* PLEASE NOTE * : We are FULLY booked for guided tours for May and June 2018 (Mon-Fri), but do have openings for SELF GUIDED, TIPI SLEEPOVERS, and National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21 – see below)
Self guided indoor and outdoor tour options for your students May and June are:
To book self guided, email tours@wanuskewin.com, and let us know:
– Three choices for self guided dates
– How many students, and what grades will be coming
– what time you will be arriving
– if you will be bringing your own lunch, or want to do a pre-order
And we will work to get you booked in as a self guided group for the day!
(SELF GUIDED) June 21 –National Indigenous Peoples Day
Stay tuned for more information on this annual exciting day at Wanuskewin! Dancers, traditional crafts and artisans, programs, food, and so much to do through the day celebrating and embracing Plains First Nations culture. Please contact tours@wanuskewin.com to let us know if you will be joining us, and to get more information.
Over 6 km of hiking trails crisscross the Opimihaw Valley. On your journey you can discover 19 unique points of interest along the way. The trail includes a bison pound, two buffalo jumps, Opimihaw Creek and the world’s most northerly Medicine Wheel. The valley is also home to numerous animals such as deer, muskrat, beaver as well as over 140 different species of birds. Ask the visitor services desk for a copy of the indoor and outdoor scavenger hunts, and a detailed trail map. Teachers can make this exploration extra special with a journal project that is sure to inspire and engage students.
Within the Interpretive Centre, Wanuskewin boasts two art galleries that host a mixture of contemporary and traditional First Nations and Métis artists. The art changes over every few months, with new shows through the year. More information on the current exhibits can be found here. There will be a summer student in the galleries from May-August. Make sure to knock on the big door to see if see if the art gallery assistant is available for a tour while you are on site!
Join students from the University of Saskatchewan Archaeological Field School as they unearth bones, tools, arrowheads and more. This is a truly incredible learning experience for people of all ages. A window into the past over 6000 years old.
Wanuskewin offers you a unique opportunity to see a real dig site, meet with Dr. Ernie Walker and his team of archaeological students from the University of Saskatchewan. Witness history come alive.
Visit the site at Wolf Willow, Monday-Friday 9:30-2:30pm. MAY 14 – June 15, 2018
The site will be closed on holidays, weekends, and on rain days.
Step back in time with one of our interpretive guides on the Path of the People. This walk incorporates the archaeological story of Wanuskewin and will give you a glimpse of what life was like on the prairie long ago.
*Outdoors – Year Round – 45 minutes – 1 hour – All Ages
Imagine having all the medicine you needed right outside of your tipi door! This trail walk introduces participants to the medicines of First Nations people. From medicine that gave relief to the common cold or acted as a bug repellent, the Opimihaw Valley has it all!
*Outdoors – May – Oct – 45 minutes – 1 hour – All Ages
Join one of our Archaeology Guides and explore the Trail of Discovery on this newly developed tour. Learn about the formation of the Opimihaw Valley, the history and science behind Archaeology, see some of the dig sites that have been active in past years, and explore the current Wolf Willow dig site which will be opened up for your group.
*Outdoors – May – Oct – 45 minutes – 1 hour – All Ages
Explore more of Wanuskewin’s trails in a full interpretive program that takes you from the sculptures to the medicine wheel. This walk truly showcases the full Opimihaw Valley more in depth, and the stories the site holds.
*Outdoors – Year Round – 2 hours – All Ages
Enjoy one of Wanuskewin’s most popular programs! Learn how the Plains Cree traditionally set up their homes with a tipi demonstration. This hands-on program discusses the practical purpose of each tipi pole and the associated meanings that each pole represents for each stage of life. Come and try it yourself!
*Indoors and Outdoors – Available year round – 45 minutes – 1 hour – All Ages
Traditional games provided the teachings and skill development required for survival on the Northern Plains. The traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyle was incredibly demanding and required superb levels of physical fitness. Come learn how games played an important role in educating the young by developing physical skills and encouraging social development.
