Museums

The Musqueam Cultural Education Resource Centre and Museum features historical objects, contemporary art and a place to share Musqueam history and culture through song, stories, tours and activities. General admission $5. Guided group tours of the land and museum $300 (by appointment) – land tours include the Chinese Market Gardens and the special relationship between the Chinese and Musqueam.

The Nk’mip Desert Cultural Centre is a 9,000 square-foot interpretive centre that exhibits 2 films, the Inkameep Day School Art Collection, indoor and outdoor interactive exhibits, a 1.5 km walking trail, and reconstructed traditional Okanagan village, and (visitor favourite) interpreter hosted programs which boast a fun filled experience for all ages! The centre is also an architectural marvel, and was built from local, sustainable materials.

The Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre is a three-storey, 30,400-square foot award-winning First Nations tourism facility. Guests are offered a guided tour from a local First Nation cultural ambassador who share their knowledge and stories while visiting the many displays and artifacts on display. Guests enjoy a cultural performance of drums and song as well as the chance to learn, hands-on, an indigenous craft. The facility is designed to evoke a traditional Squamish longhouse and a Lil'wat Istken (pit house) and is surrounded by dramatic mountain scenery. Designed to preserve and renew local First Nations' cultures and to share these living cultures with the world; the experience includes Class A museum space to house rare artifacts, a gift gallery, a cafe and an 80 seat HD theatre.

U'mista Cultural Centre is one of the longest-operating and most successful First Nations cultural facilities in BC, founded in 1980 as a ground breaking project to house potlatch artifacts which had been seized by government during an earlier period of cultural repression. The return of the potlatch artifacts not only provided U'mista's name ('the return of something important'), and sparked a general trend toward repatriation of First Nations and cultural artifacts, it caused the creation of a physical facility and human resources infrastructure which have been successfully operated for over two decades.U'mista now operates a modern museum and cultural education facility in Alert Bay. Their operations include the museum, an extensive art gallery and gift shop, group tours, and presentations by dance troupes. The facility hosts international scholars, and supports researchers in a range of disciplines.

The Secwepemc Museum & Heritage Park is located along the banks of the beautiful South Thompson River. The Secwepemc Museum & Heritage Park consists of both an inside and outside viewing experience for visitors. The tour of the museum offers a rich history of the life of the Secwepemc people. Once inside the museum visitors can view "The Land of the Secwepemc" DVD, and can then immerse themselves in the beautiful artefacts and displays within the four galleries that are offered.Afterwards, the Heritage park offers a trail of over a kilometre of archaeological remains of a 2,000 year old Secwepemc winter village. The winter village consists of 1 reconstructed winter pit-houses, and summer tule mat lodges which feature various unique food preparation structures. In addition; for viewing pleasure, is one of Kamloops Marshes that is filled with beautiful wildlife and visitors may even be able to get a glimpse of the Coyote (Skelep) and her pups that are currently living in the area.