Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre (PWNHC)

The Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre’s thoughtfully arranged exhibits cover natural history; Indigenous Dene and Inuit history and culture; European exploration and settlement; aviation in the remote North, and day-to-day life in the Northwest Territories. The museum also coordinates temporary exhibitions by Yellowknife residents and hosts temporary exhibitions that cover everything from photography, sculpture, and craft by Northern artists. Yellowknife sightseeing tours on foot or by vehicle typically visit the PWNHC.

• Admission to the PWNHC is by donation.

• The museum is wheelchair-accessible and offers two wheelchairs for visitors’ use.

• The museum has a restaurant, but check it’s open before visiting.

• Self-guided virtual tours of select permanent displays are available online in English, French, Wıìlıìdeh, Inuvialuktun, Cree, and Gwich’in.

Located on the shores of Frame Lake, the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre is near downtown Yellowknife, within walking distance of major hotels and attractions including the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly. It’s less than a 10-minute drive from Yellowknife Airport and parking is available outside the museum.

The Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre is open year-round on Tuesday to Sunday from mid-morning until early evening. The museum is open on public holidays, with the exceptions of Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Give yourself at least one hour to explore the museum’s exhibits.

Just a few minutes’ walk from the PWNHC, the Legislative Assembly building is well worth a visit. The Great Hall is open to the public and you can join a tour or take an audio tour to learn about the Northwest Territories’ consensus-style government and peek into the assembly chamber with its polar bear hide, diamond-tipped territorial mace, artwork by Group of Seven artist A.Y. Jackson, and carvings by Northern artists.