*Indoors and Outdoors – Available year round – 45 minutes – 1 hour – Adaptable for All Ages
Millions of bison once roamed the Central and Northern Plains, and First Nations peoples depended upon them for survival. Learn about the bison, its place in the centre of Plains cultures, and how it was processed for food. Understand and see examples of how every part of the bison was used to provide food, tools, shelter, weapons, toys, and even glue.
*Indoors and Outdoors – Available year round – 45 minutes – 1 hour – Suited for Grade 4 – Adult
Learn about First Nations peoples and culture through storytelling, dancing, and hands-on activities. Students will learn some Cree words and their meanings. This program discusses Plains First Nation worldviews, their social and cultural activities, and how they interacted with their environment.
*Indoors – Available year round – 45 minutes – 1 hour – Pre-K – Grade 3 (Adaptable for All Ages)
Wanuskewin Galleries showcase the work of contemporary and traditional Indigenous artists whose practices and productions connect to the natural, cultural, and socio-political histories, challenges, and future of the Northern Plains. The Galleries are venues for professional artists and curators who focus on Indigenous historical, traditional and contemporary art. Join an interpreter for a tour of the Gallery spaces and building at Wanuskewin, and learn more about the current exhibits and history of the site.
*Indoors and Outdoors – Available year round – 30-45 minutes – Adaptable for All Ages*
Over 200 years ago bison roamed the prairies by the millions and were the single most important animal to First Nations peoples in this area. Students will explore the site, and experience the thrill and skill that accompanied a hunt as they try their hand at using the atlatl (spear-thrower), the bow and arrow, and other techniques.
*Outdoors – May – Oct – 2 hours – Suited for Grade 5 – Adult
Did you know that Wanuskewin has Canada’s longest-running archaeological dig? The area is rich in sites that tell the stories of early life in the Opimihaw Creek Valley, with finds in the area taking us as far back as 6,000 years. Explore archaeology, and some of the things that have been learned about this amazing site by looking to the past.
*Indoors and Outdoors – Available by SPECIAL REQUEST – 2 hours – All Ages
Explore more of Wanuskewin’s trails in a full interpretive program that takes you from the sculptures to the medicine wheel. This walk truly showcases the full Opimihaw Valley more in depth, and the stories the site holds.
*Outdoors – Year Round – 2 hours – All Ages
Experience one of the gifts given to the Ojibway People, adopted by many nations around the world. Learn the purpose and legend of the dream catcher while learning how to fashion its intriguing design. Take your very own design home as a gift for yourself or someone close to you.
*Indoors – Available year round – 1.5 hours – Grade 5 to Adult ($3.50 per person for material fee)
A home is the centre of all life. Create an ornamental canvas tipi while learning about this iconic Plains First Nations home. Discover the tipi’s history and its importance, how it was made and transported, and learn about the contributions men and women made to create a healthy, happy home.
*Indoors – Available year round – 1 hour – Pre-K to Grade 4, but suitable for all ages ($2.50 per person for material fee)
This program is designed to illustrate the history of pottery and its use by Northern Plains First Nations peoples. Participants will learn how pots were made, why they were made the way they
were and how they were used. The information will be presented informally while the students are making their pots.
*Indoors – Available year round – 1 hour – All Ages ($3.00 per person for material fee)
Students will be amazed when they learn about the history of bannock, its Scottish roots, and its place in First Nations communities today. Participants will also have the opportunity to try their hand at cooking bannock over a fire. (CANCELED IF A FIRE BAN IN EFFECT)
*Outdoors – Available year round – 1 hour – Grade 3 to Adult ($3.75 per person for material fee)
View our Tour Booking Request Form
Puppet Tales *Available Winter Only: November – March *Suited for Pre-K – Grade 4 *Maximum 30 students per session
Voyageur Games (see description and info above) *Available Winter Only – weather permitting *Suited for Grade 5 and up *Maximum 30 students
Centre of Life Tipi Craft (see description and info above; $2.50 per person material fee additional)
First Nations Technology: The Bison (descriptions in regular programming above)
Traditional Games (descriptions in regular programming above)
