Location & Parking
LOCATION
491 2nd Avenue in Historic Downtown Fernie, BC.
PARKING
Parking is free in Historic Downtown Fernie.
Parking is available on 2nd Ave, 5th St, and in the parking areas behind the Museum and the Library.
Hours & Access
MUSEUM HOURS | 11 am – 4 pm
The Museum is closed on all statutory holidays.
ADMISSION BY DONATION
Admission includes access to the Main Floor & Gallery Exhibits.
Donations help to support the Fernie Museum’s mission to preserve and promote heritage in the Elk Valley through research, programming, events and community engagement.
ARCHIVES & COLLECTIONS
For information or for research requests, please email info@ferniemuseum.com or inquire at the Museum Front Desk during regular opening hours.
Services and Facilities
VISITOR SERVICES
Museum staff are available to assist you in exploring the Museum, community and the environment around us.
Public computers, photocopying services and a picnic park can be found at the Fernie Heritage Library behind the Museum on 3rd Avenue.
MUSEUM FACILITIES
Two Floors of Exhibits:
This is Our Fernie, our permanent exhibit on the ground floor featuring the story of Fernie over the past 140 years.
2nd Floor Gallery featuring rotating exhibits. See ‘Gallery Exhibits’ for details. Elevator access available.
Gift Shop: featuring a curated collection of jewellery, accessories, décor, books, and stationery representing Fernie’s geography, culture and heritage.
Barrier free public washrooms.
Free public WiFi.
Visiting & Exploring Fernie
Fernie is one of British Columbia’s most celebrated vacation destinations. Explore Historic Downtown, with its century-old brick and sandstone buildings, eclectic boutiques, public art, galleries featuring unique local art and crafts, and a fantastic selection of bars, restaurants and cafes.
Fernie is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. With miles of trails from easy riverside walking paths to extreme mountain biking routes and high-alpine hikes, there is something for everyone to enjoy from May to October. Summer also offers world-class fly fishing, whitewater rafting, golf, paragliding, eco-tours and much more. In winter, snowmobilers, skiers, snowboarders and back-country enthusiasts flock to Fernie to enjoy an average of 29ft of fresh powder snow.
HISTORIC FERNIE
Tragic disasters have devastated Fernie repeatedly since its founding over a hundred years ago. However, the persistence of local residents has always prevailed, repeatedly rebuilding the town to its former glory. As you walk around town, look for evidence of the 1908 Great Fire in the form of soot and smoke residue on the brickwork, and of historical references in the form of ‘Ghost Signs’.
Begin a self-guided Heritage Walking Tour of Fernie at the Fernie Museum, provided by Tourism Fernie:
https://tourismfernie.com/blog/heritage-walk
Accessible, paved sidewalks | Approx. 45 minutes – 1.5 hour
Guided tours are offered by the Fernie Museum on Sundays in July & August.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Tourism Fernie
Fernie Vacation Guide
Reviews
Awesome Small Museum in an Old Bank!
The Fernie museum is located in an old bank downtown. Highly recommend stopping in. The timeline was very well done. Plan to spend about 30-45 minutes here.
Sarah K. Tripadvisor. Sep 2021
Fernie Heritage and Flavour
Cute little museum in Fernie. Interesting coal town and history. Great to see old photos and staff friendly.
Lisa P. Tripadvisor. Nov 2019
Great value
An excellent use of $5 to support a super cool wee museum. Small, but packed with fascinating facts and interactive displays amid beautiful decor and architecture. Really enjoyed the temporary kimono exhibit up top. Staff also have tons of info and seem to love answering questions.
Penny T. Tripadvisor. Oct 2019
Mind-opening
It is not a grand building from the outside, but inside this bijou museum they have packed a lot of fascination. And you don’t feel crowded! The historic displays are thorough, with just the right level of depth. Lots of interesting artifacts, without looking like an antique store. And perfect use of the ceiling space to really set the mood with banners and images. If you need a surprise for the kids, go there and open the bank vault! There’s an elevator inside: you’ll get extra points for that. We were also touched by the stunning art display on the second level, a truly profound insight into the “Q” and “T” part of the LGBTQ community. It was quite mind-opening, and we are so proud that small towns would host such welcoming art shows.
Ben. Tripadvisor. Oct 2018