This popular museum just off the Commercial St main drag showcases the region's heritage, from First Nations to colonial, maritime, sporting and beyond. Highlights of the eclectic collection include exhibits on the local sweet treat, Nanaimo bars, and bathtub racing – plus a carved golden beaver from an 1890s tugboat. Ask at the front desk about the museum's guided walking-tour program as well as summertime entry to the nearby Bastion, an 1853 wooden tower fortification.
Nanaimo Museum
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
29.39 MILES
At the best market in British Columbia, the gigantic cornucopia of produce, edible goodies and locally made artworks lures everyone like a magnet on…
24.07 MILES
Thought tea was a tropical plant? Not always. Hidden in bucolic farmland 8km north of Duncan, the improbably located Westholme grows its own tea plants…
24.02 MILES
The mother of all pit stops, this wood-framed and turf-roofed food and crafts menagerie is stuffed with bakery and produce delectables. It attracts huge…
6.78 MILES
The perfect spot to tire your kids out, this tree-lined adventure playground is packed with adrenaline-pumping fun, from bungee jumping to scream…
Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park
1.74 MILES
Nanaimo's rustic outdoor getaway (also known as Saysutshun in the indigenous language) offers 22km of hiking and biking trails, plus beaches and wildlife…
25.62 MILES
An upmarket glass-fronted winery that’s popular with tour groups, Averill is cradled by mountains guarding terrain that’s ideal for producing the vineyard…
22.49 MILES
Check out the region's 'locavore' credentials at this delightful and highly welcoming working farmstead. Let your kids run wild – most will quickly fall…
25.45 MILES
A delightful little gallery with a firm focus on showcasing Sunshine Coast works, from painting to sculpture and fiber art. The diverse roster of shows…
Nearby attractions
0.23 MILES
A steep hike uphill from the waterfront on Bastion and Fitzwilliam Sts delivers you to a strollable heritage 'hood of independent stores, galleries and…
2. Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park
1.74 MILES
Nanaimo's rustic outdoor getaway (also known as Saysutshun in the indigenous language) offers 22km of hiking and biking trails, plus beaches and wildlife…
4.34 MILES
Woodland trails, rugged coastlines and quiet little beaches make this bucolic little island a popular rustic day trip for visitors. It's a 20-minute ferry…
6.78 MILES
The perfect spot to tire your kids out, this tree-lined adventure playground is packed with adrenaline-pumping fun, from bungee jumping to scream…
22.49 MILES
Check out the region's 'locavore' credentials at this delightful and highly welcoming working farmstead. Let your kids run wild – most will quickly fall…
6. Blue Horse Folk Art Gallery
23.21 MILES
One of the most popular of Salt Spring's many galleries, you'll find contemporary reinventions of the quirky folk art movement here as well as eye…
24.02 MILES
The mother of all pit stops, this wood-framed and turf-roofed food and crafts menagerie is stuffed with bakery and produce delectables. It attracts huge…
24.07 MILES
Thought tea was a tropical plant? Not always. Hidden in bucolic farmland 8km north of Duncan, the improbably located Westholme grows its own tea plants…