The Prince Rupert area has several iconic museums and centres that catalogue and celebrate the rich culture, activity, and history of the region. These include the Museum of Northern BC, North Pacific Cannery Museum, Port Interpretive Centre, Prince Rupert Archives, Kwinitsa Station Museum, Historic Fire Hall Museum, and even the ‘informal’ Museum of collectibles and antiques located at Gary’s Lock and Key on 2nd Avenue West.
Prince Rupert is a cosmopolitan city with many cultures contributing to its unique identity. Prince Rupert and the Northwest Coast also bear a rich history of First Nations, railway construction, fishing, logging and shipping. There are a number of museums in Prince Rupert that collect, safeguard and make accessible artifacts and specimens which they hold in trust for the people of Prince Rupert and the surrounding area.
Located at 100 1st Ave West, the Museum's beautiful large post and beam building is fashioned after the style of the Northwest Coast longhouse. Exhibits depict the 10,000 years of fascinating human history and settlement on the North Coast. The Museum offers a variety of programs and services. The gift shop specializes in First Nations art, jewelry, books and gifts on the North Coast.
Built in 1889, today, the North Pacific Historic Fishing Village is a National Historic Site. It is the most complete cannery that remains of these remote villages that once dotted the West Coast. Experience mouth-watering food, licensed dining, cozy lodging, wildlife, and beautiful scenery, with live performances, tours and exhibits in this wooden cannery village suspended on pilings over an estuary of the Skeena River.
To find out more information about North Pacific Cannery – their hours of operation, services and attractions, and how to get there, check out their website at http://www.northpacificcannery.ca/
At the Port Interpretive Centre residents and visitors alike can go to find out what’s happening at the Port of Prince Rupert. Interpretive Centre ambassadors answer your questions with the assistance of interactive exhibits, video experiences and children's activities to explore the port’s world. Guests can learn about the products, vessels and vehicles moving through the Port of Prince Rupert, the communities and countries that they connect to, and the types of people and partners who make it all possible. Go and discover what’s new at the Port Interpretive Centre!
Located in Prince Rupert's waterfront park, Kwinitsa Railway Station Museum provides adults and children alike with an exciting journey into the history of Canada's northern railway and the many small stations like Kwinitsa along its route. Exhibits portray the development of early Prince Rupert, from its days as the tent town at the terminus of the Grand Trunk Railway to its birth as a city in the 1920's.
The Prince Rupert City and Regional Archives was established in 1980, with the mandate to acquire and preserve records and documents related to the history and culture of Prince Rupert, Port Edward, Port Essington, Port Simpson, Anyox, and the surrounding area. The Archives' holdings consist of photographs and negatives, manuscripts such as minutes, financial records, letters and diaries, maps, newspapers, sound recordings, and other historical reference materials.
For more information on the Prince Rupert Archives, their hours of operation, services, and a searchable database of archival photos online, check out: http://princerupertarchives.ca/
