Top Things to do in Vancouver Island
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Things to do in Vancouver Island, Canada: The Best History Museums
Discover the best top things to do in Vancouver Island, Canada including Shawnigan Lake Museum, Metchosin Pioneer Museum, Industrial Heritage Center, Nanaimo Museum, The Museum at Campbell River, Saanich Pioneer Museum, Sooke Region Museum & Visitor Centre, Parksville Museum, Qualicum Beach Museum, Vancouver Island Military Museum.
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1. Shawnigan Lake Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 37 reviews
Visit this 'big' museum in the small village of Shawnigan Lake - it's guaranteed to surprise you. For over thirty years, the museum has celebrated the history and the people of Shawnigan Lake (and surrounding area). Drop in for extensive information on the spectacular Kinsol Trestle; renowned Canadian artist EJ Hughes; the true Canadian Last Spike and many other significant history-bites.
Reviewed By fayerj1 - Duncan, Canada
A colorful walk through the island's local history, and the museum's ongoing search for authentic stories and evidence of the community's early residents, landmarks and fascinating events.
2. Metchosin Pioneer Museum
3. Industrial Heritage Center
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3 reviews
The Industrial Heritage Center is home to many Antique and Historic trucks and machines. We restore, operate and maintain many trucks and machines. Check out our website for more information.
Reviewed By D5037MIstuartm - Victoria, Canada
Amazing volunteer-driven display of Port Alberni industrial history. As interesting as the equipment is, be sure to approach the volunteers who have ALL the stories that bring the displays to life. Also be sure to attend the affiliated train facility at the nearby roundhouse!
4. Nanaimo Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 188 reviews
Nanaimo Museum: Discover Nanaimo’s fascinating history in our museum located in the VI Conference Centre. The main gallery offers a sense of what life was like for Nanaimo's earliest settlers and the Snuneymuxw First Nation. Our award winning replica coal mine is a special treat. The museum also manages the Bastion, an original Hudson's Bay Company post built in 1853. Don’t miss the gift shop! Museum Hours (Fall/Winter/Spring): 10am - 5pm Monday to Saturday Summer 2020 Hours: Open Wens-Sun 10am-4pm See our website for up-to-date COVID-19 modifications to hours and admission!
Reviewed By IrmaNova - Ottawa, Canada
I was sceptical but this small museum was well-curated and charming. This stop is a must while in Nanaimo for an overview of the city’s history (including a walk-through model of a coal mine) and a rotating exhibit. While we visited, the featured exhibit was on refugees, which was very well done. Local volunteers such as Les, will happily share knowledge and stories about Nanaimo to enrich your visit.
5. The Museum at Campbell River
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 414 reviews
Through numerous exhibits and an extensive research library visitors can learn the history of northern Vancouver Island.
Reviewed By NorthCountryWriter - Victoria, Canada
For a very small city, less than 40,000 people, Campbell River has a museum it can be proud of. It's not huge but what it does, it does really well. It cover indigenous history and folklore to the industries that grew up there and how the early European settlers lived. We've been to bigger cities whose museums didn't evoke the feelings this one did.
6. Saanich Pioneer Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2 reviews
7. Sooke Region Museum & Visitor Centre
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 129 reviews
The Sooke Region Museum & Visitor Centre is a community museum that explores the human and natural heritage of the region from Sooke to Port Renfrew. The museum also operates the local visitor information centre for the region. We have both exhibits in the main museum building and around the grounds. In the Summer we are open 7 days a week. In the off season we are closed Mondays and most Stat holidays. Starting the first Thursday in June, and running until first Thursday in September, we host a night market from 5pm to 8pm and museum stays open during this event.We also usually are closed over Christmas and the first week of January. The museum holds various special event during the year, has a gift shop with local arts & crafts, plus can do special meals for pre-booked tour groups.
Reviewed By marko437 - Sooke, Canada
This is just outside Sooke town centre near the bridge. We always take our friends and family visiting us there. They always buy something as it has very reasonably priced souvenirs with good quality and we buy as gifts for family and friends when traveling like mugs with humming birds on them and the Sooke name It has a very well presented museum of Sooke and the surrounding area with a good and friendly information centre.
8. Parksville Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 43 reviews
The place to take a walk through local history, have a picnic at our picnic tables or visit our Summer Friday Farmers' Market for live music and fresh local food! Wheelchair accessible exhibits and grounds.
9. Qualicum Beach Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 34 reviews
The Qualicum Beach Museum chronicles the social history of Qualicum Beach including First Nations, early pioneers and 'local characters'. It also has an excellent palaeontology exhibit and fossil collection renowned for its scientific and research value. The museum also includes the Powerhouse Discovery Centre, a brick and steel heritage building with exhibits about power, energy, and communications. The museum maintains an extensive archive of local historic documents, photographs and artefacts and responds to inquiries from the general public. Special events include our annual Children's Day in August which is fun for the entire family and seasonal activities such as 'Come Visit and Shop at the Museum'. Summer Hours: Tuesday to Saturday: 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. Winter Hours: Tuesday & Thursday: 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm.
Reviewed By cedars123 - Parksville, Canada
What a FANTASTIC display of fossil discouveries and paleontological information from Vancouver Island! Graham Beard and the staff have created a goldmine of information of local interest and yet have also integrated fossils from other places in the world that are interesting in their juxtaposition to what we have here. The exhibits are of a very high quality. I live locally but had no idea we had such a rich amount of fossilized history on this island. Thank you so much for bringing this to life and to the two staff that we spoke to for making the visit so enjoyable.
10. Vancouver Island Military Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 43 reviews
Reviewed By wilsonc332
I was extremely impressed with this museum. Greg is the keeper and a knowledgeable tour guide that will take his time to bestow his knowledge of our military, our role in the famous wars and it’s history, as well as all of the items on display. The items are a collection of post-war artifacts from both sides of the battle. You will find Japanese, German and of course, weapons of the Allied forces. There is a massive collection of medals that were once the possession of the heroes of our nation. Don’t rush through and set more time aside to look at the displays in detail. There’s a story behind each display.
