Welcome to Living Prairie Museum
Living Prairie Museum is a unique urban nature preserve that protects endangered tall grass prairie. The site has walking trails and an interpretive centre. Events and education programs are held year-round.
About Tall Grass Prairie
Prior to European settlement, tall grass prairie covered more than 1 million square kilometers in central North America, stretching from Texas to southern Manitoba. Today, this habitat is all but gone - only 1 percent of the original tall grass prairie remains. The Living Prairie Museum is one of the few remaining fragments of this once vast ecosystem.
The Living Prairie Museum has 13 hectares of tall-grass prairie. Set aside in 1968, the preserve is home to more than 150 different grass and wildflower species and an array of prairie wildlife.
Upcoming Events
Saturday Drop-in Activities at Living Prairie
Interpretive Centre OPEN Saturdays 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Come visit the prairie and then pop inside with some FREE drop-in activities. These are great for any age, all are welcome! Come anytime during our open hours and stay as long as you like.
May 23 - Nature Journals - Customize your own mini nature journal, and use the prompts to draw, write, and observe the natural world!
May 30 - Doors Open Winnipeg - See below
June 6 – Bison: Caretakers of the Prairie – learn about the relationship of paskwâwi-mostos to the land. Create your own seed beads to build prairie in a new place, just as bison carry seeds in their fur and help restore the land.
June 13 - Beavers - Explore beaver artifacts, sculpt a beaver, and test your skills at dam-building.
June 20 - Prairie Plant Sale with Prairie Flora (see below)
June 27 - Nature Journals - Customize your own mini nature journal, and use the prompts to draw, write, and observe the natural world!
Spring Events
Doors Open Winnipeg
Living Prairie Museum will be participating in Doors Open Winnipeg 2026!
Join us May 30 and 31, from 11:00 a.m - 4:00 p.m.
Drop-in visits are welcome and guided tours of the building and prairie site will run 11:00 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2:45 p.m. Staff and volunteers will also be on site to share knowledge and answer questions. No registration required.
Visit Doors Open Winnipeg - 50 years of Living Prairie Museum for more information.
Prairie Plant Sales!
Ready to add some biodiversity to your back yard? Prairie Flora Greenhouse will be at the Living Prairie Museum in May and June with live native prairie grasses and wildflowers for sale. Select from a variety of native wildflowers and grasses to create your piece of prairie heritage!
Prairie Flora also accepts pre-orders for pick-up. Visit prairieflora.com for more information and to browse available stock.
- Friday, May 15, 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
- Saturday, May 16, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
- Sunday, May 17, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
- Sunday, May 24, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
- Saturday, June 20, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Visiting Living Prairie Museum
Self-Guided Trails
Our self-guided trails are open everyday. The trail system is an opportunity to see and learn about some of the most endangered habitat in the world.
Trails are woodchipped and are of various widths.
Please stay on the designated paths during your visit. This is an on-leash park – please clean up after your pets.
The Self-guided Trail Booklet is also available at the Museum.
Interpretive Centre Hours
May and June – Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
July and August – Tuesday-Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
September – Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
October to April – Saturdays, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Access to the Interpretive Centre at other times can be arranged by Appointment. Contact us at 204-832-0167 or prairie@winnipeg.ca
Our Centre is small, so please contact us in advance for group visits during our open hours.
Prairie Bookstore and Seed Sales
Living Prairie Museum's Bookstore has many great books about nature and the prairies. We also sell seeds for many tall-grass prairie plants. Seeds are $3/package. Visit us during Interpretive Centre hours or make an appointment. View our current Book and Seed Inventory.
Living Prairie Museum Medicine Garden
As part of our commitment to reconciliation, a medicine garden has been planted in collaboration with the Living Prairie Museum, Indigenous Relations Division, and a local Indigenous Elder. The garden features sage and sweetgrass, two of the four Sacred Medicines which naturally occur in the tall grass prairie.
The medicine garden is located in the nature park west of the preserve at the north end of Prairie View Road at Ness Avenue. It can be harvested by the public during the summer, but care and attention are needed to maintain the garden. Only harvest what is needed, taking only the leaves and leaving roots and seeds to allow the plants to regenerate between harvests.
It is good practice to consult with an Elder to learn more on the harvest and use of sacred medicines.
More information on the Directional Teachings and the Four Sacred Medicines, as shared by Elder Carolyn Moar.
Environmental Education Programs and Group Bookings
Living Prairie Museum offers a variety of in-person environmental education programs. Programs are available for schools and groups ages 5 to adult. Each program includes an interactive presentation and an outdoor adventure. Curriculum links are available for most of our programs. We also offer snowshoeing and Nature Comes to You programming in winter.
2025-26 Environmental Education brochure
More information
- Activity Booklet for Kids - Learn about prairie wildlife and how you can become a citizen scientist
- For more information regarding history, videos, and herbarium visit: livingprairie.org
- To become a Friend of the Living Prairie Museum visit: Friends of the Living Prairie Museum
- For a walk through the prairie past, including historical photography visit virtualmuseum.ca
Location and contact information
The Interpretive Centre is located at:
2795 Ness Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3J 3S4
Phone: 204-832-0167
Email: prairie@winnipeg.ca
Fax: 311
Living Prairie Museum can be reached by car, by active transportation on the Yellow Ribbon Greenway, and on the #D15 and 220 bus routes.
Contact us for accessibility information for building, trails, and programs.