Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site
About This Museum
Tucked along the Fraser River's edge in Steveston, the Britannia Shipyards feels less like a museum and more like a preserved moment in time. This isn't a single building but a whole riverside village of weathered wooden structures where you can almost hear the ghosts of shipwrights and cannery workers. You wander freely between a Chinese bunkhouse, a general store still stocked with early 20th-century goods, and massive net lofts perched over the water. It’s a rare, tangible connection to the era when this river was the lifeblood of British Columbia's fishing and boat-building industries.
Collection Highlights
Don't miss the fully restored Murakami House, which tells the story of a Japanese-Canadian family, or the chance to see skilled artisans working on historic vessels right in the boatyard. The towering BC Packers' cannery building, with its original machinery, powerfully evokes the scale of this industrial past.
Visitor Information
The site is free to explore, open Tuesday through Sunday—just check their website for seasonal hours. Parking can be tight on sunny weekends, so consider arriving early or biking along the adjacent dyke trail.
Architecture & Building
A collection of rustic, early industrial wood-frame buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including canneries, boat shops, and residences, all built on pilings over the riverbank.
Contact & Location
Address: Britannia Heritage Shipyards, 5180, Westwater Drive, B.C. Packers, Steveston, Richmond, Metro Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia, V7E 6N8, Canada
Phone: +1 604-238-8050
Website: Visit Website
