Nanaimo Museum

Nanaimo Museum The Nanaimo Museum is a dynamic community facility offering diverse interpretive programming Community Posting Guidelines: www.nanaimomuseum.ca/smguidelines

Discover Nanaimo’s fascinating history in Nanaimo's local history museum, located in the Vancouver Island Conference Centre. The main gallery offers a sense of what life was like for Nanaimo's earliest settlers and the Snuneymuxw First Nation. Our award-winning replica coal mine can be viewed by lantern light, and our fabulous gift shop is full of unique items for all ages. The museum manages the

Bastion, an original Hudson's Bay Company post, built in 1853. The Bastion is a local icon that has endured many challenges since the founding of Nanaimo, British Columbia’s third oldest city. Today, this former Hudson's Bay Company building is the last standing wooden Bastion of this kind in North America.

Celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day on Sunday, June 21st!This Sunday, June 21st from 12:00pm-4:00pm, we invite eve...
06/20/2026

Celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day on Sunday, June 21st!

This Sunday, June 21st from 12:00pm-4:00pm, we invite everyone to the museum to celebrate! In addition to the permanent exhibits about Snuneymuxw culture, there will be self-guided children’s activities, including a matching game about hul’q’um’inum' animal names, yarn friendship bracelet weaving, and an I Spy that highlights the stories of Indigenous people and cultural belongings. Admission donations will go to support the work of the @‌KwumutFoundation.

Don't forget to check out the NIPD event down at Maffeo Sutton Park (2:00pm-5:00pm), hosted by the @‌MidIslandMetisNation - they’ll have entertainment, food, and vendors!

Market gardens were an important source of fresh fruits and vegetables grown in Nanaimo from the 1850s until the mid-190...
06/19/2026

Market gardens were an important source of fresh fruits and vegetables grown in Nanaimo from the 1850s until the mid-1900s. Near the center-right of this photo you can see a market garden in Departure Bay operated by Wong Gun Sai, a former coal mine worker. Twice per week Wong Gun Sai drove his horse and buggy into downtown Nanaimo to sell produce.

📷️: NM (H3-17)

Our summer feature exhibit "Grow Nanaimo" runs from April 11-September 7 https://nanaimomuseum.ca/featured-exhibit/grow-nanaimo/

Visit the Nanaimo Museum this week and your admission donations will be donated to help support the work of This Foundat...
06/19/2026

Visit the Nanaimo Museum this week and your admission donations will be donated to help support the work of

This Foundation invests in the limitless potential of Indigenous youth and the communities that love and empower them.

Learn more about Kw’umut Lelum Foundation's work here: https://youtu.be/C8Gs0mced48?feature=shared

Visit the foundation website for more information: https://www.klfoundation.ca/

The first of the summer season Commercial St Night Market starts today! Lots of excitement downtown.What’s growing in yo...
06/18/2026

The first of the summer season Commercial St Night Market starts today! Lots of excitement downtown.

What’s growing in your terrarium? Visit us at the Commercial Street Night Market this week to enjoy the gallery and decorate a paper terrarium.

The Night Market is open between 5pm-9pm on Thursdays and entry to the museum is FREE.

@‌commercialstreetnightmarketnanaimo

Join us for an evening of storytelling, Indigenous plant knowledge,and conversation rooted in Coast Salish teachings.We ...
06/17/2026

Join us for an evening of storytelling, Indigenous plant knowledge,and conversation rooted in Coast Salish teachings.

We are pleased to host the book launch for Plant Teachings from My Auntie: Gathering Coast Salish Plants for Medicine, Textiles, Nourishment, and Ceremony at the Nanaimo Museum this July!

Featuring authors C’tasi:a Geraldine Manson (Snuneymuxw Elder & Knowledge Keeper) and Nancy J. Turner (Ethnobotanist & Professor Emerita), the event is a chance to hear stories, ask questions, and learn more about this fascinating local book.

