Any day is Manitoba Day during museum season

St. Vital

On May 12, 1870, the parliament of Canada passed the Manitoba Act to create Canada’s fifth province. To honour this event, May 12 is designated Manitoba Day.

If you missed it – don’t despair. You can still celebrate Manitoba Day by visiting any of the province’s roughly 200 museums this “museum season.” Larger museums are often open year-round, but many small museums are seasonal (May to September). Some receive school groups in the spring but aren’t fully open to the public until July – long after Manitoba Day.

So, I invite you to celebrate your own Manitoba Day on a day of your choosing – by visiting one of Manitoba’s unique and interesting museums this spring and summer. Immerse yourself in Manitoba heritage by exploring historic homes, pioneer villages, train stations, grain elevators, churches, forts, and schools. Experience history where it actually happened. Speak with museum volunteers, summer students, and staff who are keen to share their lived experience, knowledge of the collection, and passion for heritage.

Museums in Manitoba offer something for everyone. Sadly, I cannot mention them all so I will focus on three gems in the central region – just south and west of Winnipeg.

The Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre, inside the Access Event Centre in Morden, immerses visitors in the cretaceous period when North America was covered by an inland sea that was home to “aquatic dinosaurs.” It holds the Guinness world Rrecord for the largest mosasaur on public display. Measuring 13 metres (42.8 feet) from nose to tail, Bruce is a 65-to-70-per-cent complete skeleton of this ancient marine lizard.

Upstairs, the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum honours the men and women who have contributed to the sport of baseball. Here, you can learn about the Manitoba women who were real-life players in the baseball league that inspired the movie A League of Their Own.

Take a short drive west to learn about another woman who used humour and theatre to win many women the right to vote in 1916. The Nellie McClung Heritage Site in Manitou features the largest collection related to her life – including the pen used to get women the vote. Don’t miss the museum’s immersive fundraiser and 1920s-themed clothing exhibit, dubbed The Hidden Attic, at Fort Whyte Alive on June 11. Tickets are $200, see nellieshomes.ca/events for more information or to buy tickets.

Whatever museum you plan to visit, check ahead to make sure it will be open for your very own Manitoba Day.