15 Jun HURON-WENDAT Museum
We are always looking for new activities for you. This time we are highlighting a very beautiful culture that comes from the history of Canada’s first inhabitants : The Indigenous. Canada’s aboriginal population was established in Canada long before the first European explorers arrived. Currently, indigenous peoples are made up of 3 distinct groups:
- Indians: also called First Nations, the vast majority of whom live on reserves
- Inuit “means people” who live all over the Arctic
- The Métis: who were born from the union of Indigenous and Europeans
The Catholic Hurons-Wendats took refuge in Quebec City after the war against the Iroquois. It is their descendants who currently live on the Wendake Indian reserve near Loretteville in Quebec City. They have always been known for their craftsmanship and traditional production of objects and artifacts, an art and a trade that they inherited from their ancestors and which still retains its place in Canada. Would you like to know more about the Huron-Wendat people? A visit to the Huron-Wendat Museum will certainly satisfy your thirst for discovery.
How to organize your visit to the Museum?
The Huron-Wendat Museum is open year-round. It is recommended to book your visit online or by phone at 418-847-2260. On the reservation page you will find different visit choices. Availability and times for some tours change depending on the time of year.
1-There are two tour options:
The tour with audio guide is available in French, English, Italian, Spanish, German, and Mandarin. Should you opt for the guided tour, you will be accompanied by a professional guide who is specially trained in Indigenous history and culture (English or French). Both tours travel the same circuit and are at the same price. During this journey into the life of the Indigenous you will have the chance to discover three different places:
- The permanent exhibition “Territories, memories, knowledge”: an exhibition that takes you on a journey through time: from the creation of the world to the history of the indigenous people and until the discovery of their artifacts that emphasizes their expertise.
- The EKIONKIESTHA’ national longhouse: you will be teleported into Huron-Wendat’s traditional ways of life. The plans for the house were made with the help of archaeologist Yves Chrétien Ph.D. It was built with the consultation of Indigenous students from the tradition maintenance program and then inaugurated in 2011.
- Yändia’wish room (Turtle room): temporary exhibitions room. Click the link to see current exhibits.
Information:
- Duration of the visit: approximately 1h15
- Opening hours: during the low season, the museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. It is open all week during the summer season (mid-June to mid-October). Check the timetables before you go.
- Rates: $20/adult and $8 per child (6-12 years old) and free for children 5 and under
- The student rate (18 years and over) of $12.50 is applied only during the summer period.
2- The discovery visit:
This tour is available only during short periods of the year such as school holidays.
Example of the Off-season 2022 discovery tour . The tour includes:
– The commented visit (in audio guide only) of the 3 sites mentioned above. (“Territories, memories, knowledge”, The national long house EKIONKIESTHA and Yändia’wish room)
-Notre-Dame-de-Lorette church (not accessible during Sunday mass, funerals and weddings)
-Visit of the Kabir Kouba waterfall via the access to the Saint-Charles river linear path
-Visit of the historical Huron-Wendat fresco located at Place de la Nation Onywahtehretsih.
-Maison Tsawenhohi: house where Nicolas Vincent Tsawenhohi lived. He was one of the great diplomats of the Huron-Wendat Nation.
- Duration: approximately 2h15
- Rates: $20/adult and $10 per child (6-12 years old) and free for children 5 and under
3-Restaurant la Traite:
After your visit, you can enjoy a dinner break to savor the dishes of Restaurant la Traite. A diversified menu of cuisine inspired by the native soil in a magnificent and modern setting that recalls the knowledge of the natives. The restaurant terrace is open as soon as the weather permits. A terrace that will charm you with its location on the banks of the Akiawenrahk’ river. One of the 10 most beautiful terraces in Quebec, according to Prestige Magazine! Reserve your place in advance on the same day of your visit. The reservation can be made online, directly by calling the restaurant +1 (418) 847-2012 or you can also ask the agent when booking your visit to the Huron-Wendat Museum.
4-Awen’ (water): The Huron-Wendat Museum’s Gift Shop :
Your day is not over. Take a quick tour of the GiftShop. Collections of artisanal products made by hand by Indigenous Wendat artists. Each product is presented next to its descriptive poster highlighting the work of Wendat artists.
We have selected the best sellers for you. According to the museum team. These are for sale only on site:
- Cosmetics : from $8 to $34
- Candles: from $12 to $34
- Jewelry: from $15 to $100 and more
- Household linen: $50 and +
- Clothing created by Wendat designer Elise Durand (coats at $100 and up, scarves and gloves between $35 and $70)
Tips
- Currently, workshops to make your traditional necklace are organized in the mornings from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and led by Madame Andicha’. A talented Wendat artist. Call to reserve at 418-847-2260.
- Packages with shuttle, departing from Old Quebec a few steps from the Manoir d’Auteuil, may be available during the 2022 summer season. Click for an overview of the 2021 summer season packages.
- Parking is free on site
- Bus stop : Bus numbers 70, 72 and 75 allow you to arrive via Boulevard Bastien at stop 4088 Bastien/Racine. A 5-minute walk is necessary to reach the site of the Huron-Wendat Museum.
- Check the schedules on the Capital Transport Network (RTC) website for more information.