Category Archives: Did You Know

More weight equals more speed on this icy slope. ©Brandi Hayberg By Mike Jensen, Planetarium/Science Gallery Programs Supervisor When thinking of activities to do on a bright Winter’s day, science doesn’t usually come to mind. Surprisingly, science is at work with almost every fun pastime you can conduct out in the snow. You just need to know what to look for! Of course, the first thing you think about as…

Sail into the past with the Manitoba Museum’s Dr. Amelia Fay, Curator of HBC Collection, and learn more about the infamous Nonsuch.   This Winter Break, for a limited time only, the Manitoba Museum will be offering tours that give a rare look into the cargo hold of the Nonsuch. In light of this unique opportunity, I’d like to share some interesting tidbits about this replica ship and surrounding gallery….

This jolly fellow is now at the Museum, and a replica has just been installed in the Winnipeg 1920 cityscape. Find him if you can! (MM H9-38-306) By Roland Sawatzky, Curator of History, Manitoba Museum Gargoyles once roosted above the streets of historic Winnipeg, and if you look closely a few might still linger, jeering at passersby. The best set of Winnipeg gargoyles, or in this case “grotesques,” were found on…

Orange Shirt Day has been recognized in Manitoba since 2017. The orange shirt is a symbol of remembrance for Indian Residential School Survivors which originated with the experience of Phyllis Webstad of the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation. She shared her story of how her new orange shirt was taken away from her on her first day at St. Joseph Mission Indian Residential School, leaving her feeling worthless and insignificant. Orange…

A two-stage rocket departs for space on a clear day in Churchill. Photo by Ken Pilon. By Tamika Reid, Volunteer Researcher, and Roland Sawatzky, Curator of History, Manitoba Museum   Churchill, Manitoba is well known for its scenic arctic landscape, polar bears, and vibrant northern lights, but did you know that Churchill was once home to the most active rocket range in Canada? While the Churchill Rocket Range was in…

Tyndall Stone contains many beautiful fossil corals. (MM-I-3407) By Dr. Graham Young, Curator of Geology and Paleontology, Manitoba Museum   When you hear the word “fossil”, you probably think of giant dinosaurs, or perhaps marine reptiles such as Morden’s “Bruce”, but fossils actually include all evidence of past life. Fossils may be the remains of plants or animals, such as leaves or bones, and they also can be tracks or…

Asteroids pass close to the Earth quite often, but most are small. A large asteroid approaching Earth is cause for concern. Image: NASA By Scott Young, Planetarium Astronomer At the Manitoba Museum, we know that just about everyone loves dinosaurs. It’s easy to understand why. Dinosaurs grew to enormous sizes, existed all over the planet, and ruled the Earth for about 165 million years. Then, they disappeared –all at once–…

See giants like Giganotosaurus and other rarely seen dinosaurs from the other side of the world. By Dr. Graham Young, Curator of Geology & Paleontology   Several years ago, as a part of my efforts to keep in touch with other evolutionary scientists, I attended a paleontology conference at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. During that conference, I visited a new exhibition developed by ROM scientists, showing dinosaurs that…

Celebrate, investigate, and initiate change. From April 22 – 24, the Manitoba Museum is offering three days of special programming to celebrate Earth Days 2022. Visitors are encouraged to investigate the effects of climate change and initiate change to protect the Earth. Special Planetarium shows, a Green Energy Workshop in the Science Gallery, and the Earth Days Trail through the Museum Galleries reveal how water provides for and challenges Manitoba’s…