Okanagan Heritage Museum

Get up close to life-size models of some of the largest creatures to ever roam British Columbia at the Okanagan Heritage Museum. See the fossilized footprint of a giant dinosaur and step inside one of the oldest houses in Kelowna.

Visit the museum’s Heritage of the Okanagan collection to view a selection of prehistoric weapons and tools. Spears, hammers and more have all been excavated in the local area. Learn about the lives of the early Inuits who inhabited this area and discover the challenges and dangers they faced.

Continue through the museum to the First Nations Gallery to uncover two of the city’s historical buildings. Take a look around the only remaining original Chinatown building in Kelowna, a pioneer grocery store. You will also find the town’s oldest trading post. This was previously stationed on the farm of one of Kelowna’s earliest setters, but was taken apart and rebuilt at the museum. It is now valued as one of only a handful of pre-1890 houses in Kelowna.

Don’t miss the area dedicated to the prehistoric wildlife of British Colombia. Models of big cats, a fossilized dinosaur footprint and ancient bones help you to picture a time when the area was inhabited by prehistoric giants.

Be sure to check out an array of artifacts such as clothing and weapons from Mexico, India, Indonesia and New Guinea. Discover ancient tribes from around the world and the animals that existed alongside them. You’ll also see a display of rare relics from Rome and Egypt.

The Okanagan Heritage Museum is located on Queensway Avenue, close to the city center. Admission is by donation and guided tours are available. It’s best to book ahead to be sure of a place on a tour. The museum is closed on Sundays.