Welcome to the Assiniboine Park Zoo! If you’re looking for a truly unique and educational experience during your stay with us, we highly recommend visiting the Journey to Churchill exhibit. This award-winning exhibit is perfect for those interested in northern species, biodiversity, and conservation.
As soon as you enter the exhibit, you’ll be greeted by a stunning inukshuk in the Wapusk Lowlands. This naturalistic landscape allows you to get up close and personal with the animals of the tundra, all while feeling as though you’re right in the midst of their habitat.
The Churchill Coast presents a realistic depiction of the town of Churchill, transporting you to the northern frontier. But the real highlight of the Journey to Churchill exhibit is the Gateway to the Arctic. Here, you’ll have the chance to view polar bears and seals swimming beneath the surface of the water through the Sea Ice Passage, a series of underwater viewing tunnels. With only a clear wall separating the two habitats, the polar bears and seals can see and smell each other, creating a dynamic and enriching environment.
In addition to the polar bears and seals, you can also see a variety of other animals at the Journey to Churchill exhibit, including snowy owls, arctic foxes, muskoxen, reindeer, and harbour seals. You can learn more about these animals and the Arctic ecosystem at the Leatherdale International Polar Bear Conservation Centre, an interactive interpretive centre. Here, you can also find out about the research being done in the Arctic and what you can do to reduce your impact on the environment.
While you’re at the Leatherdale International Polar Bear Conservation Centre, be sure to check out the 360 degree Aurora Borealis Theatre (currently closed). Here, you can watch the short film Rhythms of the North and learn more about the people and animals that call Canada’s north home.
The Journey to Churchill exhibit has received numerous awards, including the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Exhibit Award Top Honours, Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums’ Thomas R. Baines Award for outstanding achievement, and Travel Manitoba’s Innovation Award. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to see this amazing exhibit for yourself. It’s a truly unforgettable experience that you won’t find anywhere else.
