The Marine Museum of Manitoba (Selkirk) Inc. was established in 1972-1973 in the City of Selkirk. Its mandate relates to the marine life of Lake Winnipeg and the Red River, including a fine collection of ships, artifacts, and items. Its collections cover the period from 1850 to present.
The Marine Museum consists of six historic ships joined together with walkways. Displays on each ship describe their owners, uses, pictures, newspaper articles, and interesting anecdotes. Nautical exhibits are located throughout the ships, including features on the history of fishing on Lake Winnipeg, the fishes of Lake Winnipeg, boat motors through the ages, and the history and rudder of the SS Alpha, an old Manitoba steamboat.
The museum’s oldest ship is the passenger and freight steamship SS Keenora (1897) that sailed on Lake of the Woods, the Red River, and Lake Winnipeg. The next oldest ship is the CGS Bradbury (1915) that was owned by the federal government. Over her lifetime, the ship was used as fishing patrol vessel, a lighthouse and dredge tender, and an icebreaker. The other four ships include the Chickama II (1942), Lady Canadian (1944), Peguis II (1955), and the Joe Simpson (1963) named for the Selkirk hockey player, “Bullet” Joe Simpson. An authentic Lake Winnipeg lighthouse as well as various smaller boats and ship parts are displayed around the grounds.
There is a pair of lighthouses on the grounds. One of them dates from 1898, built by keeper Danial Matheson on Black Island in Lake Winnipeg. The other lighthouse was built in 1914 at the mouth of the Red River at Lake Winnipeg.
Aerial view of Marine Museum of Manitoba (June 2019)
Source: George Penner
Marine Museum of Manitoba (September 2010)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough
Black Island lighthouse, built in 1898 (March 2019)
Source: George Penner
Red River lighthouse, built in 1914 (March 2019)
Source: George PennerSite Coordinates (lat/long): N50.14679, W96.86511
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
We thank George Penner for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 15 September 2020
Historic Sites of Manitoba
This is a collection of historic sites in Manitoba compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. The information is offered for historical interest only.
Browse lists of:
Museums/Archives | Buildings | Monuments | Cemeteries | Locations | OtherInclusion in this collection does not confer special status or protection. Official heritage designation may only come from municipal, provincial, or federal governments. Some sites are on private property and permission to visit must be secured from the owner.
Site information is provided by the Manitoba Historical Society as a free public service only for non-commercial purposes.
Send corrections and additions to this page
to the MHS Webmaster at webmaster@mhs.mb.ca.Help us keep history alive!
