Top Things to do in Vancouver Island
10 Specialty Museums in Vancouver Island That You Shouldn't Miss
Discover the best top things to do in Vancouver Island, Canada including Shawnigan Lake Museum, Industrial Heritage Center, Miniature World, The Maritime Museum of British Columbia, Alberni Valley Museum, BC Aviation Museum, B.C. Forest Discovery Centre, Victoria Butterfly Gardens, Ucluelet Aquarium, Royal BC Museum.
Restaurants in Vancouver Island
1. Shawnigan Lake Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 37 reviews
Visit this 'big' museum in the small village of Shawnigan Lake - it's guaranteed to surprise you. For over thirty years, the museum has celebrated the history and the people of Shawnigan Lake (and surrounding area). Drop in for extensive information on the spectacular Kinsol Trestle; renowned Canadian artist EJ Hughes; the true Canadian Last Spike and many other significant history-bites.
Reviewed By fayerj1 - Duncan, Canada
A colorful walk through the island's local history, and the museum's ongoing search for authentic stories and evidence of the community's early residents, landmarks and fascinating events.
2. Industrial Heritage Center
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3 reviews
The Industrial Heritage Center is home to many Antique and Historic trucks and machines. We restore, operate and maintain many trucks and machines. Check out our website for more information.
Reviewed By D5037MIstuartm - Victoria, Canada
Amazing volunteer-driven display of Port Alberni industrial history. As interesting as the equipment is, be sure to approach the volunteers who have ALL the stories that bring the displays to life. Also be sure to attend the affiliated train facility at the nearby roundhouse!
3. Miniature World
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,095 reviews
Unique Tourist Attraction in Victoria, British Columbia. Located in the famous Empress Hotel. Awarded the Certificate of Excellence by TripAdvisor! Over 85 miniaturized dioramas. Further adventures, tiny treasures and little pleasures await all who continue into Frontier Land, Fantasy Land, The Great Canadian Railway,The Fields of Glory, Space 2201, Circus World,The Enchanted Valley of Castles, Old London Town of 1670 & The World of Dollhouses. Special effects in lighting, sound and animation are added to create this miniaturized extravaganza that continues to thrill and delight the young and young at heart! Our latest and greatest creation, "King Arthur's Camelot" is now open, adding 11 new exhibits to our existing collection.
Reviewed By greenlabel67 - Vancouver, Canada
Miniature World has been a mainstay attraction for many years. Located in the Fairmont Empress Hotel, Miniature World will delight young and old alike. There are several themed areas. My favorites were the Fields of Glory, and The Circus. I also liked the recreations of Canada's cities back in the turn of the century, complete with light effects turning day into night. The friendly staff have taken all necessary precautions for COVID 19. Plan on a good hour or more to take it all in. Make Miniature World a stop on your next visit to Victoria.
4. The Maritime Museum of British Columbia
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 293 reviews
The Maritime Museum of BC engages people with the maritime culture and history of the Pacific Northwest through rotating exhibits, educational and community-based programs, research services, and more. Check out our featured winter exhibit, "The Lost Fleet: The Seizure of Japanese-Canadian Fishing Vessels in WWII" from January 12 - March 31! Join us every weekend for our craft workshops, kids programming, and inner harbour walking tour. We look forward to your visit!
Reviewed By UtaN864 - Mannheim, Germany
Til 27th of october 2019 you can see an exhibition about plastic in the oceans and the problem that causes. You even can see plastic products found on the Canadian coast which came across from Thailand after the Tsunami in 2011
5. Alberni Valley Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 17 reviews
6. BC Aviation Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 179 reviews
Come enjoy a trip back in time with the whole family, with over 20 aircraft on display in Sidney, at The BC Aviation Museum! Where learning and fun meet! Memorable visitor experiences include: • Sit in the cockpit of a warplane. • Discover the history of our valiant Canadian aviation pioneers with our passionate tour guides or on a self-guided visit. We’ve been collecting and preserving 8,000+ aviation books, 13,500+ photographs. Don't miss our gift shop - the perfect place to find aviation themed gifts. Come explore the BC Aviation Museum in Sidney, located near the Victoria International Airport.
Reviewed By Bob2885 - Victoria, Canada
I toured the museum in September as part of a group. The tour guide was informative, responsive to questions and entertaining. The exhibits cover the history of aviation in the 20th century with a focus on British Columbian and Canadian aircraft. There are planes, lots of them, tens ofunmounted engines in various stages of dress, helicopters, innumerable model aircraft and a good collection of memorabilia related to aviation in the First and Second Wars. This would be a fun tour with children. I climbed the stairs into a late '50s Viscount airliner, looked into the cockpit of a jet trainer, and was impressed by the huge size of the museum's latest restoration project, a Lancaster bomber. Don't miss it!
