Our 2024-25 programs are a fun way to connect an engaging museum experience with the BC curriculum.
2024-25 Curriculum Programs
Way. Kelowna Museums is committed to a Journey of Reconciliation and aspires to include Indigenous perspective and knowledge in our offerings. In this work we practice the First Peoples Principles of Learning as we develop each learning experience.
Immersive museum visits inspire curiosity, exploration and musl’s (the nsyilxcən word for hope). In-person field excursions for the 2024-25 school year take place in downtown Kelowna at one of our three locations: the Okanagan Heritage Museum, Okanagan Military Museum or Okanagan Wine & Orchard Museum.
Email us at [email protected], or call 250-868-4836 to book your time.
Accordion Toggle Closure
Grades K-3
Dinosaur Roar
Pre-K – 1
At the Okanagan Heritage Museum
Dinosaurs were HOW BIG? Using real paleontology equipment and fossil exploration, we will imagine a land filled with dinosaurs. How loud can you roar?
Amazing Animals
K – 3
At the Okanagan Heritage Museum
My, what big teeth you have! Get up close to animal skulls, teeth and taxidermy to explore how they live in their environments. First Nations knowledge will help us understand and appreciate these amazing animals.
Animaux Admirables
m – 3
At the Okanagan Heritage Museum
Quelles belles dents vous avez! Venez voire des crânes, des crocs, et des taxidermies de près et explorez comment les animaux habitent leurs environnements naturels. La connaissance autochtone nous aide à comprendre et à apprécier ces animaux admirables.
Get Wild with Pollinators
Grades 1 – 3
At the Okanagan Wine & Orchard Museum
Not all bees live in hives or wear yellow and black stripes! Discover pollinating insects of the Okanagan and appreciate the hard work they do. Take away tips and fun activities that you can do at home to help our wild pollinator population.
Fantastic Fruits
Grades K – 3
At the Okanagan Wine & Orchard Museum
Imagine a land where trees grow delicious treats. That’s the Okanagan! We’ll explore our amazing valley and discover why it’s a tree-fruit growing paradise. Together, we’ll become fruit-growing experts and appreciate the hard work of our local farmers.
Grades 4-8
Okanagan Orchards
Grades 4 – 6
At the Okanagan Wine & Orchard Museum
Settlers have reshaped the local landscape into “the Garden City” with bountiful orchards and farms. Students will explore artefacts and pictures in the museum gallery to uncover how this came to be. They will also encounter stories of growers and workers. Learning how the syilx people actively stewarded “natural orchards” will foster an appreciation for First Nations’ knowledge of the land.
Kelowna’s Chinatown
Grades 4 – 8
At the Okanagan Heritage Museum
75 min
Wait… Kelowna had a Chinatown? Learn about the Chinese residents who built Kelowna’s Chinatown during a time of prejudice, discrimination, and anti-Asian laws. Explore historical artefacts and documents to uncover the stories of those who lived there. Discover how their perseverance can inspire us to build a more inclusive future.
Fossil Hunters
Grades 4 – 6
At the Okanagan Heritage Museum
90 min
Learn about dinosaurs and geology to become an amateur fossil hunter and discover whether you can find a dinosaur in your backyard. Handle rocks and fossils as we learn about the rock cycle, deep time, the movement of tectonic plates, local geology and examine geological survey maps.
Bird, Bats and Butterflies
Grades 4 – 7
At the Okanagan Heritage Museum
Calling all young nature enthusiasts! Embark on an educational journey examining the winged creatures of the Okanagan Valley’s vibrant skies, their unique characteristics and local ecosystems.
Unpacking Stories of Military History
Grades 4 – 12
At the Okanagan Military Museum
Students will delve into artifacts and historical records from World War I and World War II to uncover the personal stories of Okanagan men and women who served. They’ll explore how technology shaped these global conflicts and impacted the lives of people both on the battlefield and at home.
