National Indigenous Residential School Museum of Canada

09/17/2026

🧡 SAVE THE DATE — SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 🧡

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Please join us on September 30 as we gather in Portage la Prairie to honour Survivors, remember the children who never returned home, and reflect on the ongoing journey of truth, healing and reconciliation.

The National Indigenous Residential School Museum of Canada will also be open to visitors throughout the day.

📍 5000 Crescent Road W, Keeshkeemaquah Reserve
📅 Wednesday, September 30, 2026, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm

NOTE: The Reconciliation Walk from Portage la Prairie City Hall to the National Indigenous Residential School Museum of Canada begins at 9:00 am.

🧡 Wear orange. Bring your family. Walk with us. 🧡

09/16/2026

It is such an honour to have local Indigenous businesses like Shelly's Indigenous Bistro supporting Indigenous charities and the work of remembrance, education and healing during Reconciliation Month.

Shelly’s has created a delicious way for the community to make a difference: $3 from every $5 “A Meal With Meaning” meal purchased through SkipTheDishes will be donated to the National Indigenous Residential School Museum of Canada.

The promotion runs now through September 27 and is available exclusively through SkipTheDishes in Winnipeg.

We are incredibly grateful to Shelly's Indigenous Bistro for helping support the museum and the work we do to preserve history, honour Survivors and create opportunities for learning and understanding.

Can’t order from Shelly’s because you’re outside Winnipeg? You can still support the museum from wherever you are by making a donation through our CanadaHelps page: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/national-indigenous-residential-school-museum-of-canada-inc/

Thank you, Shelly’s, for showing what community support and reciprocity can look like. 🧡

🧡 A MEAL WITH MEANING 🧡

Enjoy a delicious meal for ONLY $5.00 where WE DONATE $3.00. This helps support an important part of our community!

With EVERY order purchased $3.00 will be donated to the NTL Indigenous Residential School Museum!

From now until September 27, order 9 crispy chicken nuggets, hot and crisp fries, and our signature honey dill sauce for only $5.00, exclusively through SkipTheDishes.

Everything is prepared fresh and served fresh, giving you the hot, satisfying meal you deserve. Best of all, for every A Meal with Meaning meal sold, Shelly's Indigenous Bistro, in partnership with SkipTheDishes, will donate $3 to the NTL Indigenous Residential School Museum.

Supporting our community and preserving Indigenous history are incredibly important to us. Every order helps contribute to meaningful education, remembrance, and healing.

Enjoy fresh food. Support an important cause. Make your next meal mean something. 🧡

📅 Available now through September 27
📱 Order exclusively through SkipTheDishes

09/15/2026

🧡 THE REVEAL IS HERE. 🧡

Something new has arrived at the National Indigenous Residential School Museum of Canada — and we are so excited to finally share it with you.

This year’s newest orange shirt features a powerful jingle dress dancer in red, brought to life through beautiful artwork by residential school Survivor Garry Meeches Sr. of Long Plain First Nation.

And we didn’t stop with orange. 👀

🧡 Orange T-shirts
🖤 Black T-shirts
❤️ Full-zip hoodies in black and orange

We’re honoured to share this new artwork and to have Garry Meeches Sr.’s work represented on this year’s collection. The jingle dress carries its own teachings of healing, strength and renewal — making this a particularly meaningful design to share as we approach the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

🎥 Watch the reveal.
Then come see the collection for yourself.

The shirts and hoodies will be available for purchase at the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation event at the museum on September 30, 2026.

📍 National Indigenous Residential School Museum of Canada
📅 September 30, 2026

For more information, contact the museum at 204-239-6464.

🧡 Wear the colour. Carry the story. Remember.

09/12/2026

Earlier this summer, we had the privilege of welcoming visitors from the University of Melbourne in Australia, who visited NIRSM in June as part of their research into truth-telling and education. Their visit led to an unexpected and meaningful opportunity: in early August, members of the NIRSM team were invited to participate in a truth-telling podcast created for Australian educators.

