Culture of Manitoba - Museums

Museums

The Manitoba Museum is the largest museum in Manitoba and focuses on Manitoban heritage from prehistory to the 1920s. It also houses a planetarium and science centre. The full-size replica ship Nonsuch, whose voyage in 1668 led to the founding of the Hudson's Bay Company, is the museum's showcase piece. The Manitoba Children's Museum at the The Forks, founded in 1983, presents exhibits for children that also reflect the history and economy of Manitoba. Also to be located at the Forks, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights is currently under construction, and upon completion will be the first Canadian national museum outside of the National Capital Region.

There are two museums dedicated to the native flora and fauna of Manitoba: the Living Prairie Museum, a tall grass prairie preserve featuring 160 species of grasses and wildflowers, and FortWhyte Alive, a park encompassing prairie, lake, forest and wetland habitats, home to a large herd of bison. The Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre in Morden, Manitoba houses the largest collection of marine reptile fossils in Canada, which represents the prehistoric fauna of the Manitoba Escarpment area.

Manitoba historically had an economic reliance on agriculture, which is documented in the Manitoba Agricultural Museum in Austin, which is home to Canada's largest collection of vintage farm equipment. Reflecting the importance of transportation in the development of the province, Manitoba has museums featuring the history of aviation, marine transport, and railways in the area. There are also museums devoted to specific immigrant groups. Le Musee de Saint-Boniface Museum reflects Franco-Manitoban and Métis culture and history, and is located in the oldest remaining building in Winnipeg. The Mennonite Heritage Village in Steinbach documents the history of Russian Mennonite immigrants. The New Iceland Heritage Museum in Gimli is dedicated to preserving the history and artifacts of the large population from Iceland who immigrated to the Interlake region of Manitoba (now referred to as New Iceland).