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
Free Summer Guided Walks
July – 11 a.m. every Friday, and 11 a.m. on Saturday July 5 and Saturday July 19
August – 11 a.m. every Friday, and 11 a.m. on Saturday August 9 and Saturday August 16
Visit the tall grass prairie with a Living Prairie Museum naturalist! Explore the sights, smells, and sounds of the prairie. Get up close with the grasses, flowers, and animals that live here. Learn about what makes this place so special, and how you can help continue our prairie legacy.
Walks are about 1 hour long on flat wood-chipped trails and suitable for all ages. No registration required.
paskwâwi-mostos: caretakers of the prairie
A collaborative community sculpture at the Living Prairie Museum
paskwâwi-mostos / mashkode-bizhiki / lii bufloo / Bison are caretakers of the prairie. They rough up the soil, transport seeds on their bodies, and press them into the ground with their hooves. Their presence brings the hope of a prairie that thrives into the future. This August, join us in building a bison sculpture of seeds and clay that will help plant a prairie in St. Boniface this fall!
Aug 2, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.: Join us for bison teachings and help us create a bison sculpture! 2-Spirit artist and educator Britt Ross will share bison teachings while you make clay and seeds into beads to adorn the bison sculpture. Drop in at any point and stay as long as you wish.
Aug 5 to Aug 31, 2025: Drop-in during public hours at the Living Prairie Museum to contribute at our bison sculpture station!
paskwâwi-mostos will be displayed outside of the Galerie Buhler Gallery where the seeds will gradually spread into the prairie as part of the exhibit 'Tending to Wild' from September 11 to November 15.
All are welcome! No registration needed.
ASL interpretation available for the Aug 2 workshop if requested 3 days prior to event.
Questions? Contact us at prairie@winnipeg.ca or 204-832-0167
Our Centre is small, so please contact us in advance for group visits during our open hours.
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 5:00 p.m.
July and August – Tuesday-Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
September – Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
October to April – Open by Appointment. Contact us at 204-832-0167 or prairie@winnipeg.ca
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.
2024-25 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 the #D15 and 220 bus routes.
Contact us for accessibility information for building, trails, and programs.