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
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 16th 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
- Saturday, May 17th 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
- Sunday, May 18th 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
- Sunday, May 25th 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
- Sunday, June 22nd 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Doors Open Winnipeg
Living Prairie Museum will be participating in Doors Open Winnipeg 2025!
Join us May 24th and 25th from 11:00am - 4:00pm.
Drop-in visits are welcome and guided tours of the building and prairie site will run every 60 minutes starting at 11:00am, with the last tour beginning at 3:00pm. Staff and volunteers will also be on site to share knowledge and answer questions. No registration required.
Visit https://doorsopenwinnipeg.ca/ for more information.
Spring Workshops
Join us for some great workshops this spring!
Beginner Birding with Meredith Stoesz
Saturday, May 31, 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Join this workshop for all ages to learn the basics of how to find and identify birds. Meredith Stoesz, a professional birder and nature interpreter, will lead this outdoor workshop that will include a walk to the prairie and forest. All ages welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Registration is REQUIRED. Contact prairie@winnipeg.ca or 204-832-0167 to register.
Beginner Nature Photography with Britt Ross
Saturday, June 14
This workshop will review basics of nature photography, including composition and lighting, and will include a nature walk to practice photography skills. Bring your own camera, whether it's your phone or something else. Britt Ross, a photographer, facilitator and knowledge-keeper will lead this interactive workshop. All ages welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Registration will open in late May for this workshop.
Monarch Butterfly Festival
Save the date: July 26 and 27, 2025. More details to come!
Visiting Living Prairie Museum
Self-Guided Trails
Our self-guided trails are open from dawn until dusk. 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 – Sundays, 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 #24, #25, #83 bus routes.
Contact us for accessibility information for building, trails, and programs.