While you’ll see thousands of artistic five and 10-cent pieces at the Royal Canadian Mint, you’ll never be nickel-and-dimed.
Tours of the Mint remain one the best bang for your buck experiences in the city – which is fitting as they sure do bang out plenty of bucks (ahem, loonies) – as this state-of-the-art facility is sure to both impress and captivate your whole family.
And now, the Royal Canadian Mint is making it even more affordable to do so, with family tours (2 adults, 2 children) only $30!
As you can read on TripAdvisor, the Royal Canadian Mint’s signature 45-minute tour is a 4.5-star experience that combines technology, culture, history and adventure, unveiling how millions of coins are produced annually right here at the centre of Canada for countries around the world. Tours are available in English and French, and the tour guides do such a fine job of combining the technical details with many interesting tidbits that will delight visitors.
On top of the above deal, you can also purchase passes for the Royal Canadian Mint as part of the Winnipeg Attractions Pass, which will save you up to 30 per cent on five of the city’s top attractions.
Here’s just a few reasons why to book
It’s a worldly experience: As the flags you pass as you enter indicate, it’s not just Canadian currency that is produced here in Winnipeg. More than 75 countries have used the Mint to mint its coinage, making it a great spot to test your geography skills.
There are so many fascinating facts for technology buffs: You’ll learn each phase of the coining process –– from the design to how the 50-ton coin pressing machine works to shipping to trade secrets that will impress both young and old alike.
Architecture buffs will relish learning about Étienne Gaboury’s famed building: It shines with its all-glass exterior while acting like a small mountain sticking out on the prairies. (One fun fact you might not learn is that the Mint’s façade played the role of the evil pharmaceutical company in a very brief shot near the end of Fernando Meirelles’ international thriller, The Constant Gardener.)
The boutique(!): Collectors will love all there is to purchase at the Mint, as they have everything from collector’s coins to Canadian memorabilia and souvenirs.
So many fun photo opportunities: Along with fun cutouts that you can put your head in, you can also take some snaps of the medals that were made here for the Vancouver Winter Olympics – including the gold of course – while silver fans won’t feel like second place when they get to hold a real silver bar!
To book a tour click here or phone 204-984-1144 or toll free at 1-877-WPG-MINT (974-6468).
New coin exchange celebrating one of Canada’s most famous painters
The Mint is constantly hosting new coin exchanges that are very popular.
This week, from October 26 to 28, they will be releasing a commemorative coin featuring one of Quebec's – and indeed Canada's – most celebrated artists.
The event runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (while coins last, limit of one per person and quantities are limited) in the Boutique. Cash transactions only, with no admission charge for the coin exchange.
Find the full artist details here.
The Royal Canadian Mint is located at 520 Lagimodière Boulevard and is open Tuesday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The last tours of the day begin at 4 p.m.
