National Indigenous Residential School Museum of Canada

National Indigenous Residential School Museum of Canada From a place of hurting to a place of healing.

A place where people can learn, share, heal and move forward with a greater understanding of the forces that shaped and forever changed multiple generations of First Nations people.

Welcoming the World to Manitoba.NIRSM was thrilled to welcome Travel Manitoba and a delegation of Australian tour operat...
09/02/2026

Welcoming the World to Manitoba.

NIRSM was thrilled to welcome Travel Manitoba and a delegation of Australian tour operators to the museum earlier today!

Manitoba offers visitors a truly unique tourism experience — from the incredible wildlife of Churchill and polar bear country, to the vibrant culture of Winnipeg, the natural beauty of Riding Mountain National Park, the living history of Lower Fort Garry, and the rich Indigenous cultures and stories found throughout the province.

And here at the Keeshkeemaquah Reserve (beside Portage la Prairie, MB), visitors can experience something deeply meaningful at the National Indigenous Residential School Museum of Canada.

As interest in authentic, immersive and culturally meaningful travel continues to grow, we are proud to be part of Manitoba's tourism story and to share an Indigenous-led experience with visitors from across Canada and around the world.

Thank you to Travel Manitoba and our Australian guests for spending time with us today. We hope your visit is the beginning of many more connections between Manitoba and visitors from around the world. 🌎

There is so much to discover in Manitoba — and we are excited to help visitors discover it.

ManitobaTourism #

🪴🌿PLANT SALE, Sept 1st & 2nd 🌿🌱We are excited to announce Prairie Originals, a partner in our upcoming living plant exhi...
08/29/2026

🪴🌿PLANT SALE, Sept 1st & 2nd 🌿🌱

We are excited to announce Prairie Originals, a partner in our upcoming living plant exhibit, will be at the Mashkikiin Gathering on September 1st and 2nd with native Manitoba plants for sale. Their table will be close to Crescent Road W so you will not require Registration to the event to visit their table.

Prairie Originals is a native plant nursery located near East Selkirk, Manitoba. They grow approximately 150 species of wildflowers, grasses, shrubs, and vines that are native to Manitoba for use in gardens, and landscape and conservation projects. They also produce their own seed with original seed sources came from the wild in Manitoba.

08/29/2026

🚗🐾 Road tripping through Manitoba? Don’t sleep on Portage!

Taking the south bypass on Highway 1? There’s a great little spot to pull over, stretch your legs, and let your four-legged travel companion burn off some energy at the off-leash dog park.

And the best part? You’re only about a minute away from the National Indigenous Residential School Museum of Canada.

So, while the dog is resting after their adventure, why not make the most of your stop and take some time to explore, learn, and experience a place with an important story to tell.

🐕🐾A little exercise. A little exploring. A meaningful stop along your journey.

Portage la Prairie is worth the stop.

Survivors remain at the heart of the museum.NIRSM is honoured to pay tribute to Maxine Walker, a Residential School Surv...
08/28/2026

Survivors remain at the heart of the museum.

NIRSM is honoured to pay tribute to Maxine Walker, a Residential School Survivor and Anishinaabe language holder who generously shared her knowledge with our team as we worked to integrate Anishinaabemowin throughout the museum.

Today, visitors will find Anishinaabemowin alongside items and exhibits throughout NIRSM — helping ensure that Indigenous language remains visible, valued, and present for future generations.

Our Collections Curator, Bev, learned so much working closely with Maxine and remains committed to continuing the work of integrating Indigenous languages throughout the museum. She hopes that we can work with Dakota language holders in the future on similar initiatives.

We are deeply grateful to Maxine for sharing her knowledge and to the Province of Manitoba for funding this important project.

Chi Miigwetch, Maxine. Your knowledge and generosity will continue to be seen, heard, and honoured by every visitor who walks through our doors.

08/27/2026

We are thrilled to be featured in SAY Magazine’s August 2026 Sports and Health edition.

Today, the National Indigenous Residential School Museum of Canada had the opportunity to host a virtual tour with Westl...
08/26/2026

Today, the National Indigenous Residential School Museum of Canada had the opportunity to host a virtual tour with Westland Insurance.

Knowledge Holder David Daniels shared his experience of attending residential school, while Bev, our Collections Curator, guided participants through the history and stories held within our museum.

We were grateful to have four members of the Westland Insurance team on-site to provide technical support, but today also opened an important conversation for us. How can we continue to reach organizations that are deeply committed to reconciliation education when their teams are spread across multiple locations and gathering everyone for an in-person visit isn't always possible?

Virtual experiences may offer another way to create meaningful connections, bring Survivor stories and truth-telling into workplaces, and encourage learning and reflection beyond the walls of the museum.

As we approach September, a time when many organizations focus their attention on reconciliation and truth-telling, we invite businesses and organizations to connect with us. We would be honoured to explore opportunities to bring meaningful learning experiences, Survivor stories, and educational events to your team—whether in person or virtually.

Reconciliation begins with truth. Learning is one way we can continue the journey together.

