The best museums in Metro Vancouver offer a lot more than just exhibits. You can climb aboard a historic ship, stand underneath a 26-metre blue whale skeleton, wander through an old-fashioned village or get up close to vintage aircraft.
Whether you’re looking for an easy rainy-day activity or somewhere a little different to explore over the weekend, these museums and historic attractions have plenty to see beyond the usual exhibits.
RELATED:
- These Three Vancouver Waterfront Museums Are Launching Pay-What-You-Can Sundays
- BC Culture Days Returns With Hundreds Of Free Events This Fall
Museum of Anthropology at UBC
View this post on Instagram
MOA is impressive from the moment you walk in, with towering carved poles, sculptures and thousands of cultural objects from around the world. Don’t miss the Bill Reid Rotunda and Raven and the First Men, plus current exhibitions I Use My Haida Eyes, running until October 12, and Tupananchiskama: Ancient Andean Cosmovision, on through January 3, 2027.
Location: 6393 NW Marine Drive, Vancouver
Hours: Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursdays until 9 p.m. during summer
Price: Adults $26; youth 6–18 $13; children 5 and under free; Thursday evenings half-price
Canadian Museum of Flight
View this post on Instagram
If you’ve got an airplane lover in the family, this one is worth the drive to Langley. Located right beside an active airport, the Canadian Museum of Flight is home to more than 25 real historic aircraft, from early wood-and-fabric planes to military trainers and Cold War-era jets, with many displays offering a more hands-on look at aviation history. This fall, the museum will also be open for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Thanksgiving, while Remembrance Day on November 11 includes free admission for current and former military members.
Location: Hangar #3, 5333 216th Street, Langley
Hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.
Price: Adults $14; youth 6–18 $10; children 5 and under free; family admission $35
Beaty Biodiversity Museum
View this post on Instagram
The first thing you’ll probably notice at Beaty Biodiversity Museum is the massive 26-metre blue whale skeleton hanging overhead. Downstairs, there’s even more to explore, with more than two million specimens ranging from insects and birds to fossils, plants and marine life. This fall, you can also check out Li bootee mishiwayitay — The Beauty of It All, a temporary exhibition by Métis artist and plant scientist Daphne Boyer, running through November 22.
Location: 2212 Main Mall, UBC, Vancouver
Hours: Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through August
Price: Adults $18; children/youth 6–18 $10; under 6 free; family rates available
Fort Langley National Historic Site
View this post on Instagram
Fort Langley feels more like stepping back in time than visiting a traditional museum, with historic fort buildings, blacksmith demonstrations, a Métis bateau and plenty to explore inside the wooden palisade. On September 19, the site is also hosting James Douglas: A Multicultural Legacy, with gold panning, children’s activities, cedar weaving, live music, dance performances and more happening throughout the day.
Location: 23433 Mavis Avenue, Fort Langley
Hours: Daily, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Price: Adult $10, Senior $8.50, Youth free
H.R. MacMillan Space Centre
View this post on Instagram
H.R. MacMillan Space Centre has a number of great films and programs to choose from for your little ones who love space. Right now, they can take one giant leap for mankind at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre’s Augmented Reality Solar System Tour. This is an all-new augmented reality experience that takes visitors aged 5+ on a journey through the solar system. No screens necessary– it’s pure immersive discovery. Just walk along planets with your AR headset guide and witness the cosmos up close. The experience is included with your general admission, and is completely one-of-a-kind!
Dates: Every weekend
Location: H.R. MacMillan Space Centre
Price: $20-$30
Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site
View this post on Instagram
The Gulf of Georgia Cannery is one of those places you can easily walk past in Steveston without realizing how much there is to see inside. The historic 1894 cannery still has its old salmon canning line and massive herring-reduction machinery, while Cannery REcollections is on display through spring 2027. This fall, you can also catch monthly Movie Matinees in the Boiler House Theatre, including Under the Willow Tree on September 21, Beetlejuice on October 19 and Empire of the Sun on November 16.
Location: 12138 Fourth Avenue, Steveston, Richmond
Hours: September 8 to October 5 – Open Daily: 10am-5pm | October 6 to December 31 – Fridays to Sundays: 10am-4pm
Price: Free entry to heritage buildings.
Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site
View this post on Instagram
Just a short walk from Steveston Village, Britannia Shipyards is an easy place to slow down and explore by the water. You can wander through the Chinese Bunkhouse, Murakami House and old stilt houses, and the main Britannia Shipyard building recently reopened after a year-long restoration. It’s a nice stop if you want to learn a little more about Steveston’s fishing and boat building history without spending the whole day indoors.
