As a gathering space that fosters connection, learning, and engagement with Vancouver’s diverse communities and histories, the Museum of Vancouver offers a range of enriching educational experiences connected to the BC curriculum for K-7 students. Elementary students of all needs and ages have the opportunity to engage and learn through hands-on, inquiry-based programming.
Half-Day Programs
+ Explore Egypt: Grades K-1
Learn about Ancient Egypt by role-playing archaeologists. Excavate and examine Egyptian artifacts and build a pyramid!
+ Lost Toys: Grades K-2
Little Victoria lived in Vancouver a long time ago. Follow the journey of Victoria’s lost doll as her family’s story unfolds. Play with toys from each generation and see the evolution of toys over time. Consider the connection of toys to sustainability and environmental impact over the decades. Role-play archaeologists and discover toys like Victoria’s.
+ Cedar & Sealskin: Grades 2-4
Examine traditional belongings of First Nations and Inuit cultures in relation to food, clothing, and shelter and excavate belongings connected to the Coast Salish. Be a player in a life-sized board game and learn about the traditional belongings of the Inuit through the seasons.
+ New! That Which Sustains Us: Grades 2-4
Explore Traditional Ecological Knowledge through place-based learning in the Indigenous Unity Garden, featuring plants used by the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh. Hear the traditional plant names in hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Skwxwú7mesh sníchim, and reflect on your own connection to nature, the importance of a healthy ecosystem, and the interconnectedness between people, place, and animals. In That Which Sustains Us, examine how the landscape has changed over time through colonization, deforestation, and global warming – and our collective action towards a kinder and more sustainable future.
+ Stories of Resilience & the Road to Reconciliation: Grades 4-6
Explore c̓əsnaʔəm: the city before the city through a scavenger hunt activity based on the Big Six Historical Thinking Concepts. Learn about the impacts of colonization on the Musqueam First Nation and their resilience in the face of assimilation. Through object-based learning, examine the impacts of colonial practices and policies on First Nations traditions, languages, and cultures, and consider examples of reconciliation today.
+ Immigration Nation: Grade 5-6
Learn about past and present immigration policies while discovering the history of Vancouver through the decades: 1900 - 1970s. Modelled after the points-based system, explore the Vancouver History Galleries through a scavenger hunt activity and examine suitcases inspired by real immigrants’ stories. This program focuses on who immigrates and why, the quality of life for new immigrants over the decades, and immigrants’ contributions to Vancouver.
+ Global Citizens: Grade 6
Explore the Vancouver History Galleries to uncover moments when Canadians either demonstrated good global citizenship or ignored their responsibilities. Step into the role of buyers for the Museum’s gift shop, The Global Village, and explore the importance of cultural awareness, fair labor practices, and sustainability in today’s global marketplace.
+ Ancient Worlds: Grades 6-7
Uncover the social science of archaeology by investigating artifacts from the ancient cultures of Mesopotamia, Indus Valley, Egypt, China, Greece, and Rome. Work in teams to do a simulated field dig and analyze artifacts to formulate and test their hypothesis. Learn about three prominent Northwest Coast archaeological sites and their related archaeological findings. Using traditional First Nations belongings, piece together a puzzle to examine the role and limitations of archeology when studying First Nations cultures and traditions.
Make a day of it!
Add-On Program: All grades
+ Self-Guided Museum Visit
Explore our permanent and feature exhibitions at your own pace. Complimentary self-guided quizzes are provided for teachers to enhance the self-guided visit.
+ Monumental Scavenger Hunt
Discover Vanier Park’s outdoor monuments and art installations with our easy-to-follow activity guides (digital or physical). This activity is complimentary when booked in conjunction with another program.
Seasonal Programs
+ Animating History: Grades 5+
FULL DAY PROGRAM | 9:30am – 2:00pm
January 26 – February 27, 2026
Work with professional animators to storyboard a plot, create and animate characters, and add dialogue and sound effects. Students complete a one to two-minute animated story by the end of the day. Stories include Vancouver Fire, 1907 Anti-Asian Riots, Skwachàys: The Great Seal Hunt, and Japanese Canadian Internment.
Only available in English
+ New Story! Skwachàys: The Great Seal Hunt
Terminal Avenue in Vancouver was once a body of water known as Skwachàys. A Hunter was paddling these waters when he encountered a massive King Seal. He struck the King Seal with his spear before it swam down into the spiraling water. Later, the Hunter had visions of a burning lake. One day, the Hunter noticed a glow. He followed it to Deer Lake, where there was a raging fire. In the lake were bones from a giant creature – the skeleton of the King Seal, with the prized spear still lodged in its neck. The King Seal must have used the portals connecting the lake to the creeks and eventually to Skwachàys.
Highlight Video
PROGRAMS AT A GLANCE
All half-day school programs and add-ons are offered twice daily from Monday to Friday (morning sessions begin at 10:00am and afternoons at noon). Space is available in the Museum’s Lower Lobby for students to eat their own lunch. Note that there is no cafeteria at the Museum; however, vending machines and a water fountain are available.
