Manitoba Museum

The Manitoba Museum, fittingly, is found in the heart of Manitoba’s capital city, Winnipeg. The current museum opened in 1970 but its history goes back much further. Its initial incarnation began in 1932 and the collection was started as far back as 1879. As of writing, it is under construction (still open) preparing for its next evolution.

More almost 3 million artifacts are housed in the Manitoba Museum. Many of these are on display in the 52,000 square feet of exhibition space. Of interest to readers, the Earth History gallery has a Precambrian mineral exhibit, Ordivician sea life recreations, and Cretaceous fossils including a special pliosaur donated to the museum by a private collector. Additionally, they have a giant trilobite from near Churchill, Manitoba that is the largest known complete specimen in the world.

Winnipeg is the gateway to the prairies from eastern Canada with a rich history. However, it is sometimes overlooked, maybe even forgotten but there is plenty to see both here and in other parts of southern Manitoba. The Manitoba Museum is certainly worth a visit as is its cousin, the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre in Morden. If the aquatic cousins of dinosaurs pique your interest, a trip to Manitoba is in order.