Manitoba Museum

The Manitoba Museum is the province’s largest heritage centre. It has both human and natural heritage themes for which it is well known. The museum’s purpose is to share information about Manitoba, the world and the universe. It has great collections, exhibitions, publications, planetarium shows and Science Centre exhibits.

Here, you can open a door and travel back thousands of years and miles of geographic space. This can all be done in a few hours. You can board a 17th Century ketch bound for Hudson Bay or see how the bottom of the sea looked millions of years ago. Next, blast off in a space ship to explore unknown worlds or discover science and technology in an exciting “hands on” environment.

The lifestyle of the Inuit and the Chippewa was dependent on migratory game. These people were gatherers, fishers and hunters. One of the most important animals to the survival of these peoples was the Barren Ground Caribou that migrated in autumn to the boreal forest.

When you enter the Boreal Forest Gallery, you will hear the eerie cry of a loon as it echoes through a coniferous forest in Manitoba’s northland. A moose and her calf can be seen standing in an autumn sunset as a bull descends a rocky path to join them. A waterfall cascades down a cliffside while a Cree family paints rocks and gathers food.

The Red River Buffalo Hunt is so life-like that you can hear the thunder of hooves on the open prairie. A Metis warrior on horseback closes in on a wild-eyed buffalo. This is an excellent exhibit, which illustrates the Museum’s theme – the relationship between people and the environment.

The Earth History exhibit allows you to travel back over thousands of years to when the earth and the universe had just begun. You can stand beside the Ordovician Sea that covered Manitoba a billion years ago. The creatures that lived in this warm, salty sea are what formed the limestone deposits of today.

When you step into the Arctic region of Hudson Bay, it is a breathtaking experience. A huge polar bear is shown bringing a ringed-seal onto an ice floe. His constant search for food illustrates the struggle for survival in Manitoba’s barren north. Aurora Borealis flashes across the sky, giving one the feeling of being one with the land.

When you move along, you come upon an exhibit where the 17th Century ketch, Nonsuch, sets waiting for the tide to come in so she can sail away into history. In 1668, the ketch left England’s shores and arrived in Hudson Bay. Her mission was to find furs and the voyage was a success. The English owned the Hudson’s Bay Company that ruled both northern and western Canada for two hundred years.

The Grasslands Gallery takes you to southern Manitoba where gigantic herds of buffalo once grazed. These animals were the heart of survival for the Natives of the Plains. European settlers slaughtered the buffalo in such great numbers that the species was almost depleted. After this happened, the mood of the grassland changed. Buffalo could no longer stabilize the economy and grain became the major cash crop.

At the Planetarium, take in one of the Star Theatre Shows. Travel past more than 200 million stars that float in the darkness of space. Here you will experience a journey of discovery in the 280-seat Star Theatre as the show unveils the mysteries of the universe. You will also experience the magical experience of a laser show as well as fashion shows and events of the performing arts. When the theatre lights dim, you begin the journey of a lifetime.

Many questions can be answered in your visit to the Touch The Universe Science Centre. The amazing “hands on” atmosphere is a delight to people of all ages. You can indulge in conversation with a computer, lift 300-kilogram with a lever and create electronic music. Enter Matrix and feel what it’s like to be suspended in a myriad of images that seem to have no end.

The Museum is part of the Manitoba Centennial Centre. It is located at 190 Rupert Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba and is the heart of the historic Exchange District. Parking is available both under and above ground. From Victoria Day to Labor Day, the Museum is open from 10AM to 6PM. In June, July and August, it is open until 9PM on Thursday.

Admission to Museum Galleries - Adults - $8 CAD Seniors/Students $6.50. Planetarium/Science Gallery Admission Adults - $6.50 CAD Seniors/Students $5.00. A one-day pass to all areas, the Full Experience Pack is $18 CAD for adults, $12.50 for seniors & students, or $60.00 for a family.

The Manitoba Museum is located at 190 Rupert Ave (Rupert and Main Street in Downtown Winnipeg) Winnipeg MB R3B 0N2 +1 204 943 3139; +1 204 988 0665 group tours www.manitobamuseum.ca

If you are ever in Winnipeg, be sure to visit the Museum of Man and Nature. It is a truly wondrous experience.