Reviews of Nanaimo Museum (Museum)

Laura Sturgeon

This museum was bigger on the inside than how it looked on the outside. I had never been in it before and assumed it would just be another tiny museum with a bunch of first nations artifacts, which are still cool. But in a museum I like seeing a variety of displays and this museum had just that. I paid a toonie to get in, loved the displays including a coal mine replica you can walk through. The staff is super friendly and welcome you right in. The day I went the nanaimo Clippers were there for a meet and greet. I got autographs and coloured with them. They interacted with everyone. People could get their pictures taken with them while wearing hockey gear. Free popcorn was given. And a wheel is spun to win swag. I had the best day not just because of seeing my favorite junior hockey team, but because of the hospitality of the museum staff and excellent display areas.

Larry Lynn

There is a pretty cool coal mine display. Also a very interesting indigenous people display

Mykl Love

Really great place to learn about our city

Tom

The Bastion and why was it built.Some miss guided advice about the fierce Indians that were supposed to attack the white man.Those Indians didn't fall for the poor advice that they were fierce nor did they intend to even bother attacking.This part of Nanaimo's history isn't mentioned that much about our neighbours and should be taught in the local schools.

Cheryl Redquest

Great displays. Always learn something new.

kim babcock

Worth the $2 ... Disappointed on the amount of displays and the quality of presentation. But worth it for the price.

Graham Bevan

Museum has a lot of potential but the programming needs significant help and the staff appear to lack the professional competence to achieve this

Fabio Barros

(Translated) Very good (Original) Muito bom

David Yelligadu

I really enjoyed checking this little museum out. The ladies working the area were helpful. Museum entry is by donation and there's some cool artifacts around and display of coal mining. Check this out if you're in the area.

vickie gould

The musuem is great! I went a couple times with the school over the course of the year and I would highly reccomend it to anyone. The coal section is super neat, and I loved the loggers slang that is on display. They do a great job at showing local Nanaimo history.

Frank Furlan

Terrific

Allie Greenway

The exhibits were really interesting! A nice balance of historic Nanaimo and local First Nations.

S.G. Warren

Lots of old stuff. Haha. They do have the oldest Nanaimo Bar recipe ever found. Imagine.

Ahmed Nabeel Alvi

interactive!

Cali Storch

Nanaimo's museum has much to offer about the history of our town. Bring your kids in as they're family friendly!!

Stephanie Noble

This museum is deceptively big with a wealth of information. It’s interactive elements for kids were so nice! I enjoyed learning the mixed history and the mysteries exhibit - for the low entry price it was more than I anticipated. Would highly recommend a visit, I was here for around an hour reading most things!

Sonya Haffner

Amazing, beautiful, and educational. My 10-year-old daughter loved it as well!

Maya Low

Very affordable and interesting to learn about Nanaimo's history.

Enrique Chacon

Nice exhibit. Friendly volunteers and good quality merchandise

Heather-Celeste Phoenix

This is an awesome place I call it the coal museum and it has a most interesting tale history and archaeology mystery is Vancouver Island basically going to unzip on the next big one find out more here

J C

Definitely a good place to go especially on the raining day. Really interesting to know the Nanaimo Chinese’s history, in the early years when the mine exploded, all the Chinese labour who died in it , doesn’t even have a name in the history record list. ..Know the history and Know your rights!

Erica Bakewell

We his nice visit with 2 boys ages 4 and 8 and 3 adults. We loved the covid bubble tour. Very informative and a nice way to spend a few hours.

Ed B

Boring place. Huge square footage filled with mostly nothing. What did I learn about Nanaimo? Nothing. What about Nanaimo history? Almost nothing. Will I go there again? Highly unlikely. Overpriced, overrated, understuffed (not enough artifacts on display to be called a "museum") There is a lovely military museum just a block away. They do need space. Suggest to close this glorified collection of old junk and expand military museum instead. It will be way better investment for the city of Nanaimo. Не самое интересное место для посещения. Практически ничего нет такого чтобы посмотреть и запомнить. Та,к, просто кучка старого барахла под видом "музея". Не тратьте зря ваши денежки. Оно того не стоит

Jennifer Lynn

Worthba visit to get the history of the area. A small, easily navigatable museum that is good for all ages. Love the Nanaimo Bar seats

Erin Chaba

Friendly staff, nice collection about Nanaimo's history.

CrayCray Bean

It was really fun and there is really Interesting stuff there

Benjamin Reim

This museum has some neat displays in the history of Nanaimo. It also has a small art gallery of Lawren Harris

melon pinku

The Nanaimo museum is a must see if you're visiting I really enjoying learning about all the unique traditions like the bathtub racing and the rich history like the mining exhibit that looks like a mine shaft and the staff were really friendly and the gift shop had lots of unique items as well as things from local artists ♡

James Browne

Local history interactive and hands off displays. Walk through Coal Mine shaft. Chinatown display with murals photos and walk through stores.