Field of Crosses – Remembering Our Local Soldiers
Grades 6 – 9
At the Okanagan Military Museum, City Park
Available Nov. 4 – Nov. 8
FREE – FULLY-FUNDED BY KELOWNA MUSEUMS SOCIETY & ROTARY CLUB OF KELOWNA
The Field of Crosses is a memorial of 240 white crosses in City Park. Each cross represents one person from Kelowna who lost their lives in the service of our community. Students will gain a deeper understanding of what this means by participating in a research project, a tour of the Okanagan Military Museum, and a visit to the Field of Crosses.
The Un-Learning Project
Grades 4 – 12
At the Okanagan Heritage Museum
75 min
What happened in the Okanagan when residential schools opened? How were traditional ways of knowing disrupted, and why does it matter today? Students will be immersed in syilx traditional wisdom that derives from tmixʷ (land). They will explore objects that demonstrate the importance of intergenerational learning and the disruption caused by the residential school system. Students will hear messages of truth and hope from Elders.
Ntyityix and TEK
Grades 4 – 12
At the Okanagan Heritage Museum
Learn how integrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Western Science offers new approaches to sustaining healthy waterways and salmon populations in the Okanagan.
Grades 9-12
Unpacking Stories of Military History
Grades 4 – 12
At the Okanagan Military Museum
Students will delve into artifacts and historical records from World War I and World War II to uncover the personal stories of Okanagan men and women who served. They’ll explore how technology shaped these global conflicts and impacted the lives of people both on the battlefield and at home.
Field of Crosses – Remembering Our Local Soldiers
Grades 6 – 9
At the Okanagan Military Museum, City Park
Available Nov. 4 – Nov. 8
FREE – FULLY-FUNDED BY KELOWNA MUSEUMS SOCIETY & ROTARY CLUB OF KELOWNA
The Field of Crosses is a memorial of 240 white crosses in City Park. Each cross represents one person from Kelowna who lost their lives in the service of our community. Students will gain a deeper understanding of what this means by participating in a research project, a tour of the Okanagan Military Museum, and a visit to the Field of Crosses.
The Un-Learning Project
Grades 4 – 12
At the Okanagan Heritage Museum
75 min
What happened in the Okanagan when residential schools opened? How were traditional ways of knowing disrupted, and why does it matter today? Students will be immersed in syilx traditional wisdom that derives from tmixʷ (land). They will explore objects that demonstrate the importance of intergenerational learning and the disruption caused by the residential school system. Students will hear messages of truth and hope from Elders.
Ntyityix and TEK
Grades 4 – 12
At the Okanagan Heritage Museum
Learn how integrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Western Science offers new approaches to sustaining healthy waterways and salmon populations in the Okanagan.
How to Register
Email us at [email protected], or call 250-868-4836 to book your time.
Costs & Payment:
In-person programming is $150 per class and last 60 minutes unless otherwise stated. Virtual programs generally last 30 minutes and cost $75. If cost is a barrier, please contact us anyway. Your school may qualify for a subsidy or discount!
We acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia.
Want to book a full-day field trip?
Planning a field trip to Kelowna’s Cultural District? Pair a program at the museum with another cultural facility. See details below to book.
Kelowna Art Gallery
Phone: (250) 762-2226
Email: [email protected]
Website:
kelownaartgallery.com/programming/school-tours
Rotary Centre for the Arts
Phone: 250-717-5304 ext. 116
Email: [email protected]
Website:
rotarycentreforthearts.com/learn/arts-discovery-days-educational-programs/
“I just wanted to tell you how very much we enjoyed our field trip experience on Tuesday. I wanted to especially commend Marshall for not only knowing his material so well but even more for his fantastic classroom management and engaging presentation. My students were attentive and engaged without me having to redirect them at all because of his enthusiasm and upbeat attitude.”
“The session was fully attended and very successful. Great presentation! The participants were pleased to be going home with bee houses that they constructed. Thank you for sharing your program with the families in our Mission area.”
“The students were so engaged! It was great having them answer questions and be a part of the presentation.”