Frequently Asked Questions
What are the top museums to visit in Manitoba?
Some of the most popular museums in Manitoba are the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq, Manitoba Museum, Children’s Museum and Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre.
What are the top museums or galleries to visit on my trip to Winnipeg?
The unique 7-storey building of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights is a must-stop as the museum celebrates the history of human rights and fosters conversation about the future. It highlights Indigenous perspectives, including the stunning artwork Witness Blanket made from artifacts donated by the residential schools Survivors and the sites themselves. The museum also commemorates the tragedies of Holocaust, Holodomor, Armenian, Rwandan, Srebrenica genocides. The exhibits educate about the Canadian legal framework to protect human rights as well as contemporary human rights movements and violations, the rights and safety of women and the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq hosts the largest publicly displayed collection of contemporary Inuit art, the works of Abraham Anghik Ruben that blend Inuit and Viking cultures, a rooftop sculpture garden and extensive collections of Inuit, Indigenous, Canadian and European art.
To see stunning historical reconstructions of Manitoba’s nature and history, visit the Manitoba Museum. Marvel at life-size dioramas of wild animals, study the collection of boreal forest bugs and butterflies and take in a full-size replica of 17th century ship, Nonsuch.
Find Canada’s largest marine reptile fossils collection at the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre in Morden. Take a look at the fossils of 80-million-year-old Bruce the mosasaur, Guinness World Record holder as the largest publicly displayed mosasaur.
Children’s Museum is a must for families. This interactive space offers spots for children to role play as city planners, share stories, solve puzzles and challenges, learn physics at hands-on demonstration stations like the Splash Lab and more.
Aircraft lovers will find a thrilling adventure at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada. The museum has more than 90 aircraft, one of Canada’s largest and most historically significant collections, including world’s first all-metal commercial aircraft Junkers F-13. CF-ALX, the replica of 1930s de Havilland Fox Moth CF-BNP and historic military aircraft Bristol Freighter, CF-WAE.
How much do museums cost in Manitoba?
On average, costs per adult vary between $10 and $30, depending on the experience. If you are visiting as a family, make sure to check for discounts with the Canada Strong Pass, Winnipeg Attraction Pass, Kid’s Choice Museum Pass or family tickets.
What are the most unusual museums in Manitoba?
Step into the shoes of the legendary pilots of the Gimli Glider, a Boeing 767 flying 69 people from Montreal to Edmonton that ran out of fuel mid-flight. Feel exactly what it’s like to glide a plane down from 41 thousand feet to an emergency landing in the simulator at the Gimli Glider Exhibit.
Manitoba’s Treherne Museum features a replica of the early 1900s Treherne.
Explore the lives of early pioneers through 25 unique heritage structures in the open-air museum Fort la Reine Museum in Portage la Prairie. Learn how fur traders and entrepreneurs lived from the mid-19th to mid-20th century.
Visit Sam Waller Museum in The Pas to see curiosities like two-headed calf, five pairs of dressed fleas and items telling the history of The Pas.
For a collection of historic ships, stop by Marine Museum of Manitoba in Selkirk. Climb onto the passenger and freight steamship SS Keenora (1897), icebreaker CGS Bradbury (1915), the Chickama II (1942), Lady Canadian (1944) and more.
What natural history museums are there in Manitoba?
Manitoba Museum, Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre and Whiteshell Natural History Museum are some of the key destinations to learn about the natural history of the province.
View life-size dioramas of stampeding bison, a gallery of Earth history, bugs and butterflies of the boreal forest and more at Manitoba Museum, explore the largest collection of marine reptile fossils in Canada at Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre and see the animals of the boreal forest and heritage infrastructure at Whiteshell Natural History Museum.
Why is there a human rights museum in Manitoba?
A prominent Manitoban Izzy Asper came up with the funds to create the museum to help raise awareness about global human rights and respect for others and encourage reflection and dialogue.
The building of the museum is closely connected to its purpose, and its design was selected through an international architectural competition. The custom-built structure is one of the symbols of present-day Winnipeg. It embodies key elements of the Canadian landscape and symbolizes a rise from darkness to light—dimly lit ramps within the building’s limestone mountain-like base transform into ever-changing reflections of light and hope as the visitors ascend to higher floors tucked away in a giant glass cloud exterior with an icy peak at the top.
How much time should I plan for a Canadian Museum for Human Rights museum?
The exploration of exhibits on all seven floors of the museum plus a trip up the museum's glass tower for a breathtaking view of the city takes most visitors around three hours. You can also opt for one of the themed self-guided tours at the museum, each taking about 90 minutes across five stops. Allocate an extra half an hour to grab a snack at the on-site cafe or to stop for a gift shop visit.
Which Manitoba museums are accessible/stroller-friendly?
Highly accessible museums include Canadian Museum for Human Rights, The Manitoba Museum, Manitoba Children’s Museum and Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq.
What’s the difference between the Manitoba Museum and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights?
The Manitoba Museum highlights artifacts and stories from Manitoba’s natural history, science and heritage. The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is dedicated strictly to the evolution, celebration and future of human rights in Canada and internationally.
Is Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq worth it if I only have one day in Winnipeg?
Yes, Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq is a prime destination for Canadian and Indigenous art. The museum hosts the largest publicly displayed collection of Inuit art, including stone carvings, drawings and prints. The gallery also hosts themed exhibits featuring unique contemporary art.
