Irving House, completed in 1865, is the one oldest homes in the Lower Mainland and it is the oldest…read moreheritage house museum in B.C.! Being a fan of Burnaby Heritage Museum, I never knew about this place until my family told me about it. I came here with my parents, and there were no other visitors other than my family during the entire tour of the house. Tracy, the tour guide, was super friendly and helpful with the tour and I was able to stop and ask any questions during the tour. I loved how Tracy did a vintage vacuum demonstration as I haven't seen anything like it before. I loved the fact that visitors could go upstairs and see the entire house! Many of the items in the home were original from the original owners, though some were purchased or donated from other sources.

Irving House was built in 1865, back when New Westminster was striving to be the capital of British…read moreColumbia. It was lived in by family members up to about 1950, when it was sold to the city of New Westminster, and turned into a historical centre. Thus, if you're a history buff, love antiques (especially Victorian-era pieces), or ever watched the show "America's Castles", you should take a tour of Irving House. The house was built in high style by Captain Irving, a man who made a lot of money in the California, Alaska, and BC Gold Rush, and virtually poured it into the house. The architectural details of the house are interesting and well explained by the costumed guides. Since I was practically the only visitor at the time, I pretty much got my own personal tour. According to them, all the furniture and pieces displayed in the house are authentic to the period - no reproductions (except for some fake food in the kitchen, perhaps). Many belonged to the Irving family and their descendants; others were donated. The house is currently decorated, Victorian-style, for Christmas. Lots of garlands, an amazing Christmas dinner setting, and a beautiful little Christmas tree. Those into old-fashioned decorations should check it out. Legend has it too, that the house is haunted by none other than Captain Irving himself. At the very least, you can see the bed he reportedly died in, and it's one enormous piece of furniture. My guide demurred on confirming the story that an indentation of a body can sometimes be seen in the bedcovers. I saw nothing on my visit, though. In any case, it is New Westminster's oldest surviving home, and thus probably one of the oldest homes in the Vancouver area. It's a wonderful glimpse into what life was like in the early years of British Columbia, if you were high society folk. Admission is by donation, so it's affordable even for writers to visit.

Great place for kids. Plenty of interactive activities for them to learn and explore the workings…read moreof the Fraser River. There are two levels and you can get around by elevator and stairs. There is a place to park the strollers. It is a nice place to spend a couple of hours here with the children. For adults, it is very informative to know more about the Fraser River.

What a great way to celebrate the Fraser River. This discovery centre is full of little activities…read morefor kids of all ages. Entry is by donation and there are two floors to peruse. All stations are based on some part of the river whether it's the wildlife, rock bed or water, it's all covered. You can host birthday parties here which I'd consider for my toddler. Lovely way to spend an hour with the family. My 2.5 year old enjoyed digging in the sand and testing the pH of the water the most. Lovely centre!

Came by for an event last night and really enjoyed it. The…read morebuilding has a nice airy feel to it and plenty of spaces to find your own. The staff were pleasant and I noticed some board games behind the front desk for visitors to use. I've only been in here a few times but would absolutely return for a future event or with a friend to hang out with a game on a cold evening! Note: parking is challenging/pricy in this area - would recommend transit instead. Right across the street from the Quay which has my favourite fruit/veg shop - would recommend a visit!!

This is a very nice building. Its is newly built. There is a Lego version of New Westminster in…read moreside. Free admission. This place is built for the same purpose as the conventional center downtown Vancouver. There are lots of meeting room. Of course, it is not as big as the one in Vancouver. But it serves its purpose. The gallery is free but closes at 5 pm. So you have to come early. But the plus side is they are open on weekends.

