Burnaby, Canada Museum
Historical Village in the Outskirts of Vancouver, BC
Explore the Burnaby Village Museum's historical recreations and activities for kids just outside of Vancouver, British Columbia.
For an accurate recreation of historical buildings and people of 1920’s British Columbia, Canada, take a day trip to the Burnaby Village Museum or stay in the city. Located just a bus ride or 20 minute drive from Vancouver, BC, this historical village makes learning fun.
The Historical Village in Burnaby
After paying for your ticket and perusing the site map, walk across the “bridge of time” and be transported to the 1920’s. Buildings in the 10-acre grounds have been carefully replicated for the period and costumed volunteers amble around pulling you into their time. Inside the shops meet more costumed staff in character, most based on historical people related to the store.
The Historical Buildings
Walk through this historical village and interact with the shopkeepers. Highlights include the Royal Bank, where you can write a cheque with ink and have it stamped in 1925 (remember that $0.25 was a lot back then!); The Burnaby Post building, where literary folks can typeset their own words and see them go through the working printing press; Central Park Theatre, where you can step inside the world of Charlie Chaplin’s cinema; and sit in the Interurban #1223, a painstakingly-restored tram that carried its first passengers in 1913.
Make sure to seek out the northeast corner of the village to see the exquisite carousel, built in 1912. It travelled around the United States, being bought and sold to Mr. F.K. Leggett in Houston, possibly travelled to San Jose, San Francisco or Tacoma, and came to Vancouver’s Happyland in 1936. When news that the carousel would be sold one horse at a time just under 20 years ago, locals formed the “Friends of the Vancouver Carousel Society.” Eventually, enough funds were raised to purchase it for the Burnaby Museum, as well as restore it to the grand piece of history it is today.
The Burnaby Village Museum is a great place to take children. The museum provides a hands-on learning experience and the staff are always busy coming up with new activities for kids. School classes often come and are able to tour the site, interact with the staff and have private lessons on horseshoe making or watching the steam machine puff.
If your kids just can’t get enough, why not have a sleepover? Groups of 40-70 children can stay over on a Friday or Saturday night and get spooked. A flashlight tour and haunted buildings are the norm. Or just stay for the day and celebrate a birthday in the ice cream parlour. Contact the museum for more programs, opening hours and details, or call Tourism Burnaby for more ideas: (604) 419-0377.
Getting to the Burnaby Village Museum
If you’re driving, take Highway 1 east, exit 33 to Canada Way. Turn left at Canada Way, right at the next set of lights (Deer Lake Avenue) and look for the parking lot on the right. Free parking is available. Public transit stops right in front of the museum’s entrance if you take buses 144, 123, or 129. Call TransLink for bus schedules at (604) 953-3333.
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