Museum, Café & Gift Shop
OPEN FOR THE SEASON
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 living 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, the Waterloo Farm Museum. Today, we annually stock the farm with a wonderful variety of animals. 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.
2024 Museum Hours
March 28 to June 23:
– Thursday to Sunday 11AM – 4PM
June 27 to Sept 2
– Thursday to Monday 11AM – 4 PM
Sept 5 to Oct 27
– Thursday to Sunday 11AM – 4PM
Nov 2 to Dec 1
Saturday & Sunday 11AM – 4PM
Dec 7 to Dec 15
Saturday & Sunday 1PM – 6PM
Off-Season
Please call if you have an inquiry:
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
All of our facilities are wheelchair accessible. Except: to preserve the historic integrity of the site there are stairs leading to the Manchester House Hotel. The hotel is located above the General Store and is the only location where wheelchairs are not able to go. The pathways around the working farm allow all visitors to be able to interact with our friendly farm animals.
Parking
We have a large parking lot here at the Kilby Historic Site, complete with designated handicap spaces. There are oversize parking areas for buses or campers, with easy turnabout areas. Down at Kilby Park, we have three main areas; the campground, the boat launch and the day-use area. Public parking is only permitted in the day-use area. The long stalls are used by the folks who launch their boats, and yes, you have to pay to launch your boat, not to park.
Restrooms
Restrooms are accessible by wheelchair. There are restrooms in the main admission area, as well as on-site.
Rest Areas
There are rest benches randomly situated throughout the site. Whether you rest on the veranda of the General Store to watch the trains pass by, or on the porch of our 1880s log cabin, we are sure you will be transported back in time for a spell.
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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