Free things to do in Winnipeg

Everybody appreciates the free things in life — particularly Winnipeggers!

The experiences listed below aren’t just for budget-conscious travellers, they are for everyone who is into beautiful settings, fascinating tours and acclaimed galleries.

Parks

It doesn’t cost a dime to enter any of Winnipeg’s parks, while our marquee green (or snowy!) spaces provide so much for your family to see.

At Kildonan Park (opens in new window) you can stroll over charming little foot bridges while spying beautiful gardens and entering the famed Witch’s Hut in summer. Come winter, the park also boasts a toboggan slide. For more sliding fun, there’s also St. Vital Park (opens in new window), whose fully accessible toboggan slide has won an international design award.

At Assiniboine Park (opens in new window), aside from exploring the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden, English Gardens, and Gardens at The Leaf, you can also attend shows throughout summer during its Summer Entertainment Series (opens in new window), including performances from the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and so many other local musicians on the Lyric Stage. In the south of the city, King’s Park (opens in new window) too has ample green spaces, along with the beautiful Pagoda Gardens and the Carol Shield’s Memorial Labyrinth.

Public spaces, tours and annual events

If you’re looking to see massive works by one of the city’s most celebrated current artists, head to Wolseley’s Back Alley Arctic. This little strip, located in the alleyway of Canora and Ethelbert Street between Westminster and Wolseley, features large murals of Arctic animals by Kal Barteski (opens in new window) whose works are also found at the Winnipeg Richardson International Airport’s main terminal. For something woodsier, head to the Bois-des-Esprits Park (opens in new window) featuring much adored wood carvings and plenty of wildlife alongside the Seine River.

On the west side of the city, the Living Prairie Museum (opens in new window) provides year-round experiences including guided hikes in July and August through its 13-hectare tall grass prairie preserve, while winter brings Snowshoe Sundays (snowshoes provided!). Architecture buffs will appreciate the old-meets-new style of la Cathédrale de Saint-Boniface, which is open daily so you can stroll its courtyard and see how famed architect Étienne Gaboury incorporated the original stone structure — most of which was lost in a fire in 1968 — into the new design.

The city’s grandest (and most mysterious!) building is also open to the public. The Manitoba Legislative Building offers free hourly guided tours (opens in new window) from July to Labour Day, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Fridays throughout the rest of the year at 2 p.m., where you can learn about its mythological and Hermetic-based architecture and sculptures.

For even more insights into the city’s famed architecture, the Winnipeg Architecture Foundation (opens in new window) has placed QR codes on some of the city’s most beloved buildings, providing insightful information on each site. The Foundation also regularly hosts free walking tours, (opens in new window) while Heritage Winnipeg’s marquee event — Doors Open Winnipeg (opens in new window) — allows you to join free group tours of Winnipeg’s most fascinating buildings for one weekend at the end of May.

Learn about The Forks (opens in new window), Manitoba’s most-visited tourism centre, using its self-guided audio walking tour (opens in new window). Narrated by award-winning columnist and Indigenous academic Niigaan Sinclair, the tour will guide you to the area’s most noteworthy sites, all while providing context on the area’s 6,000 years of Indigenous history. The Winter Park at The Forks is always free too, while Parks Canada often has free programming on at Fort Parka (located behind the Manitoba Children’s Museum) all summer long.

Just across Main Street from the Forks, you’ll find Upper Fort Garry Provincial Park (opens in new window). Enter via its original circa-1853 limestone gate, then head to the colossal Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Heritage Wall where you can watch daily sound and light shows. Its free CanNect Upper Fort Garry app (available at upperfortgarry.com) brings the park to life while you explore, showcasing unique features while shining a light on this space’s history.

Museums and more

The city is also brimming with free museums and galleries. This includes the Winnipeg Police Museum (opens in new window), the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame (opens in new window) and the Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre (Oseredok (opens in new window)), where you’ll find one of the largest pysanky (Easter egg) collections in North America, along with a fine art collection featuring more than 900 works and an inspiring boutique. Winnipeg also has several by donation museums, including Seven Oaks House Museum (opens in new window), Ross House Museum (opens in new window), Transcona Museum (opens in new window) and the Fire Fighters Museum (opens in new window).

WAG-Qaumajuq is also free on the second Sunday of every month for Canada Life Free Sundays (opens in new window). Its first floor, featuring nearly 5,000 stone carvings displayed in striking fashion in a two-story glass vault, is also always free to view.

The Manitoba Museum too provides free admissions on the first Friday of every month, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

For more art, be sure to mark your calendar for late September for Nuit Blanche Winnipeg, an all-night examination of the city’s creative side. Taking place across the Exchange District, The Forks and Saint-Boniface, Nuit Blanche features free art installations, happenings, tours and more, all of which you must experience to believe.

Free admissions for Indigenous peoples

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights, WAG-Qaumajuq, FortWhyte Alive, and the Manitoba Museum all currently offer complimentary admissions for Indigenous peoples.