Museums in Northern BC cover topics from dinosaur footprints to toasters.
Aboriginal culture and history, totem pole carving, and traditional dancing come together at the Museum of Northern BC, Haida Heritage Centre and 'Ksan Native Village and Museum.
Marvel at dinosaur fossils and footprints at the Hudson’s Hope Museum and the Dinosaur Discovery Gallery (in Tumbler Ridge). Vintage rail coaches are on display at the Prince George Railway & Forestry Museum and the Alaska Highway House tells the story of the Alaska Highway.
Museums here also cater to a sense of fun: Stewart’s Toastworks Museum boasts centuries-old toasters, while hundreds of license plates from around the world are at the Fort Nelson Heritage Museum.
Visitors Centres have information on local museums and historic sites. Check the hours of operation for museums, as they may vary by season.
Aboriginal Museums
Delve into Aboriginal culture at the Haida Heritage Centre (on Haida Gwaii). Totem poles – weathered naturally with age – are displayed outside, while works of art adorn the walls. Local guides are happy to share their culture and knowledge.
The Museum of Northern BC (in Prince Rupert) has artifacts, some dating back 12,000 years, that were used by people of Tlingit, Tsimshian, Haida and Nisga’a First Nations descent. Pop over to the carving shed (a 5-minute walk from the museum) to see talented local northwest coast carvers create art.
Explore 'Ksan Historical Village in Hazelton Village, a replicated ancient Aboriginal village that's comprised of seven cedar longhouses, a grave house and a smoke house. More than 600 Gitxsan First Nations artifacts are in the “Treasure House”.
Natural and Geological Museums
The fossils at the Dinosaur Discovery Gallery (in Tumbler Ridge) serve as reminders of a much earlier time – 90 million years to be exact. Gaze at perfectly preserved fossil imprints indoors, then hike to dinosaur footprints on a Dinosaur Trackway tour. For a unique look, take the tour at night – low angled lanterns bring out footprints not visible by day.
The Hudson’s Hope Museum houses a collection of fossils and pre-historic artifacts, including the dinosaur fossil named for the town after its discovery here in the early 1960s: the Hudsonelpidia.
For natural and geological history, head to The Exploration Place Museum & Science Centre in Prince George. Along with life-sized replicas of dinosaur fossils, there are living critters (for those brave enough to hold them) and displays of local wildlife.
Transportation and Pioneer Museums
The Prince George Railway & Forestry Museum has a large collection of vintage railcars, rolling stock, locomotives, a heritage train station and a miniature train that loops through the park.
Today the Alaska Highway is a scenic and pleasant drive – but it wasn’t always this way. Alaska Highway House (in Dawson Creek) tells the story of 30,000 soldiers that forged through mud, rock and ice to build this road. Stand next to an original army jeep, or cozy into a recreated Quonset hut (a type of semicircular, steel shelter) to see actual video footage of the construction.
At Terrace’s Heritage Park Museum, eight recreated pioneer buildings depict the life of early 20th-century settlers. Tread across the creaking timber floors of the horse-drawn wagon garage, or stroll through the garden's colourful blooms and fragrant herbs.
Unique Museums
Stewart’s Toastworks Museum has a collection of centuries-old toasters. Stop for a bite to eat at the adjoining restaurant, where homemade bread is toasted by 80 year old appliances.
Roam the grounds of the Fort Nelson Heritage Museum, which is crammed with antiques, collectibles and various odds and ends. There is a birch bark canoe, rows of antique cars, hundreds of license plates from around the world and even a stuffed albino moose.
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