Churchill

Churchill combines compelling nature-related experiences with unusual cultural discoveries: you can learn about polar bears, discover murals along the Hudson Bay coast and find out more about the region’s history. Dog sledding tours are also available. Which of these experiences interests you most can help shape your trip to Churchill and your choice of vacation rental.

Understanding Polar Bears and Wildlife

At Polar Bears International House, exhibits provide information about polar bears. Visitors can also watch live wildlife cameras and speak with scientists and experts. This offers insight into the subject from different perspectives: through the exhibits, via current footage from the cameras and in conversations with specialists.

Another aspect is how polar bears that enter the town are handled. They are held at the Polar Bear Holding Facility until they can be safely returned to the wild. A visit to this facility is included in the itineraries of most town and area tours. If you are interested, you can take this stop into account when planning your tour. Churchill Northern Studies Centre is nearby. There, researchers and scientists welcome visitors for learning stays. Its LEED Silver facility is located at a historic rocket launch site and has an observation dome.

Nearby Cape Merry also offers an opportunity to observe wildlife: at the mouth of the Churchill River, you can watch whales entering the river with the tides. This gives you several interests to consider when planning your trip—education, research and wildlife observation—without combining them into a single excursion.

Murals, Exhibits and Church Architecture

The SeaWalls CHURCHILL murals stretch for 30 kilometres along the Hudson Bay coast. Their scale makes them a distinctive cultural feature of Churchill. In addition, the Itsanitaq Museum displays a large collection of contemporary Inuit carvings made from ivory, soapstone and bone. Art lovers will find a different perspective here than at the murals: the museum focuses on the carvings and the materials used to make them.

The Parks Canada Visitor Centre, a major Parks Canada attraction, is located in Churchill’s historic train station. It offers a range of programs and exhibits about Wapusk National Park and the National Historic Sites of Prince of Wales Fort and York Factory. The Centre’s subject matter thus extends from a national park to two designated historic sites.

St. Paul’s Anglican Church is designated a provincial heritage site and is considered the oldest church still in use in the North. Its structural frame is made of iron; the church also contains a stained-glass window donated by the widow of Sir John Franklin. These architectural and historical features make it interesting to travellers with an interest in church architecture and heritage.

Plan Your Trip and Vacation Rental

For travel to Churchill, Calm Air International offers scheduled direct flights from Winnipeg. “Ididamile” dog sledding tours are offered to tourists in Churchill year-round. These provide two different points of reference for your planning: a flight connection and an activity that is not limited to a single season.

When choosing your vacation rental, consider which interests you would like to prioritize during your stay: polar bears and wildlife knowledge, cultural discoveries, the nearby research station or dog sledding tours. The attractions and activities mentioned offer different reasons to get to know Churchill.

For the broader travel overview: Division No. 23.