Burnaby Village Museum
Burnaby Village Museum is a fun and educational attraction that gives visitors a glimpse of the past. It’s a collection of historic buildings from various locations in the city set up in an easy-to-explore manner. From a 1920s general store to a church, and from a barber shop to a schoolhouse, you can see what life was like in the city almost 100 years ago. And the best part is that it's free!
Originally called Heritage Village, the museum opened in 1971 as a small museum and has since expanded to its current 10 acre site. The village is comprised of both heritage and replica buildings, which are filled with displays and costumed staff demonstrating traditional trades. Visitors can see how coffee beans were ground by hand in the 1920s at the Burnaby Lake General Store, try out Mahjong at the Way Sang Yuen Wat Kee herbalist shop and ride on a restored 1912 C.W. Parker Carousel (admission to the museum is free but there is a small fee for the carousel).
Each building in the village tells a different story. A few of the more popular include the Old Curly Locomotive, a 1925 steam engine used to pull logs, Wagner’s Blacksmith Shop based on a Burnaby business from the same time, and the Dow, Fraser & Co Real Estate Office, which was built in 1927 as a grocery store annex. The museum also has a variety of artifacts on display including a 1918 ice cream truck and a 1912 interurban tram.
The museum also hosts a number of special events throughout the year. For example, the Heritage Christmas event is a must-see during November and December. The streets are filled with dazzling lights, period music and street characters dressed in costumes. Visitors can take part in a number of festive activities such as crafts and visiting Santa in his workshop.
Another popular event is Canada Day which is celebrated each May long weekend. The museum offers a day of free family friendly activities. The Canada Day activity schedule varies but past activities have included tea time photo opportunities at the Real Estate Office, craft activities in the Victorian Cottage and flower arranging demonstrations by the Gardener In Residence.
Burnaby Village Museum is open Tuesday to Sunday plus statutory holidays. Admission to the museum is free but there is
There is no on-site parking at the Museum. However, there is ample parking available in the nearby Deer Lake Park.