Burnaby Village Museum provides a range of educational programs tailored to various age groups, aligned with B.C. curriculum standards. These programs encompass themes of community, transportation, and the environment, fostering critical thinking and encouraging students to explore their roles within these contexts. All offerings are designed with the First Peoples Principles of Learning as a guiding framework and integrate local Indigenous content.
Whether you choose to visit the museum in person, arrange for an Outreach Instructor to visit your classroom, or rent an Education Kit, Burnaby Village Museum has resources to support and enrich your students' learning experiences.
Starting September 2, we will be accepting bookings for the 2025/2026 school year. Please contact the School Bookings Clerk at schoolprograms@burnaby.ca or complete the Booking Form.
View a digital copy of our school program brochure.
NEW! IN YOUR CLASSROOM programs available this fall.
Burnaby Village Museum museum’s newest outreach programs and education kits are now available for the entire school year.
NEW! Outreach Programs
Invite the Museum to your classroom with an Outreach Program. Our instructors deliver a 90-minute session with hands-on activities, discussions, and experiences that align with your curriculum. Some technical equipment may be needed.
$134.00 per class (minimum 2 or 3 classes depending on distance).
Animals of this Land
Grades K-3 | Social Studies
Want to learn about the animals that hold deep meaning in Coast Salish culture? Join an Indigenous educator to explore the roles of four important animals: mountain goat, Coast Salish woolly dog, sockeye salmon, and bald eagle, through stories, discussion and hands-on stations. Students will engage with materials like pelts, salmon leather, and goat horns while discovering where each animal lives, what it eats, and what makes it unique.
Agents of Change
Grades 4-6 | Social Studies
Ever consider how big of a change one person can make? Agents of Change explores influential people and communities in Burnaby and examines the different ways they enacted positive change. Analyze the strategies used by these historic figures and apply them to current social justice causes, becoming agents of change in your own communities.
Explorations in Immigration: The Chinese Canadian Experience
Grades 4-6 | Social Studies
Think you have what it takes to be a historian? Test your critical thinking skills by analyzing primary sources focused on the Chinese Canadian experience. Learn how Canada’s past immigration policies negatively impacted Chinese Canadians and the ways this community persevered and prospered despite discrimination.
Suitcase Stories
Grades 4-6 | Social Studies
Explore the contents of five suitcases while uncovering the stories of the individuals who travelled with them. Discover how push and pull factors influence folks to migrate. Stories vary from a displaced Japanese Canadian family interred during WWII, to that of a Vietnamese refugee who fled to Canada in the 1970s
NEW! Education Kits
For a tailored learning experience consider our Education Kits, meticulously developed to align with curriculum goals and incorporate Indigenous teachings into your classroom. Each kit is available for a three-week loan period and includes a selection of cultural belongings along with comprehensive teacher resources such as lesson plans, activities and supporting materials.
$52.00 per three-week rental + $104.00 refundable deposit.
Indigenous Games
Grades K-7 | Physical Education & Social Studies
Bring energy and meaning to your class with a collection of Coast Salish and Indigenous traditional games. This hands-on program introduces you to the diverse traditions of Indigenous Peoples across Turtle Island through engaging activities that support physical development and cultural learning.
Designed to encourage coordination, teamwork, and active movement, each game is accompanied by clear instructions, authentic materials, and teachings that deepen understanding for both teachers and students.
Cedar: The Coast Salish Tree of Life
Grades 1-7 | Social Studies & Science
Uncover the importance of the cedar tree and its deep connection to Coast Salish cultures with this immersive Education Kit. Use the resources provided to learn about the "Tree of Life" and discover how this remarkable resource has been a cornerstone of Coast Salish communities, shaping their traditions, cultural objects, and daily life through the ages.
AT THE MUSEUM
From November through June, visit the museum in person for either a self-guided tour or a guided program.
Self-Guided Tours
Available twice a year, students can embark on self-guided tours of the museum. These visits offer a chance to delve into the museum's rich history through interactive exhibits and conversations with knowledgeable museum interpreters. All tours include a curriculum-connected scavenger hunt, carousel ride, lunch space, and take-away craft.
