Central Okanagan

Sncewips Heritage Museum

Located in West Kelowna, The Sncewips Heritage Museum is Indigenous owned and operated in West Kelowna, B.C. Sncewips means “a conversation with an ancestor” and the space amplifies syilx voices and stories. Visitors can expect to learn about the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the syilx people while exploring the living collection of cultural and historical objects or when conversing with the passionate team members. 

Sncewips Heritage Museum is open Monday to Friday from 10 am to 5 pm. 

KF Centre for Excellence

The KF Centre for Excellence is located on the Kelowna Airport campus and offers visitors an immersive aviation experience. The centre explores the history of aviation in the Okanagan and allows visitors to take a self-guided tour through both hands-on exhibitions and displays of historic aircraft. 

The KF Centre for Excellence is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm.

North Okanagan

Okanagan Science Centre

The Okanagan Science Centre is located in downtown Vernon, BC, whose mission is to inspire scientific discovery through interactive learning experiences for people of all ages. The Okanagan Science Centre has several exhibits including: the critter corner, the lego and engineering exhibit, the space room, the chemistry corner and more. The centre also hosts travelling exhibits featuring different STEM explorations. 

The Okanagan Science Centre is open Tuesday to Sunday 10 am to 5 pm.

Cardiff Miller Art Warehouse

The Cardiff Miller Art Warehouse in Enderby BC exhibits several large-scale sound/ lights/ and robotic installations by Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller. These artworks are installed in the 18,000 sq ft museum situated next to the Shuswap River and North Okanagan Rail Trail. 

Cardiff and Miller‘s artworks, which are mainly shown internationally, have been greeted with great enthusiasm by over 2900 visitors since opening in August 2023. The Warehouse is currently hosting 8 installations that offer multi-sensory experiences for visitors.

The Cardiff Miller Art Warehouse is open Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm throughout the winter. 

South Okanagan

S.S. Sicamous Museum and Heritage Park

Board the largest surviving ship of its kind in Canada, the SS Sicamous, featuring a museum inside the ship that tells the history of Penticton and the Okanagan. The ship is located on Okanagan Beach in Penticton, and visitors can explore the restored cabins, dining rooms, and Captain’s wheel on the upper decks of the ship and can also check out the original steam boiler, steam engines, and model Kettle Valley Railway (KVR) on the bottom decks.

The S.S. Sicamous is open to the public from May Long Weekend to Labour Day.

Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre

The Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre is an interactive centre located in Osoyoos B.C. There are both indoor and outdoor exhibits for visitors to explore and learn about the rich living culture of the Okanagan People. In the fall and winter months visitors can enjoy a self-guided tour and explore the living culture of the Osoyoos Indian Band. In the summer, visitors can enjoy the expansive outdoor displays and walking trails while learning about the sage and antelope brush in the natural desert environment.

The Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm.

South Thompson

Historic Hat Creek Ranch

The Historic Hat Creek Ranch Provincial Site is operated by the St’uxwtews Pesuten Heritage Society in collaboration with the Bonaparte First Nation and is located in Cache Creek B.C. The cultural site offers visitors a chance to look at the traditional culture of the St’uxwtews Pesuten people and their shared history with the early settlers of the land. Visitors can take time to explore the Indigenous interpretation site that features traditional shelters, hunting and fishing gear, and even a unique 'Kekuli' pit house. After that, explore the preserved historical buildings that tell the story of the gold rush era. Visitors can also book accommodation on the property, with opportunities to stay in campsites, cabins, or even a covered wagon for an authentically historical experience.

The Historic Hat Creek Ranch Provincial Site is open from May 1st to September 30th.

Boundary Country

Greenwood Museum & Visitor Centre

The Greenwood Museum & Visitor Centre hosts a collection of historical artifacts and regularly changing exhibits that explore the history of Greenwood’s mining boom era and the history of Japanese Internment in the area. Exhibits include recreated rooms from historical buildings like the Windsor Hotel and the Deadwood Bar. The passionate staff at the Greenwood Museum bring the history of the exhibits alive with personal stories and vast knowledge of the events that shaped the area. Visitors are highly encouraged to also book a guided tour of the Supreme Courthouse and jail cells, who knows who or what you might encounter in the cells that held the outlaws of yesterday!

The Greenwood Museum & Visitor Centre is open from:

May 1st to Jun 30th — 10 am to 4 pm.

July 1st to Aug 31st — 9 am to 5 pm.

Sep 1st to Oct 31st — 10 am to 4 pm.

Nov 1st to Apr 30th — By appointment only; contact Doreen at (250) 445-6685

Book a reservation for the Courthouse & Jail Historic Tour: (250) 445-6355

Kettle River Museum

The Kettle River Museum is located in the Village of Midway and invites visitors to experience the steam railway era of Southern British Columbia. There is a restored Canadian Pacific Railway caboose that visitors can explore and the museum buildings and visitor houses showcase several artifacts. In the main museum, visitors can learn from interactive exhibits that feature the history of mining, forestry, and agricultural heritage. 

If you are planning on visiting Midway to enjoy the Kettle Valley Rail Trail, consider booking one of the bunkhouses as the museum is located right on the rail trail.

The Midway Museum has seasonal opening hours, please check https://kettlerivermuseum.org/about-us/ for information before planning your visit. 

About the author

Nadia is a proud former Thompson Okanagan tourist who now lives in beautiful Kelowna, BC. She hopes to tell the stories of the region’s beauty and hidden treasures while rediscovering the destination she spent enjoying on family vacations.