989-0072
Website: costumemuseumcanada.com
Assiniboine Park Museum
55 Pavilion Crescent, Winnipeg, MB R3P 2N6, Canada
Phone: +1 204-927-6000
website: assiniboinepark.ca
Western Canada Photographic Museum
115 Dagmar St, Winnipeg, MB R3A 0Z3, Canada
Phonnne: +1 204-941-8232
Ivan Franko Museum
The Ivan Franko Museum is a museum dedicated to Ukrainian writer and poet Ivan Franko in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
200 McGregor St, Winnipeg, MB R2W 5L6, Canada
Phone: +1 204-589-4397
Website: ult-wpg.ca
Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre
The Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre is a museum, gallery, and library in Winnipeg, Manitoba, celebrating the Ukrainian Canadian community. It is the largest Ukrainian cultural institution of its kind in Canada.
Founded in 1944 by the Ukrainian National Federation of Canada, the museum collects and preserves materials and artifacts including documents, ancient maps, rare books, film, photographs, items of folk art, pioneers’ tools, musical instruments, and regional folk costumes. The gallery exhibits work of Canadian and international Ukrainian artists.
The library holds over 40,000 books and periodicals in Ukrainian and English including collections of children’s books, folklore, music, humanities and sciences, a rare book collection and reference materials.
184 Alexander Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3B 0L6, Canada
Phone: +1 204-942-0218
Website: oseredok.ca
St Volodymyr Ukrainian Museum
St. Volodymyr Museum was started as a Canadian Centennial project in 1967 by the Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League of Canada in Winnipeg. The project was blessed by His Grace, the late Most Reverend Archbishop M. Hermaniuk, Metropolitan of Canada, who himself donated many artifacts.
The museum, originally located at 418 Aberdeen Avenue in Winnipeg (previous ‘Progress’ newspaper headquarters) was moved to Blessed Virgin Mary Parish hall in 1985 for added safety and in preparation for the upcoming Centenary of Ukrainians in Canada in 1991. It remained at BVM parish till 1998 when then Auxiliary Bishop Stefan Soroka advised that the collection be moved to the newly renovated Archbishop’s Chancery at 233 Scotia in Winnipeg.
St. Volodymyr Museum presently finds itself in an environmentally controlled space including storage, workroom, and exhibit areas. Most appropriately it is situated adjacent to the Chancery library and archive which only enhances its location.
233 Scotia St, Winnipeg, MB R2V 1V7, Canada
Phone: +1 204-338-7801
Website: archeparchy.ca
Air Command Headquarters Museum
186 Air Force Way, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
website: http://www.mhs.mb.ca
Maison Gabrielle-Roy
Gabrielle Roy’s birthplace is a very important and recurring symbol in the work of the notorious Franco-Canadian author. Her books and the descriptions therein allow us to mentally recreate the house of Gabrielle Roy’s time. For example, Rue Deschambault, takes place in this house where Gabrielle lived for almost 28 years. She was born there in 1909 and spent her entire youth and early adulthood there.
375 Rue Deschambault, Winnipeg, MB R2H 0J9, Canada
Phone: +1 204-231-3853
Website: maisongabrielleroy.mb.ca
Air Force Heritage Museum and Air Park
The Air Force Heritage Museum and Air Park, in Winnipeg, Manitoba displays aircraft and artifacts pertaining to the history of the Canadian Air Force. The park contains memorials to Canadian air search and rescue, and to the people who trained under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. The museum was established in 1975. Memorials in the park were dedicated in 1999.
The air park has the largest permanent display of Canadian military aircraft in Canada. The attached museum has artifacts such as aviation art, Victoria Crosses (including the posthumous award to Andrew Mynarski), and one of the remaining Battle of Britain lace tapestries.
Aircraft on static display include:
CF 116 Freedom Fighter fighter
CT 134 A Musketeer trainer
CX 144 Challenger prototype air transport
CH 136 Kiowa Helicopter
CP-121 Tracker anti submarine warfare
CF-104 Starfighter interceptor/fighter
CF-101 Voodoo interceptor
Harvard Mk. 4 Trainer
CF 100 Canuck
F86 Sabre Mk. VI
CT-133 Silver Star
The park also displays the antenna from an AN/FPS 508 search radar from the Pinetree Line.
186 Air Force Way, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Phone: +1 204-833-2500 ext. 5993
J.W. HARRIS HOUSE
26 Edmonton St, Winnipeg, MB R3C 1P7, Canada
Website: mhs.mb.ca
Forks National Historic Site
105 Waterfront Dr, Winnipeg, MB R3B 0M3, Canada
Phone: +1 204-942-6302
Website: theforks.com
Ogniwo Polish Museum Society Inc
Ogniwo (oh-GNEE-voh), a Polish word meaning “links” is symbolic to our past. The museum fills a unique role, as it seeks to preserve not only our experiences in Canada, but also our love of art, culture, and heritage that resonate in the Polish traditions we value.
1417 Main St, Winnipeg, MB R2W 3V3, Canada
Phone: +1 204-586-5070
Website: polishmuseum.com
Promenade Museum
77 The Promenade, Winnipeg, MB R3B 2N7, Canada
Manitoba Basketball Hall of Fame & Museum
Duckworth Centre, 400 Spence St, Winnipeg, MB R3B 2S4, Canada
phone: +1 204-925-5775
Website: mbhof.com
ACME Brand Wax Museum
414 Lindenwood Dr W, Winnipeg, MB R3P 0Y1, Canada
J.B. Wallis/R.E. Roughley Museum of Entomology
Dafoe Rd W, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
Phone: +1 204-474-9257
CSS MUSEUM
969 St Matthews Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3G 0J7, Canada
Phone: +1 204-786-4300 ext. 3378
Website: servicebattalion.ca
Leo Mol Sculpture Garden
Assiniboine Park Dr, Winnipeg, MB R3P 2N7, Canada
Phone: +1 204-927-6001
Website: assiniboinepark.ca
Riel House National Historic Site
330 River Rd, Winnipeg, MB R2M 3Z8, Canada
Phone +1 204-983-6757
Website: pc.gc.ca
C2 Centre for Craft
The C2 Centre for Craft is dedicated to presenting the best of contemporary and traditional craft in Manitoba. Located in an historic building in Winnipeg’s Exchange District, C2 features an exhibition gallery, shop, library, museum collection, and more. C2 is a shared initiative of the Manitoba Crafts Museum & Library and the Manitoba Craft Council.
329 Cumberland Ave #1, Winnipeg, MB R3B 1T2, Canada
Phone +1 204-615-3951
Website: c2centreforcraft.ca
The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada Museum
969 St Matthews Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3G 2N6, Canada