While some people envision Winnipeg as a frozen wasteland, these 6 Best Things to Do in Winnipeg offers a surprising number of things to see and do.
This often overlooked capital of Manitoba was named a Cultural Capital in 2010 and boasts some fantastic museums and art galleries, trendy coffee and cocktail spots and so much more.
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Visit the Manitoba Museum
The Manitoba Museum focuses on the province’s human and natural history, with nine permanent galleries.
Some of the highlights include a display that recreates the northern lights, a 95-million-year-old pliosaur fossil and an explorable replica of the 17th-century ship that made the first voyage for the Hudson Bay Company, traveling from England to what would eventually become Canada.
You can even climb aboard, exploring all areas of the vessel, experiencing what it made have been like for the courageous passengers who crossed the Atlantic so many years ago.
Explore the Winnipeg Art Gallery
One of Canada’s oldest art galleries, WAG, as the Winnipeg Art Gallery is known, opened its doors in 1912 and hosts the world’s largest publicly-displayed collection of Inuit art.
It features pieces some 25,000 classic and contemporary pieces by Inuit, Canadian, European and American artists, housed within a modern building shaped like a ship’s bow.
It also hosts frequent events and featured artists from jazz musicians to poets.
Wander Through Assiniboine Zoo and Park
Located at the west end of Assiniboine Park, the Assiniboine Zoo began as a small zoo that was home to less than 20 species, but today it houses nearly 1,200 animals and over 270 different species.
There is a special emphasis on creatures from the north, including polar bears, along with exotic species like red kangaroo and lemurs as well as endangered animals, such as the Siberian tiger.
The park itself is made up of 445 hectares which include grassy lawns and mature trees, an English garden, a steam train and the world-famous Leo Mol Sculpture Garden.
Get a Glimpse of Interesting Trade History at The Forks National Historic Site
The Forks is a historic area, named as the city was established at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers.
Winnipeg’s most popular attraction draws millions annually, representing some 6,000 years of trade history, including trading among Aboriginals, European fur trading, Scottish settlers, buffalo hunters and more.
You’ll also be able to discover how the way of life changed for the Indigenous peoples who traded, socialized, fished and camped and here for many generations.
Connect with Nature at Fort Whyte Alive
Enjoy nature during the warmer months of the year at Fort Whyte Alive which features grassy parkland, bog boardwalks and multiple lakes along with an interpretive center.
The center is home to nature exhibits that incudes burrowing owls as well as an aquarium.
Visitors can visit bird-feeding stations, watch a bison herd and playful prairie dogs, or walk the 4.3 miles of trails.
During the winter, you can go cross-country skiing, tobogganing and ice skating.
Tour the Royal Canadian Mint
If you’re into history or coins, you’ll want to tour the Royal Canadian, both a manufacturing facility and a unique museum.
You’ll learn about the mint and how it’s churned out millions of coins for more than 75 nations with over 1,000 coins pressed every second.