7. B.C. Forest Discovery Centre
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 261 reviews
This museum educates visitors about British Columbia's large and historic logging industry.
Reviewed By Fiona_of_VI
This was our first trip to the BC Forestry Discovery Centre. I was very impressed with the activites they had for the kids including musical performances and a really well run colouring area. The food was reasonably priced and good (though all we had was hot chocolate and popcorn). The people there were very friendly and more than interested in talking about the history of the buildings, trains and the logging industry on Vancouver Island. And these folks are volunteers! The train ride was wonderful. We will definelty go back for a visit in the summer.
8. Victoria Butterfly Gardens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,075 reviews
A Vibrant Jungle Experience. A unique opportunity to experience the beauty and curiosity of a tropical jungle up close. Meet our family with surprises at every turn. You’ll encounter tortoises, large iguanas, poison dart frogs, free flying tropical birds and more. Enjoy tropical fish, ducks, flamingos and koi fish in our serene pond and stream circulated by a stunning waterfall. Thousands of tropical butterflies (up to 70 species) fly through our large facilities the size of almost 3 basketball courts. Stroll through and marvel at our lush gardens including tropical flowers, carnivorous plants and fruits of the world. Wander in our newest Exhibit, the Insectarium, full of impressive insects & invertebrates from around the world. Your jungle adventure awaits.
Reviewed By caligirl0105 - California, United States
As you walk into the gift shop, you are welcome by the most amazing ant colony, at first it’s hard to identify what you are looking at, since it is such a captivating spectacle... then all of a sudden, it hits you and you are in awww to see the difference in body size that they are capable of carrying in such an organized manner. Nature has a way of surprising you... but that’s just the beginning... as you walked through the double doors, you will actually feel as if you are in the middle of a forest. The melodies of running creeks, birds, warmer and humid climate, butterflies from all sort of colors and sizes flying freely, turtles eating flowers and humans actually smiling.... it is such a beautiful and educational place. My sever year old loved every moment we were there, she was able to explore, ask questions, feed the turtles and take lots of pictures. She didn’t want to leave... but now it is something we are looking forward to going back to.
9. Ucluelet Aquarium
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 838 reviews
We are open for the season as of May 1st, 2021! The Ucluelet Aquarium is a catch-and-release aquarium dedicated to raising awareness and respect for the local ocean environment.
Reviewed By A3353WYheathers
This was my second visit to the town of Ucluelet, but I couldn’t fit in the aquarium then, so it was on my list for this visit. We arrived right at opening, as did numerous families right behind us. We three adults in their mid-sixties were as excited as the little ones to experience this small marine treasure! All the tanks are fed directly by piped-in ocean water. Marine plants, fish, and creatures are collected for the season only and retuned to the ocean by divers at seasons’s end. Young marine biologists and ecosystem workterm students staff the facilities and conduct research throughout the summer. A variety of fish live in a large pool in the centre. Around that are separate tanks that hold a variety of species and biodiversity - anemones, starfish, sea cucumbers, urchins, an octopus, jellyfish, and many kinds of fish. Most exciting for everyone, however, was the opportunity to explore a number of tanks where you could reach in and touch some of the species, after washing your hands of residue. That was a unique experience! This is not a tourist trap for families, but rather an educational experience for all. When you’re in Ucluelet, thus is a must-do activity!
10. Royal BC Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 7,037 reviews
See all of British Columbia at the Royal BC Museum, a world-class museum of natural and human history. Explore our core galleries and immerse yourself in tales of where we've been and where we are going. Marvel at the totems, masks and cultural treasures featured in the world-class First Peoples Gallery. Walk through the colourful "language forest" in Our Living Languages and hear greetings in one of 34 Indigenous BC languages. Experience authentic artifacts and highly realistic settings -- from the Woolly Mammoth in his rocky, icy world to a tar-scented trip on the HMS Discovery.
Reviewed By eblocker4460 - Wasilla, United States
My initial thought was, "It's just another museum." Was I ever wrong! It begins with an excellent natural history section that is better than most, but where it really shines is the third floor exhibits of the history of BC. It has extremely well done exhibits of the area's First Nation's peoples with subsequent exhibits of every era after European discovery. Each interactive exhibit moves you through discovery, development through the gold rush, growth of industry, logging, mining, and the influx of diverse people groups, contributing to a thriving new culture and community. I highly recommend this museum as a must see when you visit Victoria, BC.