The event is free to attend, and registration is required - save your spot by RSVPing on our website at https://nanaimomuseum.ca/events/book-launch-plant-teachings/

For the week of National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 16-21), the museum is donating our admission sales to the Kw’umut ...
06/16/2026

For the week of National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 16-21), the museum is donating our admission sales to the Kw’umut Lelum Foundation!

Visit us from Tuesday, June 16th - Sunday, June 21st and your admission donations will be donated to help support the work of this Indigenous-led charity.

About the Kw’umut Lelum Foundation:
“We collaborate with a vibrant community of private and public donors, united in our efforts to expand cultural, economic, social, educational and recreational access in support of Indigenous children and their families.

The Kw’umut Lelum Foundation is led and stewarded by nine Coast Salish Nations: Halalt, Lyackson, Málexeł, Penelakut, Qualicum, Snaw-naw-as, Snuneymuxw, Stz'uminus and Ts’uubaa-asatx. These nine Coast Salish Nations have a shared purpose and vision for children and communities.

In establishing a First Nations owned and governed foundation, we are ensuring Indigenous stewardship of the foundation’s mission, vision, values and strategy. We encourage cross-cultural collaboration, exploratory conversation and ongoing relationships.

Kw’umut Lelum Foundation is the only community independent Indigenous-led community foundation in British Columbia, and one of two in the country. The Foundation is a charitable organization and CRA-registered.”

~From Kw’umut Lelum Foundation website

Learn more at: https://www.klfoundation.ca/ |

Had a fantastic time at this years Nanaimo Pride! 🌈🏳️‍⚧️ We were so happy to see everyone's smiling faces, and a big tha...
06/15/2026

Had a fantastic time at this years Nanaimo Pride! 🌈🏳️‍⚧️ We were so happy to see everyone's smiling faces, and a big thank you to everyone who made this amazing event possible!

Last week the travelling exhibit "The Great Vancouver Island Land Grab" opened at VI Regional Library Nanaimo Harbourfro...
06/09/2026

Last week the travelling exhibit "The Great Vancouver Island Land Grab" opened at VI Regional Library Nanaimo Harbourfront!

If you are downtown, it is free to view and we encourage you to go check it out!

Vancouver Island Local History Society

Saturday, April 11 – Monday, September 7. 2026Farming and food security are important topics of conversations today, and...
06/08/2026

Saturday, April 11 – Monday, September 7. 2026

Farming and food security are important topics of conversations today, and in the past. Grow Nanaimo features stories of culturally diverse farmers, coal mining company farms, and the story of Five Acres, now known as Harewood. Take a seat in the outhouse interactive and be privy to the secrets of the night soil scavengers and check out the greenhouse activities. The stories in Grow Nanaimo encourage us to think about ways we have worked with the land and grown food in the past - how can reflecting on the past inform our discussions today?

To learn more about the exhibit visit: https://nanaimomuseum.ca/featured-exhibit/grow-nanaimo/

This exhibit is produced with generous support from the Stanley de Vos Fund at Nanaimo Foundation

We’re very excited to announce that Beyond Monet will be joining the highly anticipated Beyond Van Gogh experience at th...
06/05/2026

We’re very excited to announce that Beyond Monet will be joining the highly anticipated Beyond Van Gogh experience at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre this July and August! ✨

For the first time ever on Vancouver Island, audiences will have the chance to step inside the immersive worlds of both Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh. From the dreamy colours of "Water Lilies" and "Impression, Sunrise" to the bold movement and emotion of "Sunflowers" and "The Starry Night", this is art experienced on an entirely different scale.

And the best part? One ticket gets you access to both experiences.

🎟️ Tickets are on sale now: www.islandevents.ca

The Nanaimo Museum is working alongside The Port Theatre, Vancouver Island Conference Centre, and Tourism Nanaimo to help promote this exhibition, which will be hosted at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre.

Beyond Van Gogh

Address

100 Museum Way
Nanaimo, BC
V9R2X1

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

250.753.1821

Website

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