Monday 20 February 2012

Haida Heritage Centre Kaay Llnagaay ("Sea Lion Town")


 Photo Credit: Haida Heritage Centre
 Photo Credit: Haida Heritage Centre


The Haida Heritage Centre at K'aay Llnagaay (Sea Lion Town) in Skidegate, is an award winning cultural heritage centre in a 53,000 square foot cedar multi-complex consisting of five contemporary monumental timber longhouses. It was officially opened to the public in August 2008.


 Photo Credit: Haida Heritage Centre

The Heritage Centre houses the expanded Haida Gwaii Museum (see also http://haidagwaiitourism.blogspot.com/2012/01/haida-gwaii-museums.html), meeting rooms/classrooms, the Performing House, Canoe House, Bill Reid Teaching Centre, the Carving Shed and a gift shop.



Photo Credit: Photos Canada.com


The Centre is comprised of six connecting traditional Haida longhouses each fronted by a traditional totem pole.

 Photo Credit: Haida Heritage Centre


The longhouses are named for the purpose they serve such as the ‘Greeting House’ where visitors are welcomed. The Haida Gwaii Museum exhibits can be found in other longhouses such as the ‘Greenhouse Atrium’, ‘Saving Things House’, ‘Contact and Conflict’, ‘Keeping our Way of Life’, ‘Forest, Connections’ and ‘Cycles/Natural History’. The restaurant/café is located in the ‘Eating House’.

 Photo Credit: Haida Heritage Centre


Knowledgeable staff provide tours of the centre including some of the thirteen totem poles at Kaay Llnagaay, throughout the summer months, The guides provide insight into some of the crests and stories displayed on the poles.


 Photo Credit: Haida Heritage Centre

Traditional Haida cedar canoes are on display yielding an even greater appreciation of the Haida culture. The exhibits include Bill Reid's renowned 50 foot long canoe, the 'Loo Taas', which is housed in the Carving Shed.


 Photo Credit: Haida Heritage Centre

Popular attractions at the Heritage Centre include the Haida Gwaii Museum, the carving shed and traditional Haida canoe tours of the inlet.

 Photo Credit: Haida Heritage Centre


Other popular tours include that of learning from Haida weavers. The weavers demonstrate their craft from the processing of cedar bark and spruce root to the art of weaving.


 Photo Credit: Haida Heritage Centre

You will want to ensure that your visit to Haida Gwaii includes a day spent at the Haida Heritage Centre.




For more information, please call: (250) 559-7885

Website: http://www.haidaheritagecentre.com/home.html


Adult/Senior - $15
Student - $10
Children(6-12) - $5
Children(5 and under)- Free

SUMMER (June-August)
10am-6pm Daily

WINTER (September-May)
10am-5pm Tues-Sat

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