Museum, Café & Gift Shop
Reopening April 17th, 2025!
Welcome to
Kilby Historic Site!
We encourage you to take a few moments to browse through our website and discover this unique BC Heritage site in Harrison Mills. We are nestled against the mountains on the north shore of the Fraser River, in the Fraser Valley, just 90 minutes from the hustle and bustle of Greater Vancouver.
The Kilby Historic Site prides itself in portraying the early 20th century history of the Kilby family, general store, and farm. The grounds surrounding the general store are approximately 3 hectares which we have preserved as the working farm it once was, boasting chickens, ducks, turkeys, a goat, and more. Visitors of all ages can interact with and feed the animals on the farm while they are learning about rural farm life.
Stepping through the front door of the general store will transport you back in time to Harrison Mills in the early 1900s as you are surrounded by original merchandise and greeted by costumed interpreters. The Kilby General Store was officially opened on August 14th, 1906, by Thomas and Eliza Kilby. The general store became the heart of the bustling mill town of Harrison Mills, supporting a lively population of mill workers, rail workers, and their families during the community’s heyday. Thomas and Eliza’s son, Acton, took over store operations in 1922 and ran it with his wife, Jessie, until 1972 when it was purchased by the Province of British Columbia as a historic site. Acton and Jessie were the museum’s first curators. The general store still bears the effects of their hard work and maintains its original character. The main floor of the museum also features the community post office and the family’s living area.
You will be pleasantly surprised with the preservation of the only remaining buildings of a once-thriving mill town from the turn of the last century. Whether you are visiting the shopkeeper in the general store or having a conversation with the farmhand, you will experience firsthand just how life was in the early 1900s in rural British Columbia.
Reflect back on a time you lived through, reminisce of days gone by, or learn of a lifestyle that is hard to comprehend in today’s fast-paced age of technology. The past comes alive in the common household objects we now call artifacts. Whether you are entering the General Store or petting one of the farm animals you will connect to the past and embrace the pioneering spirit we strive to convey.
2025 Hours of Operation
Reopening April 17th, 2025.
April 17 to June 22: Thursday to Sunday 11AM – 4PM
June 26 to Sept. 1: Thursday to Monday 11AM – 4PM
Sept. 5 to Oct. 12: Thursday to Sunday 11AM – 4PM
November/December – Event weekends only. Saturday & Sunday 11AM – 4PM
Off-Season
Pleas call 604-796-9576 Ext 102 to book your tour or for more information.
Museum Admission Fees
Adults: $15
Seniors: $12
Youth/Students: $10
Children (5 under): Free
Family: $40
Purchase your Season Pass TODAY!
Accessibility
Our goal is to make the Kilby Historic Site a welcoming place for everyone. To ensure that our guests have a positive experience, here are some helpful things to know when you plan your visit:
Physical Accessibility:
Parking Lot: We have accessible parking stalls and oversized parking areas for buses or campers, with easy turnaround areas. The parking lot is gravel which may pose a challenge for wheelchair users and visitors with ambulant disabilities. The gravel can also cause auditory confusion.
Grounds: The pathways on site are gravel which can be difficult for visitors with ambulant disabilities and wheelchair users to navigate. Lawns on site may be uneven or slippery.
Washrooms: Our washrooms are located in the entrance building and on the ground floor of the cottage. Both locations are largely accessible. The washrooms in the entrance building are gender neutral and have large counters which can be used as baby changing tables.
Historic Buildings: Since the Kilby General Store (now the museum) was built on a floodplain, the main floor is 11ft above the ground. In order to access the general store, post office, and more, there is a ramp with a slope of 13% up to the front door. (Modern building codes recommend no more than 8%). The ramp does not have a landing so it can be difficult for wheelchair users to ascend or descend manually without assistance. While there are railings, they are wide and can be difficult to grip.
The only areas of the historic site which are not accessible to wheelchair users include the Manchester House Hotel (the floor above the general store) and the porch of the log cabin which can only be accessed via stairs.
Other Considerations:
Animals: We have a working demonstration farm and usually let our chickens, ducks, and turkeys wander free while we are open to the public. Please be aware of farm animals where you may not expect them.
We pride ourselves on having kind animals, but some are quite curious and may follow or touch you. You are welcome to pet them, but we ask that our guests do not chase them. We raise kind animals by treating them kindly and we ask you to help us with this work.
Lighting: Many of the exhibits and heritage buildings are dimly lit, so move carefully when entering buildings while you allow your eyes a moment to adjust.
Sounds: There are trains which pass on the adjacent railroad. They do not usually sound their horn, but they can be quite loud and may rattle the buildings you are in or around. Trains take several minutes to pass, typically passing once every few hours.
Also, old wooden floors in the heritage buildings can creak quite loudly as you navigate them.
Scents: If you are sensitive to scents, the heritage buildings smell of old wood, the farm can smell when the weather is warm, and during the salmon run in the fall, you may get whiffs of deteriorating fish from the nearby river (but you’ll likely see lots of eagles too!).
If there was something we missed on this list, please let us know by emailing info@kilby.ca
We will continue to update this list as needed and we hope it helps you navigate the historic site with confidence.
Group Rates
For groups of 15 or more people.
Please call (604) 491-3610
BCAA/AAA
Members
Receive a 10% discount.
Season Passes
A Season Pass enables the holder free, unlimited admission to the Kilby Historic Site for one full calendar year.
Adult Season Pass: $35
Senior Season Pass: $30
Student Season Pass: $25
Family Season Pass: $90
Library and Archive Fees
By appointment only. We are working on securing funding to organize the materials in our archives and render them more accessible; however, at this time we may be unable to handle certain research requests. Please contact us with your query and we will get in touch with fees and further information.
To peruse our archival photographs, most have been digitized and can be seen here:
These photos may be used for academic research, private study, or genealogical research. For other purposes, please contact us for reproduction rates.
Contact: Chelsea Brown, Curator
Phone: 604-491-9059 or email: cbrown@kilby.ca
Further Inquires?
Contact us!
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