Plan three hours for this visit. Start times available every 15 minutes from 10am-12pm. Maximum of 60 students per timeslot. $9.15 per student.
Winter Wonder
Grades K-9 | Social Studies
Tuesday to Friday, November 25-December 17, 2025
Discover vibrant winter celebrations while exploring all that Burnaby Village Museum has to offer during Festive Village. This self-guided program showcases diverse cultures and communities and the different ways we celebrate the season.
Spring Discovery Days
Grades K-9 | Social Studies
Tuesday to Friday, June 2-19, 2026
Tour the museum’s exhibits and gardens at your own pace while learning about cultural diversity, community, and our local environment.
Guided Programs
From January through May, visit the museum to receive a 90-minuteInterpreter-led interactive program. Students are encouraged to use their critical thinking skills to explore the museum’s exhibits and dive deeper into curriculum-relevant themes. Please note all programs now include relevant Coast Salish content. Some programs are available in French.
Start times of 10am & 12pm are available. Maximum 30 students per program. $9.15 per student. Stay for the day and book a second Guided Program for $5.90 per student.
Navigating the Neighbourhood / Naviguer dans le quartier
Grades K-2 | Social Studies
Explore a 1920s neighbourhood and make connections to your own community today. Visits to the Interurban Tram, the General Store, and a heritage home, offer insights into both past and present ways of life. Discover the rich variety within neighbourhoods and reflect on how these connections shape our understanding of community today.
Coast Salish Program
Grades 1-4 | Social Studies
Join Indigenous educators as they showcase different aspects of Coast Salish culture and material practice. Discover how plants, animals, and community intertwine to shape the Coast Salish way of life, both historically and today. This hands-on program makes use of various Indigenous learning sites such as the Cedar Grove, the Matriarch’s Garden, and the Indigenous Learning House.
NEW! Village Values / Les Valeurs du Village
Grades 3-4 | Math
Discover math in the village with a roll-playing adventure. Visit the Royal Bank to practice depositing and withdrawing money, Bell's Dry Goods to learn about budgeting, the Cedar Grove to discover patterns in nature, and the Central Park Theatre to visualize fractions. This interactive experience brings mathematical concepts to life in real-world settings and highlights how math is all around us every day.
Back to School: Education Then & Now / À l’école d’autrefois
Grades 3-5 | Social Studies
Step back in time and explore a 1920s classroom! This immersive experience allows you to compare and contrast the education system of the past with modern-day schooling—exploring topics such as diversity and inclusion, discipline, and differing expectations. Discover firsthand how education has evolved, sparking fascinating conversations about what has changed and what has stayed the same throughout the decades.
Fairground Physics
Grades 4-6 | Science & Math
*Program available January to April only
Explore concepts of simple and complex machines, all while learning how the carousel's intricate design and mechanical elements come together to create its enchanting motion. From understanding the precise measurements that ensure a smooth ride to investigating the geometry of its moving parts and the forces at play, this interactive experience offers a hands-on way to connect fun with fundamental scientific principles.
Registration
For Outreach Programs, Self-Guided Tours and Guided Programs, please fill out our School Booking Request Form. If requesting an Education Kit rental, please use the contact details that follow.
If you have any questions, call 604-297-4558 or email schoolprograms@burnaby.ca.
Other Learning Opportunities
The Burnaby Village Museum offers diverse learning opportunities for teachers and their students, including professional development workshops for teachers; the Heritage Fair experience for students and their classes; valuable research resources through Heritage Burnaby; and opportunities to host travelling exhibits.
Professional Development Workshops
Please call 604-297-4565 to enquire.
Regional Heritage Fair
Make history exciting by creating Heritage Fair projects with your students and the help of museum staff! Select students could participate in the Spring 2026 Regional Heritage Fair for grades 4-10 held at Burnaby Village Museum. French and English projects are welcome.