Kilby Historic Site

Run by The Fraser Heritage Society, Kilby Farm is a historic site with a museum and campground located in Harrison Mills in the Fraser Valley.

Note: The historic site closes for the first few months of the year, but re-opens for the season on the Easter long weekend in April. The Kilby Park & Campground, however, is open year-round. Six sites are available on a first come, first-served basis.

Kilby Farm and Campground in the Fraser Valley

The Kilby Historic Site is a tourist attraction located about an hour and 40 minutes east of Vancouver. It was originally built as a farm in the early 1900s.

Kilby Farm’s address is 215 Kilby Road in Harrison Mills. It is about 20 minutes from Agassiz and less than 25 minutes from Harrison Hot Springs.

Admission and Hours

The historic farm is normally closed from late December until mid-April. As explained later in this article, however, the campground operates year-round.

The tourist attraction is open at the following times in 2026. (Exact details are subject to change.)

April 2nd to June 21st, 2026 – on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 am until 4:00 pm.
June 25th to September 7th, 2026 – Thursdays to Mondays from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
September 10th to November 1st, 2026 – on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.
November and December, 2026 – to be determined.

Admission to the museum, as of early April, 2026, is $16 for adults, $13 for seniors, $11 for youth and students, and free for kids under the age of 6. There is also a family pack available for $42. BCAA members get a 10% discount as well.

Kilby Museum Entrance

Events at Kilby

Below are some of the events that Kilby Historic Site offers. (Note: Event details are subject to change.) 2026 events are to be confirmed, although they likely are similar to last year’s.

Easter long weekend – Easter-themed events that happen over the weekend are described below.
- Curiouser & Curiouser – on the Saturday last year there was a photo scavenger hunt with an Alice in Wonderland theme. Easter activities were available throughout the day as well. It’s unclear whether this event happened during the Easter long weekend in 2026.
- Mad Hatter Tea Party – an Alice in Wonderland-themed event at 1:00 pm with tea and desserts. In previous years, there was an extra charge of $12 per person and pre-registration is required. It’s unclear whether this event happened in 2026.
- All Things Spring – the Sunday event includes egg hiding and hunting, seed planting, special treats and more spring activities. It’s unclear whether this event happened in 2026.
Mother’s Day – Kilby’s Mother’s Day celebration features a fun presentation on Edwardian style manners as well as special menu items in the attraction’s café.
Father’s Day – Father’s Day event allowed families to make kites and fly them together. Last year, each kite cost $5.
Bats in our Belfry – you could watch hundreds of bats feed on mosquitoes on Saturday nights in July.
The Wizard of Oz – last year, this musical was performed by the Behind the Gate Theatre Company in late August. The 2026 summer production is to be confirmed.
Thanksgiving weekend – on the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend in October there are apple pressing demonstrations and harvest traditions to check out.
Bumps in the Night – a Halloween-themed paranormal investigation at the Kilby General Store in late October.
Christmas by the Railway – the historic site is decorated for the holiday season and ginger cookies are available as well. This event runs over select weekends in December.
The Nutcracker – last year the Behind the Gate Theatre Company performed the Christmas classic over a week in mid-December. 2026 details are to be confirmed.

Interpreters at Kilby Historic Site — Interpreters in the General Store

Waterloo Farm at Kilby Historic Site

All three hectares of the farm have been preserved in their original, historic condition. People of all ages can interact with and learn about the variety of animals that live on the farm. There are usually chickens, roosters, turkeys, rabbits and more.

In addition to the farm animals, there is also an orchard and playground on-site. Kilby Historic Site also has a small snack bar, gift shop and dining area. Around back is a rose garden with tables and chairs where you can enjoy your lunch. On the front lawns there are also picnic tables.

Kilby Farm Turkey

Kilby Museum

The Kilby General Store Museum has been preserved from its origins in the 1900s and showcases a variety of merchandise with packaging dating back from the 1920s/1930s.

Especially in the summer and busy times, there are workers dressed in period clothing around the museum who are there to answer questions or just chat.

In the General Store Museum is the Post Office. The Kilby family ran the store beginning in 1906.

Upstairs from the General Store is the Manchester House Hotel. The rooms are furnished with décor from the 1920s. It was opened by Eliza Kilby who named it after her hometown of Manchester, England.

The museum at Kilby Historic Site is impressive. It’s a good size and has lots of interesting artifacts. The interpreters in the General Store are generally very knowledgeable and make the experience even more interesting. When we went, talking with Ernie the tour guide was a highlight of our visit.

General Store at Kilby Farm — Inside the General Store

Camping at Kilby Park

Kilby Park is situated close to where the Harrison and Fraser Rivers come together. There are 41 campsites at the park along with a day-use picnic area, beach, trails and a boat launch.

Daily rates for camping in 2026 are as follows. (Note: Rates are subject to change. See the Kilby Park Campground website for details.)

January 1st to February 28th – $20
March 1st to April 30th – $30 (seniors 65 and over $25)
May 1st to September 30th – $40 (bush side), $45 (beach side)
October 1st to 31st – $30 (seniors 65 and over $25)
November 1st to December 31st – $20

Use of the boat launch in 2026 costs $20. It also costs $20 during the shoulder season to picnic in the day-use area of the campground (although free if you were just at the beach).

See our article about Kilby Park & Campground to learn more about the campsites.

Camping at Kilby Park — Kilby Park Campground in Autumn

Tips & Advice

Below are some suggestions to help you make the most of your visit to the Kilby Historic Site.

TIP #1: Combine your trip to the farm with a visit to other places of interest in the area. Harrison Hot Springs, for example, is a beautiful spot and just a short drive away. It’s home to the Sasquatch Museum, which is free to enter and full of exhibits.

TIP #2: Visit the historic site on an event day. Those are the most interesting times to be there (although other days are nice too). Other good times can be when there are festivals in the region, including the Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival in November.

TIP #3: While in the Fraser Valley, don’t forget to fill up with gas. Fuel prices in communities like Abbotsford and Chilliwack are typically 10 cents or so less per litre than at stations within Metro Vancouver. Gas stations in Harrison Hot Springs and Mission are good places to fill up too, although usually a penny or two more.

TIP #4: While you’re in the area, another good museum to check out is the Sasquatch Museum in Harrison Hot Springs. It’s a smaller museum, but very interesting and admission is free.

TIP #5: If you like historic places and heritage homes, an interesting place to visit within the City of Vancouver is the Roedde House Museum. Also in the Fraser Valley is the Chilliwack Museum & Archives buildings and Fort Langley. In Burnaby there is the Burnaby Village Museum. In Maple Ridge there is Haney House and in Surrey there is Stewart Farm.