Ace

An outstanding place to go to crack into the history of Nanaimo :)

Donovan Jenkins

Worth a visit. The coal mine is my favourite section. Will go back again.

ItsME Again

The coal mine display was spot on. I know because I have toured a real coal mine. The displays are interactive

Izidor Hrncic

It has a nice feel, not overwhelming. Small and educational.

Wendy Hunter

Interesting history about the city and some cool artifacts from kitchy to historically significant.

Brian Murphy

Great mining exhibit . Reasonable price. Very economical

Martin Ritter

(Translated) Small but nice! (Original) Klein aber Fein!

CrazyRainbowcat

Boring!!!!

Selest Morley

Modest museum featuring lots of really neat old relics and small displays. Really enjoyed the nanaimo bar arrangement. Excellent price for admission!

Sushistew

Always love museums. And this one is free.

Sergio Muñoz

I had a great time visiting here... Can't wait to visit again

Kinrade Clan

Cuse it's awesome

Pete Nanninga

Nice little museum with fun history

Inhyouk Jung

It's fruitful and fun. Enjoy the docent commentary. There is a limit due to Pandemics, but friendly staff will help you if you ask for various experiences. Look for the white dog!

kay lannan

I love all the history of nanaimo available here.

Ian Downey

Excellent tapestry exhibit.

Danna

Thoughtfully designed museum to learn about the history of Nanaimo in a "nut shell" ...and very friendly staff...a perfect meet up spot for families with little ones.

Greg Gale

It's my second time going with kids. The kids really liked it because it is so interactive. The kids did a scavenger hunt and then read clues to solve a murder. As much fun as it is educational

David Burns

I visit once or twice a year. The mine exhibit is good but so are those on the whole history of Nanaimo. The special exhibits are usually well worth a visit. And the extra-curricular stuff like the Father XII tour are excellent. And the entry price ($2?) can't be beat.

nhi hoang

Tiny but informative! Liked the old fashioned store they have. There were a lot of info on indigenous people as well. Entry by donation.

Ron Eberhardt

Very interesting facts and attractions

Ben Lee

Small but good

Srishti Singh

Never knew about Nanaimo’s rich history. Was surprised and loved every bit of it. Just an hour of your time, but worth it.

Rosanna Zerafa

Excellent exhibit with a bonus section about refugees. Very heart-rending.

Ron Long

A great place to learn about the history of the city of Nanaimo.

Janelle Harms

A great museum for a rainy day, especially considering the VERY reasonable admission fee ($2/adult). There's a nice variety of interesting artifacts in the permanent collection. The immersive exhibits (the coal mine and the general store) are pretty neat too! My mom particularly enjoyed the Centennial Stories featured exhibit.

David Murdoch

If you live in Nanaimo - come and see some eye opening facts. If you don't live in Nanaimo, come anyway! There's a decent coffee shop attached.

Barry Packham

Great little exhibition.

NICHOLAS COBANI

cool for me and bob

Rhonda Stewart

I was disappointed in the Museum. So glad it was a "free entrance" day. They had a cool mine shaft, but nothing in that Museum was exciting or made me want to go back. Gift shop they had a beach hat for $500! Really? Think more needs to be added to attract people.

Brian Tremblay

Great museum. Well laid out, not cluttered, and very informative. I've visited a couple times. It's very affordable at $2 for adults. Be sure to listen to the Raymond Collishaw audio.

Mark Lunney

I enjoyed the museum very much, especially the photographs of Nanaimo from the past. The Nanaimo Bar shaped stools were amusing. Would recommend a visit.

Maxwell “Curly” Gallagher

Hated it as a kid, but now they got better exhibits

Giselle Jakobs

Nice little museum with displays on the history od Nanaimo. Especially liked the coal mine simulation. Would be neat for kids.

Kaylie Belcourt

This was such a nice surprise. It’s small but it’s packed with so much history and fun facts. It’s quite interactive and immersive as well! Highly recommend stopping here. They also have cute little Nanaimo bar seats to take a rest on.

Douglas Cross

A small local museum that is packed with information. I hope they keep investing money into it, and i would love to see it grow over the years to come

D McEwen

Its a very fun place to go

Charlotte Favre

Great museum

Jerry Thomas Kurian

Great place to learn the past of Nanaimo

Rachel Grossgardt

Great place to take your kids and visit the different events they have going on

Stuck in a hole

Great place to learn of some Nanaimo history. Nice little activities for the kids

Keira Mackay

The Haunted Lantern Tour was fun. We got to wander around downtown Nanaimo with a bunch of strangers and hear about Nanaimo’s dirty laundry also freaky stories. The best part was getting to see inside the Bastion ????????????

