Dino-Mite!

Kindergarten to Grade 3

What can fossils teach us about past life on Earth? In this program, students explore and examine fascinating fossils to decipher clues about dinosaurs and other prehistoric life. We highlight the work done by palaeontologists in our community and abroad. Students also have the opportunity to examine real fossils from across North America and from different time periods and environments, including bones, shells, and teeth. Finish off by creating your own ‘fossil’ to take home!

Duration: 60 minutes
Cost: $4 per student
October through December, Wednesday & Friday
April through June, Monday & Wednesday

Small Animals of BC

Kindergarten to Grade 4

Weasels and badgers and bears, oh my! What do these animals have in common? Through hands-on examination of a variety of mounted specimens, students will explore the world of mammals and learn how local animals adapt to their environment and to seasonal changes. Learn about mammal physiology, food chains, and life cycles as you get close up with our furry friends.

Duration: 60 minutes
Cost: $3 per student
October through December, Wednesday & Friday
April through June, Monday & Wednesday

Birds of BC

Kindergarten to Grade 4

See eye-to-eye with an eagle or wing it with a woodpecker! This eggs-citing program will introduce students to the birds of British Columbia, with hands-on examinations of birds, their eggs, and their nest-building techniques.

Duration: 60 minutes
Cost: $3 per student
October through December, Wednesday & Friday
April through June, Monday & Wednesday

Night Wings

Grades 3 to 6

Whooo’s out there at night? This hands-on program will reveal how an owl’s physical characteristics, sharp senses and hunting habits combine to make it one of nature’s most efficient predators. Students will learn about owls through a selection of mounted specimens and visual images, and will dissect an owl pellet to investigate the diet of local owls and their place in the food chain.

Duration: 90 minutes
Cost: $4 per student
Call for availability

Ethnobotany: Plants and People

Grade 3 to Adult

This program illustrates the interaction of people and plants throughout history, and the numerous ways that people depend on plants. Given a variety of indigenous plant samples, students use their senses to examine each plant while learning about its traditional uses. The ethnobotany program includes a hands-on creative activity for students using a selection of dried plants.

Duration: 60 minutes
Cost: $4 per student
October through December, Wednesday & Friday
April through June, Monday & Wednesday

Walking Through Time: Your Kelowna Museums

All ages

Put on your walking shoes and get ready to embark on a journey back in time! Your guide will lead you on a journey of discovery, concentrating on history and memorable stories told through an interactive one hour visit to Your Kelowna Museums! History will come alive on this walking tour to the Okanagan Heritage Museum, Okanagan Military Museum, and the new BC Orchard Industry Museum.

Duration: 60 minutes
Cost: $3 per student
April through June

Self-Guided Tours

Self-guided visits are by donation, and must be scheduled through the Department so that there is no conflict with our other programming. Self guided visits must be within regular hours of operation only. For more information please call 250.868.4836

Lure of a Valley

Grade 3 to Adult

If you lived 100 years ago, how would your life be different? Students will discover some of the differences and similarities of life over the past century. History becomes real with images of people and places throughout the Okanagan Valley. Tracking our growth from the fur trade, we will discover how this valley has lured settlers, from the past right up to today! Hands-on exploration of artefacts will bring the past alive.

Duration: 60 minutes
Cost: $3 per student
Call for availability

Living History - The Okanagan's Pioneers

All ages

Join us for this living history program exploring the life of an early Okanagan Valley pioneer. Meet a portrayal of one of the area’s first settlers, hear their personal stories and memories, and see and touch the early photographs and historical artefacts which they may have owned and used. This one-hour program includes a hands-on activity in which children make a paper sailboat pioneer toy.

Duration: 60 minutes
Cost: $4 per student
Call for availability

The Fur Trade

Grades 4 to 6

The legacy of the Fur Trade began almost four hundred years ago when access to new territories was created by the discovery of Hudson’s Bay. Students will examine the history of the fur trade during Canada’s development through visual images and artefacts, and learn about the travellers on the Fur Brigade Trail in the Okanagan Valley. Using actual trade goods and furs, students participate in a dramatization of a fur trade.

