Full-day itinerary

1. Grab a self-guided tour brochure at the Visitor Reception Centre to get started! Check out the collaborative art piece made with Children of the Earth High School. Read more about the historical artifacts on display and their importance to daily life in the 1800s.

 



2. Take a walk down to Gabeshiwin and explore the birchbark wigwam and buffalo hide tipi. Learn about the relationship between early settlers and Indigenous peoples leading up to the creation of Treaty No. 1.

    

3. What is that clanging in the distance? A short walk away from Gabeshiwin is the Blacksmith Shop! You can watch our skilled blacksmith craft tools while sharing stories about the fort’s history and the people that helped build it.

    

4. Enjoy the picturesque grounds surrounding Lower Fort Garry. With a scenic view of the Red River right outside the Tyndall stone walls of the fort, you can rest in one of our famous red chairs. Take a pic and #sharethechair on Facebook and X!

    

5. Grab some lunch in the visitor centre at Life a Little Sweeter café. Try some classic diner staples or sip a coffee and munch on baked goods at the patisserie. With seating that allows for a beautiful view of the historic site, it’s the perfect place to rest your feet and admire Lower Fort Garry.

    

6. Once inside the fort’s walls, there are tons of buildings full of history for you to explore! Look at the goods that would have been traded in the fur loft. Check out the York boat on display and imagine what it would have been like to travel for months at a time as a tripsman. Learn about the history of the warehouse from its time as a storage space to its historic use as the first penitentiary in western Canada.

 



7. Make sure you don’t miss out on the historic weapons demonstration! Interpreters will walk you through the process of assembling historic firearms before demonstrating their use outside the walls of the fort.

    

8. Want to enhance your trip to Lower Fort Garry? Sign up for one of our workshops. With Bannock baking, a blacksmithing activity, and candlestick making, there is something for everyone! Interpreters will walk you through important daily tasks that were vital in keeping the fort running.

Enjoyed your stay? Let us know how your trip went or show off some of your photos at @parkscanadaMB on Facebook and @parks.canada on Instagram.

For more information on programming and hours of operation, visit parks.canada.ca/fortgarry.