Burnaby Village Museum is like stepping into a time capsule. The heritage buildings and vintage…read morecarousel make it feel like you're in a storybook. You can walk through the old shops, schoolhouse, and watch the blacksmith at work in their workshop. During the holidays, there are lights, festive displays, and hot chocolate to sip on. Burnaby heritage museum is also educational and preserved with care. Perfect for families, history lovers, or anyone who loves to experience small-town charm

I saw the parking lot! I dropped my wife and daughter off at the museum so that they could see the…read moreChristmas lights while I looked for parking. No spaces available even after circling around a couple times. The neighborhood looked good, but, I wasn't sure if I could park on the street. The perimeter of the museum looked good. My wife and daughter liked what they saw. They liked the gift shop.

A free museum in the Anvil Centre, if you're already here to see the New Media Gallery or the…read moreCanadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame, check it out. The exhibits include memorabilia, artifacts, newspaper reprints and even a 1926 Ford Model T and a New Westminster Police motorcycle. Interesting history of a part of the world that is new to me so it was interesting to learn a microcosm of Canadian history here as New Westminster grew from before its earliest settlement to the city it is today. Of course, no Canadian museum is complete without an acknowledgement of the impact of colonialism and New Westminster's exhibits include statements and context that recognize it. There is a display of First Peoples artifacts and history. [Review 20889 overall - 65 in British Columbia - 1873 of 2023.]

I've been to the New Westminster Museum and Archives a couple of times -- I only found out about it…read morewhen I went to New Media Gallery last year. It's located in the Anvil Centre, right beside the gallery, and like the gallery, it's free. The museum displays artifacts pertaining to the history of New Westminster, and currently, there is a neat exhibit of the city of New Westminster made entirely out of Lego. The exhibit is called "People Gotta Move", focusing on transportation, complete with a Lego skytrain. Be sure to catch the exhibit before it ends on November 16, 2018. [Yelp collections: Museums and Art Galleries; Cheap Thrills; Being a tourist in my own city]

Filmed a movie here called "Send The Rain". Mike and staff took great care of us. Very impressive…read morefacilities. Would come back here because there's so much it offers. Cool historical building!

We live close by to this Cultural Center. They are connected to a senior home. Parking is available…read moreon the street and underground. In the summer time they have the local Japanese Farmer Market happening. They offer Japanese classes along with other classes for kids. They sometimes offer workshops or classes for adults here as well. There is a little grocery store connected beside it. Inside the Cultural Center there are lot of art works and sometimes, they offer performance (inside near the back where they have a little stage).

The New Westminster Museum is small, but it's a worth a poke around to see some interesting pieces…read moreof history from the city. Currently they are running an exhibit of medical equipment, guaranteed to make you squirm. Forceps, catheters, electrical probes, and a foot-cranked dentist's drill - imagine that coming at you without an anesthesia. Ouch! The permanent exhibit tells the story of the Royal City from colonial to modern times. My favourite part was a collection of artifacts from the BC Penitentiary, including a large, faded "Keep Out" sign. Also cool were some twisted, burned relics from the 1898 fire that levelled much of the city. I'm feeling a bit morbid today, perhaps. I didn't physically visit the archives, as they are available by appointment for viewing, but samples of documents and photographs have been digitized on their website. The museum is by donation, and is located behind Irving House.

Lacrosse isn't my sport. Is any sport really my sport? I could probably win a Gold in Yelping if…read morethey did such a thing. If Lacrosse is your thing, this will be something you'll enjoy. The museum tells the story of the game from its origin as an aboriginal stick game and its development across Canada. There are trophies, uniforms, match advertisements through the ages and other memorabilia. It's interesting and perhaps ten minutes to view. And it's free. [Review 20890 overall - 66 in British Columbia - 1874 of 2023.]

From the owner: The Hall of Fane is much more than a repository of names of our greatest participants—it’s also…read morethe keeper of our national summer sport’s history. It showcases the tradition of lacrosse from its very roots, with galleries honouring the First Nations who created the game, and exhibits showing the game’s transition into modern life. Other exhibits feature the unique lacrosse stick, box and field games, lacrosse at the Olympic Games and our historic national championship trophies.