Group Programs
Le Musée de Saint-Boniface Museum collects, preserves, researches, and interprets a collection of artifacts relating to Western Canada’s French-Canadian and Métis heritage, while acknowledging the historical contributions of the First Nations and religious communities. The Museum aims to provide visitors with experiences that will encourage greater awareness, appreciation and understanding of the French-Canadian and Métis cultures in Manitoba.
Uprooted Nation Program
60-minute museum tour. Grade 6 and up. Capacity 30.
Whether you are 3-year-old Marguerite Delorme or 16-year-old Joseph Nault, the question is the same:
Where will you and your siblings live in this new province?
Imagine being unable to decide where you will live when you grow up. Instead, you and your siblings are uprooted and spread across the province. How would you feel? Where would you live? Will you be far from your family? Will your new community suit you? Relive the story of Métis families and experience the deception and displacement some faced following the creation of Manitoba. What did the Canadian government promise to the Métis about land in this new province? How did the government allocate land to the Métis? Was this a fair process? Did things go wrong? Explore different systems of land division, understand the land lotteries that took place here and consider the effects on Métis-inhabited lands and Métis families.
This interactive experience is designed to deepen your understanding of Métis history by creating connections between past events and more recent actions taken by Métis people. These connections are key in understanding recent land claims, supreme court decisions and the first steps taken to reconcile with a whole Nation. Based on the land distribution process that was put in place, this experience supports Manitoba’s social studies and Canadian history curriculums and is perfect for anyone who wants to better understand Métis land rights issues. Get ready to experience fate as it happened for Métis children… decided by the luck of a draw.
$7 + GST / person
Outdoor Walking Tours
The Women who made us
1 hour. Grade 6 and up. Capacity 10.
Ranging from a clandestine kidnapping to a devastating candle making accident. The first women to make a salary in the Canadian west to the empire of healthcare established in St-Boniface. History reveals the contributions made by women that have forged our community.
This hour-long tour includes markers that celebrate architects, artists, authors, and contemporary artisans.
$7 + GST / person
Mocassin Walk
1 hour. Grade 6 and up. Capacity 10.
Like many Indigenous languages, Michif is a descriptive language. Sometimes several words in French are used to designate a thing or item: “l’arbre à saint” (saints’ tree) for sage; “graines bleues” (blue seeds) for blueberries; and “souliers mous” (soft shoes) for mocassins!
Who are the Métis “of the Red River”? What stories can deepen our understanding of the Métis, help us celebrate their history, and stand in solidarity with them! From the notorious MacDoug, a tireless ferry operator, to the tragic fate of Elzéar Goulet. From self-governance during large buffalo hunts to the entrepreneurial spirit of dedicated millers. We will share stories, big and small, to recognise the complexity of the Métis nation.
$7 + GST / person
Saint-Boniface Cemetery Tour
1 Hour. All ages. Capacity 30.
Visit the oldest cemetery in Western Canada and discover its history. Learn about illustrious contributors to Manitoba history while visiting some important gravesites, including Louis Riel’s. Step into the ruins of the Basilica that burned in 1968 and see the spectacular stained-glass windows in the most recent and modern of St. Boniface’s five cathedrals. *Popular choice: this tour is most often booked as a complement to the museum tour.
$7 + GST / person
Virtual Museum Tour
1 hour. All ages.
Enjoy a guided one-hour tour of our Virtual Museum through TEAMs. Let our experienced interpreters lead the way through artfully curated exhibits that include: the early inhabitants of the region; the fur trade; the Métis, Louis Riel and the creation of the province of Manitoba; wool, looms and traditional textile arts. You and your group will have the opportunity to learn how to do fingerweaving as well!
Cost varies. Please contact us for more details.
(*Please see additional booking/cancellation info below).
Special Notes
* Minimum fees may apply. Reservations are required a week in advance in order to schedule the appropriate amount of tour guides. Once all the details have been captured, you will receive a confirmation sheet by email; it must be signed and returned to us to finalize your booking. *All bookings include self-guided discovery of the Museum before or after your program/tour.
Outdoor picnic tables are available for your use (our indoor classroom may be available during inclement weather). Please request when making your reservation, if required.
To reserve your guided tour or other program, please email experiences@msbm.mb.ca or call 204-237-4500 ext. 420