Duration: 60 minutes
Cost: $3 per student
January through March, Thursday & Friday

The Gold Rush

Grades 4 to 6

"Gold dust blinds all eyes..."
From maintenance and management to mania and mayhem, our province’s gold rush era demonstrates how a single moment of discovery can lead to an entire landscape of change. What equipment was used in the gold fields? Who and where were some of the well-known people and places? What are some of the secrets and stories of finding gold? Find the answers and view artefacts from the gold rush era.

Duration: 60 minutes
Cost: $3 per student
January through March, Thursday & Friday

Ancient Egypt - The Art of Mummification

Grades 7 to 9

The Ancient Egyptian civilisation spanned thousands of years, with intriguing beliefs, rituals, and cultural practices such as that of mummification. Examine artefacts and visual images to learn about ancient mummies and Egyptian civilisation. Learn the techniques and procedures of mummification; the fascinating facts, and what secrets may be revealed by the smallest details. Students will mummify an object as a memento of the day.

Duration: 60 minutes
Cost: $4 per student
January through March, Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday

Age of Discovery – The Renaissance

Grades 7 to 9

Many historians believe that the Renaissance was the beginning of modern history. In this interactive one hour program, students explore the inventions, voyages, artwork, and philosophy of this era and examine how the scientific and mathematical discoveries changed the world. Renaissance inventions and replica artefacts are included, as is a hands-on sketching activity using mulberry paper and graphite.

Duration: 60 minutes
Cost: $4 per student
January through March, Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday

"Patrimoine Francais - French Heritage" Travelling Kit

Grades 3 to 12

Une galerie de photos et des plans de leçon portant sur les pionniers français de l'Okanagan sont disponibles en prêt pour les classes.

A picture gallery and lesson plans of the Okanagan French Pioneers is available for classroom sign out.

Duration: 2 week loan period
Cost: $4 per student

First Nation Studies (Pre-Contact)

Grade 4 ONLY

This program is offered only to teachers and students in Grade 4 within School District #23. Groups from other educational institutions are welcome to contact us to discuss other opportunities for First Nation Studies at the Okanagan Heritage Museum.

The program, held at the Okanagan Heritage Museum is presented in conjunction with the First Nations Cultural Program of School District #23 and is sponsored by School District #23. Focusing on the Aboriginal People of the Interior, it will include interactive activities, a visit to our pit house (winter dwelling) and an examination of artefacts. Students will learn about traditional hunting and foraging practices, utilitarian objects such as tools, weapons, and baskets, as well as drumming, singing, and story-telling. The program includes an activity led by an Aboriginal presenter.

Duration: 9:30-12:00
October through December, Tuesday & Thursday
March through June, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday

Attention teachers! Please book early! This program is fully funded by SD#23, and space is limited.

First Peoples of the Interior (Contact)

Grades 1 to 12

Learn what life was like for the First People of the Interior at the time of, and after, contact with Europeans. Using the permanent exhibitions of the Okanagan Heritage Museum, students will learn about trade and barter, settlement, and the introduction of different technologies to the First Peoples, and how they responded and adapted to a changing world. This will be followed by an authentic hands-on activity in which students can express what they have learned.

Duration: 60 minutes
Cost: $4 per student
Call for availability

Contact and Conflict

Grades 9 to 12

In 1871, when it joined Confederation, British Columbia was the only province in which Aboriginal people were the majority. By 1911, they represented only 5.5% of the provincial population. In the Interior, the peaceful existence of the First People was to change soon after the first contact by Europeans in 1811. With artefacts from the fur traders, the missionaries, and the early settlers, students will examine the effects of contact historically and through contemporary issues. This program includes a creative activity in which students pay tribute to aboriginal art and knowledge.

Duration: 90 minutes
Cost: $4 per student
Call for availability

First Nation Custom Programs

Please note that additional opportunities are available to teachers and students upon request. Feel free to call us at (250) 868-4836 for booking and availability.