Location: 5180 Westwater Drive, Richmond
Hours: Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through September 7
Price: Free
Museum of Surrey
View this post on Instagram
If you’re visiting with younger children, Museum of Surrey is a fun one to add to the list. The permanent TD Explore Zone feels part museum, part indoor play space, with a tree house, giant slide, scarf cannon, pretend Snack Shack and plenty of hands-on areas to explore.
This September, families can also check out Soil Superheroes, an interactive exhibit about the tiny creatures living underground, plus Filipino Fest on September 12. Other exhibits running into December include the Surrey Sports Hall of Fame 2026 Display and Awakening the Boundless.
Location: 17710 56A Ave, Surrey
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.; closed Monday
Price: Free
Fraser River Discovery Centre
View this post on Instagram
You might pass the Fraser River all the time without realizing how much there is to learn about it. The Fraser River Discovery Centre makes it fun with two floors of hands-on exhibits covering everything from salmon and wildlife to Indigenous fishing traditions, transportation and the industries along the river. The Experience the Fraser exhibit is especially fun for families, with an indoor trail where you can hop on a bike or try portaging a voyageur canoe.
There’s also plenty happening this September, including River Basin Days: Magnificent Mushrooms on September 12 and RiverFest on September 26 and 27, with free admission, family activities, hands-on art and the popular workboat parade.
Location: 788 Quayside Drive, New Westminster
Hours: Daily, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through September 7
Price: Adults $8; children 3–12 $5; children 2 and under free; family admission $20
Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre
View this post on Instagram
Nikkei National Museum is a great place to learn more about Japanese Canadian history while also experiencing Japanese culture. There is always something fun taking place, from festivals, to markets. so be sure to check out their event calendar.
Location: 6688 Southoaks Crescent, Burnaby
Hours: September to February, Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Price: Gallery admission by donation
Maple Ridge Museum
View this post on Instagram
Maple Ridge Museum may be small, but there’s a lot packed inside, including a detailed model railway downstairs that shows Port Haney during its railway and logging days. You can also explore exhibits on local industry, early settlement and First Nations history, and this fall there’s something a little different too — the final Headstone Preservation Project session takes place September 12, while The Dead of Night 2026 returns to Haney House for Halloween season with guided paranormal investigations and a chance to try real ghost-hunting equipment.
Location: 22520 116th Avenue, Maple Ridge
Hours: Thursday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Price: Admission by donation
White Rock Museum & Archives
View this post on Instagram
Right along the waterfront inside White Rock’s historic train station, this museum is an easy stop before or after a walk along the pier. This fall, little dinosaur fans can also check out Buster: BC’s Mountain Dinosaur, running through October with a miniature Buster, 3D-printed fossils and footage from real B.C. dig sites.
Location: 14970 Marine Drive, White Rock
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; closed Monday
Price: By donation
Steveston Tram
View this post on Instagram
Step inside Tram Car 1220 and see how people travelled between Steveston and Vancouver more than 100 years ago, with interactive exhibits, a conductor dress-up corner and a miniature tram model to check out. Then in December, Winter Tram adds festive decorations and holiday activities from December 1 to 31, and best of all, admission is free.
Location: 4011 Moncton Street, Richmond
Hours: Sept. 8–Oct. 5, Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Oct. 6–Dec. 31, Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Price: Free
MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver
View this post on Instagram
MONOVA is a fun way to see a different side of North Vancouver, with local artifacts, digital displays and historic Streetcar 153 right inside the museum. Plus, the current Gifts to be Shared, Protected and Carried Forward exhibition runs through March 2027, while fall events include Truth & Reconciliation programming on September 30 and Ghostly Galleries on October 24 and 25.
Location: 115 West Esplanade, North Vancouver
Hours: Wednesday, Friday–Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Price: Adults $15; seniors $12; youth/students $10; children 5 and under free; family $38
Burnaby Village Museum
View this post on Instagram
There are museums you walk through, and then there’s Burnaby Village Museum, where it feels like you’ve stepped back in time. The 10-acre village is filled with heritage buildings, from an old schoolhouse and general store to a blacksmith shop with live demonstrations. The restored 1912 C.W. Parker Carousel is another reason families love this spot.
Although they are not regularly open during the fall, there are still quite a few special events. Including
- Hidden Gems Walking tour on September 25 (FREE)
- World Rivers Day on Sept 27 (FREE)
- Halloween Haunted Village on Octiber 23 – 25, and 30-31.($7-$15)
Location: 6501 Deer Lake Ave, Burnaby
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday and statutory holidays, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through September 7
Price: Varies – although registration and online bookings are highly recommended.
A Little Learning, A Lot Of FunÂ
These local spots offer far more than just quiet strolls past glass displays. From climbing aboard authentic vessels and discovering massive prehistoric fossils to engaging in interactive heritage activities, these attractions provide plenty of ways for families to explore and discover together.
