Living Prairie Museum

The Living Prairie Museum is a protected nature reserve that preserves remnants of original tall grass prairie within the city limits. The site features self-guided walking trails, an interpretive center with displays about native plants and prairie ecology, and grounds accessible year-round for observation.

Botanists identified this site in the late 1960s as one of the few remaining undisturbed tall grass prairie areas in Manitoba before urban development consumed most of the natural landscape. The land was subsequently protected to prevent further ecological loss and ensure the survival of native plant communities.

The interpretive center features exhibits about prairie ecology, including displays of 160 native plant species and an interactive art installation titled lost_landscape.

The trails are open from early morning until dusk, with guided walks offered at different times of the year to show seasonal changes. Wear sturdy shoes and be prepared for natural terrain, as the paths wind through grassland and can be uneven in places.

The site holds less than one hundredth of one percent of Manitoba's original tall grass prairie, making it a critical refuge for specialized plant and insect species found nowhere else nearby. Several animal and plant species that vanished elsewhere in the region survived only within this protected corner.

Location: Manitoba

Inception: 1968

Elevation above the sea: 237 m

Address: 2795 Ness Avenue

Website: http://livingprairie.ca

GPS coordinates: 49.89000,-97.27000

Latest update: December 14, 2025 09:40