The podcast has now been released during Reconciliation Month, and we are grateful for the opportunity to share a little of NIRSM’s work with educators and learners beyond Canada. Listen to episode #4 at https://www.truthtellingpedagogies.com/truthtellingteachers

We are grateful that these conversations are reaching new audiences, and especially grateful for the opportunity to share Indigenous perspectives with educators who are helping shape how future generations understand truth, history, and reconciliation.

Miigwetch to the University of Melbourne team for visiting NIRSM and for inviting us into this important conversation.

09/12/2026

🎨 Celebrating Youth Creativity at NIRSM

We’re delighted to celebrate Nevaiah and the beautiful creativity she contributed to the exterior of the National Indigenous Residential School Museum.

The painted wood panels at the front of the Museum are more than a little colour and beauty—they reflect the creativity, imagination and contributions of young people in our community.

Thank you, Nevaiah, for sharing your artistic gifts with us and helping make the Museum exterior a more welcoming and beautiful place for visitors. 💛

We’re grateful to all of the young artists who contributed their time and creativity. We’ll be featuring more of their work next week!🎨

09/02/2026

Welcoming the World to Manitoba.

NIRSM was thrilled to welcome Travel Manitoba and a delegation of Australian tour operators to the museum earlier today!

Manitoba offers visitors a truly unique tourism experience — from the incredible wildlife of Churchill and polar bear country, to the vibrant culture of Winnipeg, the natural beauty of Riding Mountain National Park, the living history of Lower Fort Garry, and the rich Indigenous cultures and stories found throughout the province.

And here at the Keeshkeemaquah Reserve (beside Portage la Prairie, MB), visitors can experience something deeply meaningful at the National Indigenous Residential School Museum of Canada.

As interest in authentic, immersive and culturally meaningful travel continues to grow, we are proud to be part of Manitoba's tourism story and to share an Indigenous-led experience with visitors from across Canada and around the world.

Thank you to Travel Manitoba and our Australian guests for spending time with us today. We hope your visit is the beginning of many more connections between Manitoba and visitors from around the world. 🌎

There is so much to discover in Manitoba — and we are excited to help visitors discover it.

ManitobaTourism #

08/29/2026

🪴🌿PLANT SALE, Sept 1st & 2nd 🌿🌱

We are excited to announce Prairie Originals, a partner in our upcoming living plant exhibit, will be at the Mashkikiin Gathering on September 1st and 2nd with native Manitoba plants for sale. Their table will be close to Crescent Road W so you will not require Registration to the event to visit their table.

Prairie Originals is a native plant nursery located near East Selkirk, Manitoba. They grow approximately 150 species of wildflowers, grasses, shrubs, and vines that are native to Manitoba for use in gardens, and landscape and conservation projects. They also produce their own seed with original seed sources came from the wild in Manitoba.

08/29/2026

🚗🐾 Road tripping through Manitoba? Don’t sleep on Portage!

Taking the south bypass on Highway 1? There’s a great little spot to pull over, stretch your legs, and let your four-legged travel companion burn off some energy at the off-leash dog park.

And the best part? You’re only about a minute away from the National Indigenous Residential School Museum of Canada.

So, while the dog is resting after their adventure, why not make the most of your stop and take some time to explore, learn, and experience a place with an important story to tell.

🐕🐾A little exercise. A little exploring. A meaningful stop along your journey.

Portage la Prairie is worth the stop.

08/28/2026

Survivors remain at the heart of the museum.

NIRSM is honoured to pay tribute to Maxine Walker, a Residential School Survivor and Anishinaabe language holder who generously shared her knowledge with our team as we worked to integrate Anishinaabemowin throughout the museum.

Today, visitors will find Anishinaabemowin alongside items and exhibits throughout NIRSM — helping ensure that Indigenous language remains visible, valued, and present for future generations.

Our Collections Curator, Bev, learned so much working closely with Maxine and remains committed to continuing the work of integrating Indigenous languages throughout the museum. She hopes that we can work with Dakota language holders in the future on similar initiatives.

We are deeply grateful to Maxine for sharing her knowledge and to the Province of Manitoba for funding this important project.

Chi Miigwetch, Maxine. Your knowledge and generosity will continue to be seen, heard, and honoured by every visitor who walks through our doors.

08/27/2026

We are thrilled to be featured in SAY Magazine’s August 2026 Sports and Health edition.