Guided School Programs
Due to COVID-19 precautions, in-person educational programs and tours at Nanaimo Museum are currently unavailable.
Activity and Resource Kit rentals are also unavailable at this time.
Virtual Snunéymuxw Traditional Life is still available through the spring!
The virtual version of Snunéymuxw Traditional Life connects your students with a live museum staff member for a 30-minute interactive program that will keep your students engaged and moving while learning about the tools used by the Snunéymuxw First Nation and other Coast Salish Nations to make canoes, longhouses, and blankets. A combination of pictures, live close-ups of cultural belongings and video tours of the museum’s gallery create a varied and fast-paced virtual program.
For more information and to book your spot: https://nanaimomuseum.ca/program/virtual-snuneymuxw-traditional-life/
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These exciting and interactive programs include a guided tour of one of the museum’s exhibits and a hands-on activity.
Most programs are offered between September and June, are 90 minutes in length, and may take place in either the Nanaimo Museum or your classroom. Bring your students in for an exciting guided program. Programs range in topics from 19th Century Nanaimo to First Nations on Vancouver Island. See the complete guide for elementary school programs below. We also offer guided programs for high school students, please inquire for details.
For more information, or to sign up for a program, please contact Stephanie Kveton at 250-753-1821, use the contact form below, or email program@nanaimomuseum.ca
Have you been to a program at the museum recently? We would love to hear your feedback, follow the link below for our evaluation survey.
Self-Guided Discovery Programs
Explore the museum with your students during this program, which includes discovery sheets that allow students to match pictures with gallery items to find answers to the questions. Each exhibit area has its own unique discovery sheet. A customisable set of four discovery sheets make up one Discovery Sheets Clipboard
Self Guided Tour:
Discovery Sheets $0.75/clipboard plus Regular Admission/person
Programs are available year round Monday to Friday
Pre-registration is REQUIRED. Contact Stephanie Kveton at 250-753-1821, program@nanaimomuseum.ca, or make an inquiry using the form below.
Module System
Educators can add modules to an existing program or build their own custom program using modules.
Classroom and Resource Kits
These kits, for use in the classroom, are available anytime September through June, depending on availability. The kit is available for two weeks on a first come, first serve basis, and must be picked up and dropped off at the museum by the booking teacher. There is a $25 fee for the classroom program kits. Please contact Steph Kveton at 250-753-1821, program@nanaimomuseum.ca, or make an inquiry using the form below for more information about the kits and to inquire about availability.
Coal Miners Child Kit
The kit contains a board game designed to teach the students about what it was like to live in early 1900’s Nanaimo, both at school and in the home. There are jigsaw puzzles of early Nanaimo photographs, as well as school work sheets taken from 1930’s reading and arithmetic text books. There is background information on early Nanaimo education.
Black Diamonds Kit
This kit contains coal mining artifacts, modern Nanaimo street maps with coal mine working locations, coal samples, historical photos and books, and background information the history of mining in Nanaimo.
Primary First Nations Kit
Includes background information and books about Snunéymuxw to provide context for educators. Books to read with children include the Coast Salish series of books by Celestine Aleck and illustrated by Joel Good as well as stories by Ellen White.
Intermediate First Nations Kit
Includes background information and books about Snunéymuxw to provide context for educators. Books to read with students include “Haida Manga,” Carol Anne Shaw’s “Hannah and the Spindle Whorl” and “Hannah and the Salish Sea.” Coastal First Nations art resource books are also included in the kit.
Far From Home Kit
The kit includes lesson plans, background information on residential schools in Canada and books. There are stories to read to children including chapter books like “My Name is Seepeetza” by Shirley Sterling and picture books such as “Secrets of the Dance” written by Andrea Spalding and Alfred Scow. Books like “Righting Canada’s Wrongs: Residential Schools” by Melanie Florence provide context on residential schools for educators.
Virtual Programs
In Person Programs
Booking Details
Make a Booking Inquiry!
Contact forms will be responded to within 2 business days. For immediate service please call 250-753-1821.