Birthday Parties

Our birthday parties will reopen at our new location in 2023. 

Birthday groups are welcome for a fun and unique experience. Friendly, experienced and caring Education Staff will help create a special day for your child’s birthday. Participants will enjoy a fun party theme, built around a unique craft or project to make and take home.

To book a birthday party, or for more information, contact Peter Vooys, Programs Manager, here.

Birthday Party packages include:

  • Personalized print or PDF Canoe Museum-themed invitations
  • Engaging and fun activities
  • Use of party room and adjacent kitchen (3 ovens, fridge, freezer, microwave, toaster, kettle, sinks, water fountain, coffee maker)
  • Balloons, napkins, tablecloths
  • Cutlery, plates, cups, small bowls.
  • Time in the party room for cake and presents

All you need to provide are the cake, snacks, drinks, and gifts.

Members receive 10% off party prices listed below. Membership gives you special access to everything the museum offers including unlimited free admission, discounts on programming and merchandise, invitations to special events and more! Best of all, you will be supporting a museum that tells the story of a nation built by canoes, and ensures proper care to the world’s largest collection of canoes and kayaks.

Looking for a unique gift idea?  Think about adopting an artifact!  The name of the gift recipient with be on display in the museum for a full year.

Birthday Camp-In (ages 2-5)

Come and enjoy a birthday space that offers the opportunity to host families along for the fun.

Your child and their friends will be able to play in our “campsite” featuring tunnels, tents, and a water table in a dedicated, party space. Kids will use their imagination with a fishing activity and campsite cooking toys.  You will enjoy the use of our kitchen facilities, and you can host cake and present time during the party. Gallery admission is included for party participants.

*Our staff will be on hand to help clean up and in case of emergencies but will not lead programming.

Cost: $285 Flat-rate for 15 kids and their parents for a maximum of 30 persons.  1:4 adult to child ratio for gallery exploration. Two-hour Party

Arctic Adventures (ages 6-8)

Party-goers decorate Arctic-themed name tags. They play a welcome game before heading up to the Arctic Gallery. They get hands-on with some cool Inuit and Arctic artifacts like a kudluk and real sealskin. Sing a fun action song together about polar bears, and sneak a peek at some soapstone carvings in the collection. After checking out the galleries, kids can start carving their own soapstone pieces to take home. The kids learn 5 steps to transform their own piece of soapstone from a rough piece of stone into a polished pendant. Party-guests use only sandpaper, water, oil and a bit of elbow grease! Museum party staff are expert at working (and playing!) with young children. Staff will select additional party activities to suit the temperaments and energies of your birthday child and guests.

Optional: Additional activities include a visit to the Puppet Theatre to meet some Arctic animals and an opportunity to get in the rocking canoe!

Cost: $20/child, minimum $200 (no additional taxes) Up To 15 Participants Total
2 hours (1.5 hours staff-led time plus 1/2 hour cake/present time supervised by parent)

Paddle Painting Party (ages 6-8)

Create a paddle-sticker name tag while the party-goers arrive. Play a welcome game led by experienced museum party staff. Party-goers each get a lovely 16″ softwood decorative paddle to (lightly) sand and paint, and to take home to treasure. While the paint dries, party guests head out into the galleries. They get to try out a rocking canoe, set up to simulate water. In the rocking canoe kids learn how to hold a paddle and sing a paddling song and/or game.

Cost: $20/child, minimum $200 (taxes included)  Up To 15 Participants Total
2 hours (1.5 hours staff-led time plus 1/2 hour cake/present time supervised by parent)

Soapstone Carving (ages 9-13)

This is the most popular birthday party option! Over the course of the two-hour staff-led part of the party, kids learn the five steps of soapstone carving. Party-goers create their own sculptures from pre-shaped blanks (approximately 2”x2”x4” each). Sandpaper is the main tool, while files are available for ages 11+ at party leader’s discretion. During the party, participants get to handle and view Inuit and Arctic artifacts from the Museum’s collection. They also play active traditional Inuit games.

Cost: $22/child, minimum $220 (no additional taxes)  Up To 15 Participants Total
2.5 hours (2 hours staff-led time plus 1/2 hour cake/present time supervised by parent)

Paddle Carving (ages 9-13)

Carve a 24-inch paddle out of poplar! Over the three-hour carving party, kids will learn how to shape their paddle. Using the traditional spoke shave tool, party guests will learn how to make their paddle silky smooth. Party-goers have a beautiful souvenir to take home and treasure. They will also learn all the skills necessary to make a full-sized paddle in the future.

Cost: $52/child, minimum $250 (for up to 10 children)  Up To 15 Participants Total
3.5 hours (3 hours staff-led time plus 1/2 hour cake/present time supervised by parent)
Please invite 2-3 additional adults to support the kids’ woodworking.
All participants are required to wear closed-toe shoes.

Mini-Wanigans (ages 9-13)

Try your hand at wood-working and create a 12”x8”x8” wanigan. Start with a scavenger huntin the Museum to find the necessary pieces to build a wanigan. Kids encounter many styles of wanigan, ex. a traditional canoe-tripping equipment box. No previous wood-working experience required. Experienced and patient museum party staff teach each step. Party-goers come away with hands-on building experience (hammers, screwdrivers, sanding). Plus a box to keep any kind of treasure in to take home!

Cost: $30/child, minimum $300 (for up to 10 children)  Up To 15 Participants Total
2.5 hours (2 hours staff-led time plus 1/2 hour cake/present time supervised by parent)
Please invite 2-3 additional adults to support the kids’ woodworking.
All participants are required to wear closed-toe shoes.

Sleepover Adventure

This is the ultimate museum experience! A unique ‘camping’ experience sleeping in the Museum’s Voyageur Encampment, Trapper’s Lean-to, or the Wigwam. Pick one of the above packages, and add in an indoor campfire, songs and story time.

Cost: $600 for up to 15 children
2 Museum staff lead 4 hours of programming plus overnight supervision.
6:00 p.m. – 8:30 a.m. includes programming from 6:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m., with a break for cake and presents.

Hi Karen, Just wanted to follow up about my son’s birthday party.  It truly could not have been more wonderful.  Alex and the rest of the staff did such an amazing job of keeping the kids interested and occupied – I’ve never seen such a calm birthday party, yet still so exciting!  A blast was had by all, and my son was beyond thrilled.  We love the Canoe Museum!

My son made the decision to ask for food bank donations in lieu of birthday gifts this year, so it was very convenient that the museum had a canoe at the front, just waiting to be filled with donations! Couldn’t have worked out better.

Thanks so much!  I have a feeling a few of our friends will be booking their parties there too.

Laurie

“I just wanted to tell you how much my daughter and her friends enjoyed the birthday party yesterday. It far exceeded any of our expectations: it was well-organized, educational and engaging, and your staff was absolutely phenomenal. Everyone was beyond impressed thank you so much!”

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