Mohkam Rafiq

Great little museum of you have an hour to spare. Staff are great!

Richard James Milne

Found it full of detailed history of how Nanaimo came to be and why it is a great place to visit or live.

René Cusson

Although small, this museum does justice to the history and evolution of Nanaimo. A must see when you visit.

YardpigTSI

Great place, excellent staff, very informative. Excellent gift shop with lots of items I have not seen elsewhere and prices were reasonable and for a good cause. A+++

lelou

(Translated) interesting but very small in 1 hour the visit is over (Original) interessant mais très petit en 1h la visite est terminée

Brian Kapeluch

Kind of interesting. My initial impression was not that great but the more I explored the more I wanted to keep looking. The best stuff is at the back. The first nation's artifacts and the dioramas of historic businesses held my interest.

Aura-Lee McDonald

So much history! Surprisingly informative and extremely affordable ????

Ze Ez

it have lots of history about nanaimo, like coal mining. there is planty of things on display and it is also really cheap. it is worth a visit.

D Dixon

Stopped in during the evening market. Interesting and good insight in to the history of Nanaimo. Could be gone through quick or slowly and enjoyed either way you choose.

Mike Lim

Hard to park

Heather Belzer

Interesting displays and engaging and delightful volunteers.

Maynard Skrepnechuk

Very enjoyable to see the history of the city. Well layed out. Informative and friendly staff

Andrew Grant

Fascinating and immersive museum on Nanaimo's origins

Colin Bishop

Interesting place to visit on rainy afternoon

Annie Song

We had a good time to look around here. Thanks

Cell Phone

great for history

Kelly Knechtel

We come every six months . Always something new. I love the gift shop.

Enrico Garrone

Nice little museum,lived in the city for 9 years but I didn't know the rich history. I highly recommend it for locals and tourists alike.

Laurie Nauss

Wonderful

Iain Richardson

Interesting coal mining exhibit, and the whole museum is only $2.

Lisa Tidder

Great place to learn about our city and it's history.

jim bo

Not a very big collection, but very well presented. And new ideas to encourage visitors.

Dolores Juan Torregrosa

Nice afternoon with my grandkids, so much fun. Staff were amazingly ????

Barb Smith

Loved this place! It's small but full of interesting information and stories about Nanaimo's history. They've even built a very authentic mine shaft. A must see. Cost is a donation.

Suzanne Laird

Small but neat shop and great volunteers. It would be great to see some of the displays updated a bit.

John Soer

More like the lack of experience. We have guests with us for the weekend and were looking for something to do on a wet rainy day. How odd that according to the google search, the museum is closed on the weekend. The one time when people might actually have the time to go and visit it. How seriously unfortunate.

Rick Mack

Great place to go and get the history of Nanaimo, lots of fun information.

Chris Eve

Imaginative interpretation and display. The docent was a source of great information.

Samantha McConnell

One of the best stops on our visit to Nanaimo. The museum is much larger than we anticipated and it covers so much. It has displays that speak to the contributions of the Indigenous and Chinese cultures that are integral to the history of community. It also has fun kitschy displays for things like the bathtub races. A good mix of everything. The current feature display shows archived items and photographs that each employee chose, showcasing what Nanaimo history means to each of them.

Karly Karly

This "Museum" is an embarrassment. The gift ship is larger and more well appointed than the museum. It takes all of 12 minutes to walk around and look at the uninspired, lifeless displays of the most mundane junk. After being to the RBC museum I'm Vic or any museum in Van, this one is a total joke. I wonder how much $$$ was spent on the bike lanes downtown that don't even link up to anything vs investing in an actual educational institution.

Derek Miura

Nice museum featuring local history.

kimberly ngugi

A great place for kids to visit. Wonderful activities for them to engage in

Travis Gingerich

This museum is filled with rudderless enthusiasm. Display cases are teeming with relics with quaintly written descriptions of nearly everything, yet there's no flow or logic to the overall design and layout. The coal mine exhibit is well done, and there are plenty of activities for kids. For the price, it's fine, but with some serious reworking, it could be so much more.

Mark Nidd

Good, but there weren’t enough things to do, and it wasn’t very interactive.

Katrin Berghoff

Interesting and very well organised exhibition for only a small admission fee. Very wide range of topics.

Nikki Haffner

I only went in the gift shop, but it was very nice. Great staff.

Igor Polovinka

Great service, very entertaining

Anna Mcmurtry

Very interesting and a learning experience

Never Stop Exploring

It was ok, I liked going into the “mine” and reading about the bathtub races and the Nanaimo bar. Although I do wish that section had been more of a focus. You could easily walk right on past it. I have learned a lot about the mills and mines from other museums across BC, so focusing more on that kind of quirky stuff would be cool and different!!

John Hong

Has some good exhibits, but pretty small.

Dale Harris

Excellent museum