Dawson City Museum and Historical Society

The beautiful 1901 neo-classical Old Territorial Administration Building--a newly designated National Historic Site of Canada-- harbours the Dawson City Museum, the largest historical collection in the Yukon Territory. It is located at the junction of 5th Avenue and Mission Street, right by Minto Park. The Territorial Court can also be found here, in a restored courtroom which has served Yukon justice for nearly 100 years.

The Dawson City Museum has three main galleries, using objects and photographs to tell the story of our people from before history, through the fantastic Gold Rush times to the present day.

Goldpanner, between 1902 and 1919 Photograph courtesy of Museum Archives

Chief Isaac, Discovery Day sometime in the 1920s Photograph courtesy of Museum Archives

There is a Reference Library with 7,000 photographs and records for genealogical research; a coffee shop and gift shop. The museum is animated with "Klondike Characters" who give dramatic interpretive demonstrations. Exhibits include an in-depth look at Dawson's social and mining history, material culture of the Hän First Nations People, the half-century before the discovery of gold in 1896, Gold Rush era, steam locomotives, and paleontological remains. Performances and audio-visual presentations happen every hour, including the award-winning NFB film "City of Gold", narrated by Pierre Berton.

On the grounds, the Train Shelter contains locomotives from the Klondike Mines Railway, including the last Baldwin Vauclain Compound Consolidation engine in Canada, and other steam-powered machinery. Special programmes and evening lectures are held weekly.

We are open every day, beginning Victoria Day Weekend to the Saturday after Labour Day, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is: $7.00 for adults, $5.00 for Seniors and Students, $16.00 for Families (2 parents and children under 18), and $5.00 per person for pre-booked tour groups of 10+ (plus 2 free passes for escorts).

If you would like to write to us, here is our address:

Dawson City Museum and Historical Society
PO Box 303
Dawson City, YT
Y0B 1G0
dcmuseum@yknet.yk.ca

Ph.: (867) 993 5291
Fax: (867) 993 5839
E-mail: dcmuseum@yknet.yk.ca

To view some more photos from our archives, click on the thumbnail images below!

All photos courtesy of Museum Archives

Palace Grand Theatre

Gold Miners

Klondike Brewery

Sternwheeler Whitehorse