Historical Summer Walking Tours in beautiful downtown Fernie.
Allow time before or after your walking tour to explore the Museum. The building itself is an important example of Fernie's beautiful architecture and features the permanent exhibition: 'This is our Fernie', Visitor Information Centre and an airy exhibition gallery on the 2nd floor featuring special exhibits & events. Public washrooms are available on each floor.
The Fernie Museum & Visitor Information Centre is located in one of Fernie's distinctive heritage buildings in Historic Downtown Fernie at 491 2nd Ave.
The building itself, an important example of Fernie's rich history, boasts a main floor exhibit hall with the visitor info centre, as well as a lovely Museum Gallery on the 2nd floor. Public washrooms are available on each floor.
The dual purpose of the facility as info centre and Museum allows visitors to discover a little about Fernie's colourful past while learning what Fernie and its businesses have to offer for recreation, entertainment, shopping, accommodation, and services.
Fernie's early history as well as changing exhibits on various themes are presented on the main floor.
The Museum Gallery on the 2nd floor features solo and group exhibitions by local, and regional artists, as well as local and touring historical exhibits. Gallery programming aims to promote professionalism and foster appreciation for arts and culture and bring awareness to the museum’s wealth of archival and artifact material.
Artists and Curators working in any medium or discipline are eligible to apply. The Museum Gallery is a beautiful space and is also available for meetings, lectures, readings, and social gatherings.
SUMMER TOUR SERIES
- Tours will take place in all weather conditions.
- Please wear appropriate footwear for walking outside on slightly uneven ground.
- A weatherproof warm jacket and an umbrella are encouraged.
- Historical Walking Tours
- On the surface, Fernie might seem like any mountain town: beautiful vistas, interesting shops, and over 90 accessible hiking and biking trails. But if you dig a little deeper, you will discover a rich and dramatic history.
Join one of our knowledgeable local guides for a 90-minute walking tour of historic downtown Fernie. Explore the stories of movers and shakers, rumrunners, devastating fires, coal mining disasters and legends of a Ktunaxa curse and discover how these people and events have helped to shape Fernie as we see it today.
Our guides will also share the inside scoop of where to find the right memento, a perfect latte or a great place to eat in our community. We endeavor to make your stay in Fernie, whether long or short, a truly memorable experience.
- Every Saturday & Sunday from July 1 - August 27, 2017
- Tours depart at 11am & 2pm (most days) and last approx 90 minutes.
- Tickets $10
- Purchase tickets in advance online or at the Museum.
- Exploring the Ruins Bus Tours
- Tickets are $30, which include admission to the Fernie Museum and light refreshments on the tour.
- Tickets are available online on the Museum's website or at the Fernie Museum.
- Tours depart from the Fernie Museum at 1pm and last approx 4 hours:
- Saturday, July 22: Michel-Natal townsite
- includes a stop at the Sparwood Museum. Presented by the Michel Natal Sparwood Heritage Society.
- Saturday, July 29: Hosmer Cemetery
- As a mining community, Hosmer enjoyed a short but vibrant history. This tour of the Hosmer cemetery introduces stories of immigrant miners and pioneers that shaped this early community.
- Saturday, August 5: Hosmer townsite
- includes a stop at the Hosmer Hall to review the Hosmer: Boom, Bust and War exhibit.The history of the Elk Valley is riddled with the cycle of boom and bust. Hosmer and Morrissey enjoyed a brief heyday before the mines were closed prior to World War I. Coal Creek and Michel-Natal were the economic engines of the Elk Valley before the mines there too closed following World War 2.
- Cemetery Walking Tours
- If these tombstones could talk, the stories they would tell! Join knowledgeable tour guides on a walk through time to learn about the people, Join knowledgeable tour guides on a walk through time to learn about the people, personalities, and events that shaped the Elk Valley as we see it today.
- St. Margaret’s Cemetery, Fernie.
- 1:00 to 2:30 pm
- July 15 - Fernie Trailblazers, August 12 - Disasters & Delinquents & August 26 - Fernie Families Remain.
- Tour the heritage section of the cemetery and learn about the people and events that shaped early Fernie. Presented in partnership with the Lost Souls’ Society.
- Tickets are $10, which include admission to the Fernie Museum. Tickets are available at the Fernie Museum.
IN THE EXHIBITION GALLERY:
- June 15 - September 4, 2017 - Fernie Artography
Drawing on a wealth of art from Canadian artists such as A.Y Jackson and David Paton, and local artists including Laura Nelson, Patrick Markle, Melanie MacVoy and others to examine how art defines and reflects live in the Elk Valley.
- December 1 2017 - March 31, 2018 - Fernie Treasures and Curiosities
The fascination of historic objects is the foundation for museum collections. The Fernie Museum has almost 10,000 artifacts in its Cultural History Collection that relate to the human history of the Elk Valley. This major exhibition will examine a selection of items and feature a series of complimentary programming.
- September 14-17, 2017 - Fernie Chautauqua and Fall Fair
An annual event celebrating local art, music, heritage and cuisine.
SPECIAL EVENT AT THE COMMUNITY CENTRE:
- Early 2018 - Treasures from Fernie Attics, Basements & Garages
A Canadian Antiques Roadshow-style event, examining forgotten treasure found in Fernie homes and spaces. Each item will be presented by a local resident for review and valuation by an expert, and the meeting will be filmed for a future online broadcast.
