Assiniboine Park Pavilion

The centrepiece of one of the country’s largest urban green spaces is the tudor-style Assiniboine Park Pavilion. The current building was built in 1930 and is home to the Pavilion Gallery and Tavern on the Park restaurant. Within the park you will also find the tropical Conservatory, Leo Mol Sculpture Garden and Assiniboine Park Zoo.

Esplanade Riel

Completed in 2003, the Esplanade Riel is a contemporary monument linking two cultures; the historically French St. Boniface and the historically English downtown areas of The Forks and Exchange District. Take a stroll from The Forks to St. Boniface, stopping at the local haunt Salisbury Sur L’Esplanade restaurant along the way.

The Forks

The Forks National Historic Site is steeped in history: indigenous people gathered here for over 6000 years, until it was turned into a rail yard in the 1890s. Today it is a vibrant people place where shops, outdoor activities, festivals and entertainers all come together and the Assiniboine River flows into the Red. It is the city’s main waterfront area and without doubt has become the city’s most popular destination. The Forks area was created in 1987 and includes The Forks Market, Oodena Circle, The Manitoba Children’s Museum, Johnston Terminal, Manitoba Theatre for Young People and spectacular paved paths that line the rivers’ edges.

The Golden Boy

Sitting atop the dome of the Manitoba Legislative Building is one of the city’s best known symbols. A gift from France, he carries a sheaf of grain symbolizing the fruits of labour. Officially titled Eternal Youth, the grain encased statue spent much of WWI crisscrossing the Atlantic aboard a troop ship. In 1919, our 17 ft tall, 3640 lb Golden Boy finally made it to his new home where he has shone down on the city ever since. In 2002, the statue was removed from his perch for restoration. The process captured the public’s attention when the regilding was done over the summer at The Forks Market, allowing locals to see their golden hero face-to-face.

The Mint

The striking reflective structure of the Royal Canadian Mint is one of the most recognizable buildings in the city. This high-tech, high volume plant has manufactured all of Canada’s circulation coinage since its opening in 1975. If time permits, take a tour of this facility where 15 million coins are made daily.

Manitoba Museum’s Nonsuch

In the late 17th century, the original Nonsuch arrived in Hudson’s Bay with the aim of finding furs in the New World. The explorers not only found furs, but were instrumental in the founding of the Hudson’s Bay Company. The replica was built in the UK in 1970 and sailed overseas before finding its home at the Manitoba Museum in the Exchange District.

Portage & Main

It all began in 1862, when a trader opened a dry goods store at the junction of two fur trading trails. Although he was scoffed at by other merchants for setting up so far from the rivers, the location proved profitable. Other traders followed and today this corner is the most famous intersection in Canada. It is the heart of Winnipeg’s financial district, with office towers full of modern-day traders and merchants on all four corners.

St. Boniface Basilica

The dramatic façade facing The Forks is all that is left of the original 1908 St. Boniface Basilica which was destroyed by fire in 1968. Take a walk through its cemetery, which includes the graves of many historically-important local figures, including Louis Riel.

Union Station

The railway played a major role in the development of Winnipeg and this terminal was the first glimpse of the city many immigrants saw. The majestic, large rotunda has greeted travellers through the years and remains as impressive today as it was in 1911 when the station was built. The grand, beaux-arts style railway station was designed by the same architects behind New York City’s Grand Central Station. It is built with Manitoba limestone and embellished with a copper dome roof and decorative ironwork canopies.

Upper Fort Garry Gate

Central to some of Winnipeg’s most memorable events of the fur trade era, all that remains of this Hudson’s Bay Company fort is the gate itself. Historical plaques at the site on Main Street and Broadway fully explain the fort’s significance.