Burnaby is one of British Columbia's most diverse communities, and its museums enable visitors to learn about early 20th-century life in Burnaby, the contributions of different ethnic groups and the flair of its local artists.
Burnaby Village Museum
The Burnaby Village Museum is a 4ha/10ac, open-air collection of heritage and replica buildings in Deer Lake Park that recaptures life in the 1920s. Climb aboard the restored Interurban Tram #1223, pick up a snack at the ice cream parlour, or interact with costumed interpretive guides at the general store, smithy or print shop. Don't forget to take a ride on the 1912 C.W. Parker Carousel, which swirls with 36 brightly coloured horses to the tune of a 1925 Wurlitzer organ. The Burnaby Village Museum is located at 6501 Deer Lake Avenue. It's open from May to early September. There are also special "Haunted Village" (pre-Halloween) and "Heritage Christmas" (late November to early January) events.
National Nikkei Museum and Heritage Centre
The National Nikkei Museum and Heritage Centreis a focal point for Burnaby's Japanese community. This glassy, architecturally striking building, with a formal Japanese garden outside, opened in 2000. One of its key tenants is the Japanese Canadian National Museum, which showcases artifacts from Japanese-Canadian history dating back to the 1870s. Exhibitions cover topics such as Vancouver's Asahi baseball team, sewing and dress-making styles, and looking back at the internship camps where Japanese immigrants were detained during World War II. The museum is at 6688 Southoaks Crescent, and is open Tuesday to Saturday.
SFU Museum of Archeology & Ethnology
This compact museum at Simon Fraser University (SFU) showcases artifacts from around the globe with a special focus on aboriginal art from British Columbia, such as totem poles and traditional carvings. Many exhibits are loaned from the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria, and are set up by SFU students. The SFU Museum of Archeology & Ethnology is located at the northeast corner of the Academic Quadrangle, on the concourse level, at 8888 University Drive and is open Monday to Friday.
Check with the museums and galleries for exact opening times.