Woodland Cultural Centre - Brantford, Ontario

Shweta G.

Poignant reminder of the Residential school system that is a dark chapter in Canada's history. Visited on September 30th, Truth and Reconciliation day. The place was busy and there were lots of events organized. The tour of the school had some waiting but that was due to it being September 30th and large crowd sizes. The place is under renovation but you can still visit and see the living quarters of the children and the dining hall etc. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and patient with all the questions. Some of the stories will break your heart so be ready for some disturbing narratives. There is also a museum on site which explains the history of the Indigenous people from origin to the settlers to modern day. A must visit if you're in the area. And please educate and donate. They need funds constantly for supporting the survivors and for helping to bring their lost babies home.

Victor W.

I recently visited the Woodland Cultural Centre in Brantford, which is located next to the Mohawk Residential School, and it was an enriching experience. The centre is divided into two sections—one focused on the history of Indigenous roots and the other showcasing Indigenous art. Both sections were thoughtfully curated, and I thoroughly enjoyed exploring them.

In addition to the exhibits, the centre also has a theatre and an area for various activities. The surrounding grounds are lovely, with a park that offers a perfect spot for a picnic or just relaxing outdoors. Whether or not you’re planning to visit the residential school, it’s meaningful and highly worthwhile to stop by the cultural centre to gain a deeper understanding of Indigenous history and culture. I highly recommend it!

DR

Despite the residential school being closed, driving up the long path towards it is a surreal feeling. The museum provides an excellent learning opportunity of the history of this country. Seeing some of the actual artifacts that have been recovered in walls and on the grounds was eye opening. This is well worth the visit.

A M.

A small but impactful museum that’s a must for anyone in the area.

My family and I visited the museum in the summer. We were pleasantly greeted and given some history from the staff at the gift shop. It’s easy to spend quite a while immersing yourself in each part of the exhibit. The residential school was under construction but they do offer a virtual tour. We purchased a few orange shirts from the gift shop which had items for both young and old.

Francisco L.

The museum is small but contains good information about the indigenous and their relationship with the white people. I was expecting to find more information related to the residential schools, so. I was a little disappointed. The place made me think we can do way better to try to mitigate the terrible damage we have done to to them. There should be some link or at least information available on the activities available in the Six Nations community.

Dkbluemax K.

Very historic Mohawk Institute and a must to tour and learn about a very interesting but sad (dark) history of native children. Originally opened in 1828 as the Mechanics Institute for Native Six Nations boys and later in 1834 native girls were accepted. I encourage you to google Mohawk Institute History now...and read up...

Charlie K.

Amazing experience! So much history and culture here along with real artifacts and thought provoking displays. Highly recommend to everyone of any age.

Chris L.

Really interesting and powerful museum inside of the cultural centre. Definitely would recommend it to any person in the area. Particularly if non-Indigenous