War Time Letters

Grades 4 to 9

Using actual letters, postcards, and message cards from the museum’s collection, students will examine the process of communication between soldiers overseas and loved ones at home during World War I and World War II. Narrative styles, penmanship, and tools of the trade such as the types of pens, papers and inks will be investigated. The program will be completed with a hands-on activity in which students will practice using quill, straight pens and inks on a range of papers to write their own ‘war time letter’.

Duration: 60 minutes
Cost: $4 per student
October through April, Wednesday & Friday

Canadian Military History

Grade 11 - 12

This two-part presentation is an examination of the evolution of the roles played by the Canadian Forces since Confederation, and is designed to meet High School Social Studies learning outcomes. The program begins with an engaging media presentation supported by kit box artefacts from World War I and World War II and concludes with a hands-on activity. The following 60 minute component has students rotating through different activity stations as they tour the Okanagan Military Museum: Weapons of War, and a Scavenger Hunt.

Duration: 120 minutes (60 in-class and a 60 minute museum tour & program)
Cost: $5 per student
Call for availability

The Kit Box

All ages

Discover the Okanagan Military Museum! This program begins with a tour of the museum and is followed by an exploration of the Kit Box. The authentic museum travelling trunk contains military artefacts, uniforms and memorabilia from our collections. Students will learn the history of each article while handling it and will discuss how it was used and why. Hands-on learning with stories and shared experiences will bring Canadian Military history alive.

Duration: 60 minutes
Cost: $3 per student
Call for availability

Remembrance Day at the Okanagan Military Museum

All ages

Learning and understanding about the service of Canadians, in war and in peace, helps us to put meaning into such celebrations as Remembrance Day. This year’s program features oral histories combined with art from our fascinating Memory Project Exhibit. Students have the opportunity to pay tribute to local veterans through a creative activity that combines storytelling and drawing. Book early to ensure availability!

Duration: 60 minutes
Cost: $4 per student
Call for availability

Guided Tours

All ages

Guided visits at the Okanagan Military Museum will highlight topics such as Remembrance Day, World War I and World War II, military regalia, badges, medals and symbols. Visits include hands-on activities with artefacts and a tour of our permanent galleries and special exhibitions. Custom programs are available; please call for more information and costs.

What’s the Buzz? Bees in Okanagan Orchards

Grades K to 3

This educational program is aligned with learning outcomes in science for students in grades k-3. Using a live Beehive, students have the chance to safely watch bees at work. We’ll examine bee keeping artefacts, bee anatomy and assess the importance of bees to our local orchard ecology. Students will learn critical life-science skills from the fascinating world of bees.

Duration: 60 minutes
Cost: $4 per student
October through December, Wednesday & Thursday
March through June, Wednesday & Thursday

The Trees We Eat

Grade 3 to 5

This interactive program begins with a tour and will introduce participants to the various tree fruits of British Columbia. Students will learn several ways to identify different fruit trees, as well as discuss seasonal jobs in an orchard and how tree fruits get from the farm to the consumer. Students will use their senses to compare the characteristics of different types of apples and finish with a taste of new and traditional apple varieties.

Duration: 60 minutes
Cost: $4 per student
October through May, Wednesday & Friday

Bugs: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Kindergarten to Grade 6

Some bugs are good and some bugs are bad. Do you know which are which? Scuttle over to the Orchard Museum and find out. After a tour of the museum, students will play a game of ‘Good Bug or Bad Bug’, examining some common creepy crawlies that we have in our Okanagan orchards. Next, become a famous entomologist and take an up-close look at a wide variety of real insect specimens.

Duration: 60 minutes
Cost: $4 per student
October through December, Tuesday & Wednesday
March through June, Tuesday & Wednesday

The Earth Beneath Our Feet

Kindergarten to Grade 3

Dig dirt at the Orchard Museum! This program begins with a tour of the museum followed by students reviewing water, sunlight, air and soil as components integral to the growth of plants. Students will examine different types of soil and make observations about how they might affect local agriculture. We will take an up-close look at what can be seen in home-made topsoil and discuss composting as a viable ecologically friendly alternative.

