Nanaimo Museum

Discover Nanaimo’s fascinating history in our new museum located in the Vancouver Island Conference Centre. The main gallery offers a sense of what life was like for Nanaimo's earliest settlers and the Snuneymuxw First Nation. Our award winning replica coal mine is a special treat and our fabulous gift shop is full of unique items that are sure to surprise and delight. The museum manages the Bastion, an original Hudson's Bay Company post built in 1853. The Bastion is a local icon that has endured many challenges since the founding of Nanaimo, British Columbia’s third oldest city. Today, this former Hudson's Bay Company building is a symbol of Nanaimo’s humble beginnings and a testament to our rich West Coast heritage. The Bastion is definitely a "must see" destination for visitors to Nanaimo. The Bastion is perhaps most famous for its exciting cannon firing ceremony every day at noon from International Museum Day (Friday, May 18, 2012) to Labour Day (Monday, September 3, 2012). Come down to the Bastion and experience the blast of a lifetime! The cannons are located beside the Bastion on the Pioneer Waterfront Plaza.