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Whistler’s Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre and Indigenous Museum

Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre

The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre is a First Nations’ gallery and museum showcasing West Coast Indigenous art, culture and historical artifacts in Whistler.

 


This article contains the following information about the Cultural Centre:

Hours and Admission | Cultural Centre Video | Indigenous Peoples Day | Tips & Advice | Other Information


 

First Nations Cultural Centre

The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre has a First Nations longhouse, theatre, museum and art gallery, as well as a traditional istken building that visitors can enter. Expect to spend about an hour at the Centre.

Located in an impressive modern building at 4584 Blackcomb Way in Whistler’s Upper Village, the Centre is a cooperative project by both the local Squamish and Lil’wat First Nations.

 

Three photos of scenes from the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre in Whistler

 

Hours and Admission

As of early 2024, Centre is usually open Tuesdays to Sundays from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm in the slow season, and daily from 9:30 am until 5:00 pm in the summer. Sometimes it is open in the evenings too.

Adult admission is $20. The price is the same for seniors and students. Children between the ages 6 and 18 are charged $10 admission fee. Children under 5 years of age have free admission as do members of the Squamish Nation and Lil’wat Nation, provided they show a valid Status Card. Annual passes cost  around $38.

Family passes are also available at $45 for the day or $75 for the year.

The Centre hosts a First Nations BBQ on Tuesday and Sunday evenings most years from May until September. The cost in the past has been about $65 per adult and $25 for children ages 6 to 12. The dinner includes food such as fresh-baked bannock, West Coast salmon, buffalo smokies and other tasty menu items. It’s good food and a cultural experience!

 

Cultural Centre Video

Below is a video of the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre to give you an idea of what to expect. As you’ll see there is a variety of both contemporary and ancient Indigenous art as well as artifacts and cultural information. The Centre is a beautiful, modern building with lots of light and windows. Not seen in the video are the outdoor exhibits which are equally as interesting.

There are usually free guided tours indoors at the Centre which are highly recommended.

 

 

Indigenous Peoples Day

Each year the Centre hosts a few special activities to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day which takes place annually on June 21st. The celebrations happen on that date or close to it.

In a previous year, at 11:00 am on Sunday, June 20th, the Spo7ez Performance Team Drum Circle performed by the front doors of the Great Hall. On the same day, the Spiritual Warriors Band entertained with live music on the Mezzanine Patio starting at 1:00 pm. For the second event, the audience was limited to a maximum of 50 people. Bannock and artisan crafts were available during the performance.

On National Indigenous Peoples Day in 2021 (Monday, June 21st), the Spo7ez Performance Team Drum Circle performed once again. The drumming started at 1:00 pm this time .

The activities each year are quite similar. However, small changes are applied to differ them slightly from previous versions.

To learn more about the event in 2021, see the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre‘s website.

 

Every Child Matters

 

Tips & Advice

Below are some tips and suggestions to help you make the most of your visit to the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre.

TIP #1: Definitely join one of the guided tours if you can. The interpretive tour with a First Nation staff person adds considerably to the experience.

TIP #2: The longhouse or other areas are sometimes not available for viewing due to private functions. Ask in advance if you don’t want to miss anything. The last time we visited, a movie company had rented the outdoor space for a Christmas-themed movie shoot (which explains why there are no outdoor scenes in the above video and why we saw snow and Santa Claus walking around in the middle of July).

TIP #3: Be sure to watch the film in the theatre. It’s well-done and very interesting.

TIP #4: The Centre is wheelchair-accessible.

TIP #5: Written information about the exhibits is available in a number of different languages at the front desk. Languages covered include Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish.

 

Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre Gallery

 

Other Information

Check out the official Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre website for more information about the facility.

For other places to learn about Indigenous culture, click Lower Mainland First Nations.

To learn more about the area, see our articles about Whistler, Whistler Village and the Sea to Sky Region.

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