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 Fall Workshops
Join us for some excellent outdoor workshops this September. Pre-registration for our workshops is REQUIRED. Contact prairie@winnipeg.ca or 204-832-0167 to register.
*Please note that ASL interpretation will be available for workshops. If you require ASL interpretation, please let us know at least 5 days prior to the workshop.
Edible and Medicinal Plant walk – 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Saturday September 13
Join Tyrel Bruyere, an Indigenous knowledge-keeper and apprentice herbalist for a walking session about identification and uses of edible and medicinal plants. This workshop will be a guided walk through the prairie site and will discuss plants encountered along the way. You will have an opportunity to ask questions and discuss uses of various plants, and learn more about how to safely and respectfully harvest wild plants. Please come dressed for the weather. Registration for our workshops is REQUIRED. Contact prairie@winnipeg.ca or 204-832-0167 to register.
Intro to Fungi – 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Saturday September 20
Join small scale mushroom cultivation expert Tom Nagy of River City Mushrooms as he introduces you to the world of fungi and foraging for wild mushrooms. During this program, you will gain an understanding of fungal anatomy, behaviour, life cycles, evolutionary history and the various ecological niches that they occupy in our environment. You will also learn the fundamental skills necessary for confidently differentiating between and identifying species of fungi that can be found growing in a variety of habitat types. After a brief group discussion, we will head out for an informal walk through the aspen and oak forests of Living Prairie Museum where we will investigate and identify some of the wild fungi that can be encountered in these types of ecosystems. Please come dressed for the weather and be aware that there may be poison ivy in the forest. Registration is REQUIRED. Contact prairie@winnipeg.ca or 204-832-0167 to register.
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.
Hundreds of people have helped us build a bison sculpture of seeds and clay that will help plant a prairie in St. Boniface this fall! 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. For more information on the exhibit, please visit Galeriebuhlergallery.ca
Sept 25, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.: Join us at Galerie Buhler Gallery at St. Boniface Hospital for bison teachings and to create seed beads for the 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. All are welcome! No registration needed.
Questions? Contact us at prairie@winnipeg.ca or 204-832-0167
Volunteer Seed Harvesting!
Help us gather the seeds we use to restore and improve prairie habitat around Winnipeg. Learn about native seed harvesting and you can keep some of what you collect!
To register for one or more session: call 204-832-0167 or email prairie@winnipeg.ca
Dates and Times: Thursday, Sept 18, 6 - 7:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Sept 23, 10 a.m, - 12 p.m.; Tuesday, Oct 2, 6 -7:30 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 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
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.