Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre

Top choice in Yellowknife


Acting as NWT's historical and cultural archive, this well-laid-out museum overlooks Frame Lake. Expertly assembled displays address natural history, European exploration, Northern aviation, diamond mining and, especially, Dene and Inuit history and culture, their symbiotic relationship with their environment and their dependance on game for shelter, clothing, transport and food. Temporary exhibits include exceptional soapstone and whalebone sculpture by Inuvialuit artist Abraham Anghik Ruben. There's a terrific cafe and a good play zone for younger kids.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Yellowknife attractions

1. Legislative Assembly

0.18 MILES

In the impressive, igloo-shaped Legislative Assembly, you can learn about the territory's aboriginal-style government by joining their free hour-long tour…

2. NWT Diamond Centre

0.43 MILES

A great place to buy your diamond bling, this gallery also provides a good overview of diamond mining in Canada's frigid north. The accompanying video…

3. Ragged Ass Rd

0.86 MILES

Named by prospectors who had gone stone-broke (ragged ass), this road was immortalized in a song and album by Tom Cochrane, himself the son of a bush…

4. Yellowknife Cultural Crossroads

0.93 MILES

On a huge boulder by the road there's a striking work of art: a soaring eagle, a whirl of colorful handprints and the skeletal outline of a tipi. In front…

5. Old Town

1.14 MILES

Many living people are older than Yellowknife but, despite the fact the Old Town only dates from the mid-1930s, its ramshackle streets wedged between Back…

6. Bush Pilot's Monument

1.16 MILES

Perched atop 'The Rock,' a large outcrop in the middle of the Old Town, this simple needle pays homage to the gutsy bush pilots who opened up the NWT a…

7. Bristol Monument

1.23 MILES

Overlooking the airport, this Bristol freighter, once operated by Wardair, became the first ever plane to land at the North Pole in 1967.

8. Fred Henne Territorial Park

1.71 MILES

Located opposite the airport off Hwy 3, Fred Henne Territorial Park is popular with campers, and in summer there's chilly swimming at Long Lake Beach.