Duration: 60 minutes
Cost: $3 per student
March through June, Wednesday & Friday

The Discovery Box

All ages

Come and discover the Orchard Industry of BC! The Discovery Box program begins with a tour of the BC Orchard Industry Museum followed by an exploration of the Discovery Box. Artefacts in the box come from the orchards of BC, both past and present, and students will examine and try on items from many aspects of the industry. Guessing is allowed!

Duration: 60 minutes
Cost: $3 per student
Call for availability

A Fine Vintage-Kelowna Museums Birthday Celebration

A memorable 75th birthday party featuring music, dance demos (showcasing swing, jive, and fun dance crazes through the decades), a photo booth with vintage props, a candy station, silent auction, raffle for wine, and a fashion show and paying tribute to vintage culture in the Okanagan dating back to 1936!

September 22, 2011

Travellers through this land:
Fur traders to the Okanagan Valley and beyond since 1811

We are pleased to host two locally renowned historians Randy Manuel and Ken Favrholdt. Their joint lecture will be supplemented with archival photographs and focus on the arrival of the first Europeans in 1811 to the demise of the fur trade in the Okanagan. They are also offering a fascinating field trip to the location of the brigade trail.

Date: October 8th and 9th
Cost: $5 per person
Call 250-868-4836 to register

Heritage Week 2012: The Heritage of Power Water mills, hydroelectric plants, transformer buildings

Check back for an exciting event hosted by the Kelowna Museum Society in celebration of the history of electricity in the Okanagan.

February 20th – 26th, 2012.

Aliens Among Us
Exhibit Opening and Guest Speaker Tim Willis

Tim Willis will join us from Victoria to open this intriguing tribute to bio-diversity in British Columbia. A highly experienced and engaging public speaker Mr. Willis will provide fascinating insights into the history of the Alien’s exhibit and the future of museums in general.

November 19th 2011

Arts and Culture Week

Kelowna Culture Connection
In conjunction with BC Arts and Culture Week, For middle and high schools.

The connection between the visual arts, theatre and heritage comes alive this spring! The Kelowna Art Gallery, Rotary Centre for the Arts, and Kelowna Museums are celebrating BC Arts and Culture week by offering special visual arts, theatre, and museum studies workshops for students who have a strong interest in arts and culture. Each organization will be providing stimulating two-hour sessions that include a hands-on project. These workshops will be fun, insightful, and enable students to make meaningful connections with the local arts and culture community. Be sure to register early, as space in each workshop is limited.

Date: April 23 to April 27
Cost: $4 per student
To register contact Deborah Roseline at School District No. 23 at 250-860-9729 ext 6432.

The Memory Project:
Art and Stories from the Second World War

A multimedia exhibition of works by young, emerging artists who were inspired by the oral histories of Second World War veterans.

May 2011 – November 2011

Aliens Among Us

Geared towards families, school groups and adults this exhibit helps us reach new perspectives on introduced exotic species, how they get here and the impact they have on eco-systems in BC

November 2011 – February 2012

BC Dragoon’s Centennial

This exhibit celebrates the long history of the Okanagan’s BC Dragoons with artefacts and stories of the soldiers and their experiences through two world wars. Also on exhibit are the war medals of BCD Captain John MacGregor, on loan from Ottawa’s Canadian War Museum.

May 2011- 2012

Immigrants in Agriculture

Join us in honouring our diverse heritage with a poignant exhibit featuring artefacts from early Okanagan immigrants.

Annual Appls and Cherry Fairs!

23rd Annual Apple Fair
Saturday, October 22nd, 2011

17th Annual Cherry Fair
Saturday, July 21st, 2012

Join us at the Laurel Packinghouse for children’s activities, apple and cherry tastings.