📩 Contact NIRSM at (204) 239-6464 to explore opportunities for your organization.

🌿 Only 7 Days Until the Mashkikiin Gathering! 🌿In just one week, we will come together to learn, share, listen, and stre...
08/25/2026

🌿 Only 7 Days Until the Mashkikiin Gathering! 🌿

In just one week, we will come together to learn, share, listen, and strengthen our relationships with the land and one another.

The Mashkikiin Gathering is made possible through the support of many people and organizations who recognize the importance of creating spaces where Indigenous knowledge, land-based learning, and cultural teachings can be shared.

We are deeply grateful to our partners, including the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba, Manitoba Hydro, and Stride Credit Union, for coming alongside us to help make this Gathering possible. Their support helps us bring people together, support our Knowledge Holders and presenters, and provide food and experiences throughout the Gathering.

We know there have been questions about the registration fee. While the Gathering is supported by generous partners, there is still much that goes into hosting an event of this size. It is important to us that the Knowledge Holders and presenters who generously share their time, experience, and teachings are compensated, and that participants are welcomed and cared for throughout the Gathering.

Our hope is that the Mashkikiin Gathering will continue to grow. As it grows, we hope to secure additional funding and support that will allow these learning opportunities to become increasingly accessible to everyone who wishes to attend.

For now, we are incredibly grateful for everyone who has believed in this vision and helped bring it to life.

🌿 7 days to go. We cannot wait to gather with you.

**Learning With the Land, Throughout the Seasons 🌿**NIRSM recently held another Indigenous plant teachings workshop with...
08/19/2026

**Learning With the Land, Throughout the Seasons 🌿**

NIRSM recently held another Indigenous plant teachings workshop with our Knowledge Holder, exploring the plants that are present and ready to teach us at this time of year.

One of the beautiful things about learning from the land is that the focus of the teachings change with the seasons. Different plants emerge, flower, fruit and become ready for different uses throughout the year. Each workshop offers an opportunity to deepen our understanding and build a relationship with the plants around us.

For the museum, these workshops are an important part of keeping Indigenous knowledge alive and creating opportunities for people to learn directly from Knowledge Holders. They also remind us that knowledge is not simply something to be collected—it is something that is shared, practiced and carried forward.

We are especially grateful to those who have joined us for more than one workshop. We hope you have discovered something new each time, and we look forward to welcoming both returning participants and new learners.

🌱 Would you like to arrange a plant teachings workshop for your group?
Contact the National Indigenous Residential School Museum of Canada at [email protected] to learn more about scheduling a workshop with our Knowledge Holder.

We will also be announcing future public workshops in the Fall, so stay connected for upcoming dates.

Come learn from the land. Come listen to the teachings.

08/08/2026

Reconnecting to the Knowledge That Was Interrupted

For Lorraine Daniels, the teachings she received from her grandparents about the land, plants and their traditional uses were part of a relationship with the land that should have been carried forward through generations.

But the residential school system disrupted that connection.

In this video, Lorraine shares how those teachings became harder to access—and why gatherings like Mashkikiin are so important today.

The Mashkikiin Gathering is an opportunity to listen, learn and reconnect with Indigenous plant teachings and the knowledge that residential schools worked to separate from our people. It is part of a larger journey of restoring relationships with the land and creating space for teachings to be shared again.

There are still spaces available for the Mashkikiin Gathering, September 1–September 2, 2026.

The Gathering includes teachings from Knowledge Holders, Elders and speakers, land-based learning, cultural teachings and opportunities to learn together.

Registration is $250 per person. We have not received funding to cover the expenses of hosting the Gathering, so registration fees help make it possible to bring our Knowledge Holders and speakers together and offer this experience.

If you have been looking for a way to deepen your understanding of Indigenous plant teachings and reconnect with the knowledge held by our Elders and Knowledge Holders, we invite you to join us.

Spaces are still available through Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/1987348696449?aff=oddtdtcreator

Come with an open heart. Come ready to listen. Come ready to learn.

Some of the most meaningful teachings happen in smaller circles.Earlier this week, Knowledge Holder David Daniels shared...
08/07/2026

Some of the most meaningful teachings happen in smaller circles.

Earlier this week, Knowledge Holder David Daniels shared plant teachings in the classroom before leading participants on a walk around the National Indigenous Residential School Museum grounds, where the group learned to identify plants growing naturally in the area and heard the traditional teachings about how they support our health and wellness.

Every workshop is unique. The plants change with the season, the conversations take their own path, and each gathering offers an opportunity to reconnect with the land and the knowledge it continues to share.

🌿 Our August 21 Plant Teachings Workshop still has a few spaces available. Proceeds from the workshop help support our Orange Shirt Day activities.

We've also received many requests for additional workshops, so we're working on adding more dates this fall, along with exploring a virtual option for those who aren't able to attend in person.

Stay tuned—we're excited to continue sharing these teachings with even more people.

Address

212/5000 Crescent Road West
Portage La Prairie, MB
R1N4B1

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+12042396464

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when National Indigenous Residential School Museum of Canada posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category