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May 23, 2026
We Look Forward to Seeing You at Doors Open Winnipeg
Heritage Winnipeg is excited to present its 23rd annual Doors Open Winnipeg event. Join us on May 30-31, 2026 for 2 days devoted to amazing built heritage, culture, and beautiful architecture around our city. Open buildings, exclusive tours, and fun events will be at your hands for the entire weekend, all for FREE! To give you the best experience possible, volunteers and tour guides will be present to answer questions, and lead you through sites. Regardless of your interests, Doors Open Winnipeg will have something for all ages!
Doors Open Winnipeg, Celebrates The Stories Our Buildings Tell. You may be wondering why these stories matter and why we should celebrate these buildings. Built heritage provides us with a link to the past, fosters a sense of belonging, acts as a community anchor, and promotes sustainability. You might walk past many heritage buildings throughout your day and not take a second look. You may never think that these buildings will disappear but without maintenance, and protection they are at great risk of being demolished. Heritage Winnipeg advocates for these buildings to be saved and preserved.
At Doors Open Winnipeg, you will have the chance to walk inside heritage buildings in Winnipeg. You’ll be able to see the buildings up close, and learn their significance to our city. Many sites will offer guided tours, displays, and stories about the people and events connected to each building. During our FREE event, you will be able to discover buildings that are not usually open to the public, making this a unique way to spend your weekend. For the 23rd annual Doors Open Winnipeg, we are thrilled to add 20 new participants to our lineup. This year, we are featuring the Marshall McLuhan House. Stop by to visit the home of the famous Canadian philosopher, and learn more about the mind that coined the famous phrase “The medium is the message.” Guided tours of the home will be happening every 30 minutes on May 30 and 31.
Another new event this year is the Poverty and Prosperity: A Walk Down Early 1900s Broadway, a walking tour which explores Winnipeg’s roots. From social prejudices to inequalities, this tour will look into the city’s past and present. From being named the “Gateway to the West” and the “Chicago of the North”, Winnipeg has gone through major changes, and this tour will give you the opportunity to learn how Winnipeg became the great city it is today.
Poverty and Prosperity: A Walk Down Early 1900s Broadway *NEW*
Local artists and live music will also be available for you over the weekend! LIVE AT THE CUBE: Voices of Winnipeg, will be taking place on both days of Doors Open Winnipeg at Old Market Square celebrating six Manitoban artists.
Additionally the Millennium Centre will be opening its doors to host the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra. Live performances will be occurring on Saturday May 30th, and will include music from Beethoven to Folk and Fiddle tunes. Experience amazing music in the beautifully built Millennium Centre!
If art is more your thing, visit the Kathleen Crosby Gallery located at 63 Albert Street in the Hammond Building. The gallery contains artwork done by 12 local artists with an amazing view of Portage and Main. Some of the artists of the displayed work will be in attendance!
The Zolzaya Cashmere will also be making its debut this year! Located in the Hammond Building, Zolzaya Cashmere is a small-scale importer of fair trade goods from nomadic herders in Mongolia. At her office, you’ll have the chance to learn about the heritage of yak fibre, and felt production in Inner Asia.
Local artist Kevin Batenchuk will also be joining Doors Open Winnipeg. He is opening up his studio for the public to come and see his work. Found at 290 McDermot Avenue, his studio is located in the historic Glengarry Building. To elevate your experience, Kevin will be on site to answer any questions you may have about his work and the building.
Many more new events are joining our Doors Open Winnipeg this year, be sure to visit our website at doorsopenwinnipeg.ca to see what is going on throughout the city.
Although we have added new events, we have many returning events! The 2015 and 2021 award winning Ghost Sign Walking Tour will be back on both days of Doors Open Winnipeg, as well as the 2025 Architecture award winner, A Portal to Ukrainian Culture on Saturday May 30. At the Ghost Sign Walking Tour, you will be guided by Matt Cohen who will take you through the Exchange District’s fading promotional signage. On the other hand, A Portal to Ukrainian Culture will give you the opportunity to explore handmade artifacts which were originally obtained by the First Wave of Ukrainian immigrants. A traditional Ukrainian beading and embroidery workshop will be occurring as well as guided tours of the building. This year marks a special milestone for the Cathedral as they celebrate 80 years, and 75 years for the museum! Be sure to join the celebration and experience the rich cultural heritage firsthand.
Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral – A Portal to Ukrainian Culture
The excitement doesn’t stop there. Vaughan Street Jail located at 221 Memorial Boulevard will be making its infamous return. Come by to hear stories about the bootleggers, murderers, and rapscallions who once stood in the cells. The River City Syncopators will be present at Vaughan Street Jail on both days performing live music.
Vaughan Street Jail: Untold Stories of the First Provincial Gaol
Over the years, these events have captivated audiences so don’t miss your chance to learn why these events have become fan favorites!
Registration is required for some events occurring at Doors Open Winnipeg. Registration will be opening up on Saturday, May 23 at NOON. Popular events get full fast, so be sure to register early! If registration becomes full, you may join the waitlist for the event and you will be notified if a spot becomes open. There will be many amazing events that do not need registration, rest assured you will find something to enjoy! The Doors Open Winnipeg website has all the information you need to make this the best weekend ever!
The events that require registration(make all caps) are as follows:
Old & New at Dominion Express: Patent 5 Distillery & Tasting Room
History of the Exchange Walking Tour with the Exchange District BIZ
Heritage Homes to Hipsters: Walk West Broadway’s Historic Architecture *NEW*
Poverty and Prosperity: A Walk Down Early 1900s Broadway *NEW*
The People’s Choice Awards are making their return this year. You can cast your vote for your favorites in the following categories: Best Architecture, Best Tour, and Best Overall Experience! Show your love for the Doors Open Winnipeg hosts, and vote! Voting opens up on Saturday May 30th at 9am and closes on Friday June 5th 11:59pm.
To make your weekend even more exciting, we have set up two contests! The first is the Scavenger Hunt. The Golden Boy will be in 3 places at all locations , except walking tours. Once you see him, take a photo! After finding him, take a photo with him and send us the photos by email at info@heritagewinnipeg.com to be entered to win an amazing kids prize pack! This contest opens up on Saturday May 30th at 9am and closes on Friday June 5th 11:59pm.
Also making a comeback this year is the Social Media Contest! To enter this contest, all you have to do is post a selfie enjoying yourselves at Doors Open Winnipeg 2026, and post it to Instagram or Facebook with the finished caption “I love Doors Open Winnipeg because..” While doing this, do not forget to tag Heritage Winnipeg @heritagewpg (Instagram) and @DoorsOpenWinnipeg on Facebook. The contest opens up on Saturday May 30th and ends on Friday June 5th at 11:59pm. For full details on each of the contests, please visit our Doors Open Winnipeg website.
Heritage Winnipeg would like to thank our Sponsors, who play a huge role in making Doors Open Winnipeg possible! Their funding is vital to making our free event possible and a success!
MARBLE SPONSORS
We would also like to thank our Volunteers for dedication and hard work in helping make this event a success! The support we receive from Sponsors, and Volunteers is immeasurable.
We are beyond excited to Celebrate The Stories Our Buildings Tell. Check out the Doors Open Winnipeg website for a complete list of our amazing participants, and start taking notes of the events you want to attend. Come by and enjoy a full weekend of rich history, beautiful architecture, culture, and fun! See you on May 30th and 31st, 2026!
