Plan Your Visit

Photo: Christopher Hurst

history in your hands

The Sointula Museum presents a hands-on educational experience. Its collections include artifacts, publications and photographs specific to the development of this unique community from a Finnish socialist Utopian commune to the quiet (on the surface at least) village of today.

Sointula is located on beautiful Malcom Island, lying between Vancouver Island and the British Columbia mainland. Surrounded by coastal beauty, towering cedars and stunning wild spaces, we know that you will find your visit here unforgettable.

Photo: Kid’s school desk with the punishment book, and other Finnish stories

Open Year-Round

Mid-May – September 30.
Open daily, 12 noon to 4:00pm

All other times of the year, we are open by appointment. Send us a message on Facebook, Instagram, or by email to info@sointulamuseum.ca.
Feel free to also call or text us at 250-230-9650. We look forward to welcoming you!

Admission

Admission to the museum is by donation (suggested minimum is $5.00/person). Our museum relies on your generous donations, sales from our gift shop, and our dedicated staff and wonderful volunteers to continue the museum’s work to preserve and celebrate Sointula’s unique history.

Groups and Tours

Guided Group Tours are $6.00 per person

School groups are $5.00/child with 2 accompanying adults free. Find more info on our Learn page.

For groups of 5 or more people who want to visit the museum outside of regular summer open hours, please call or text 250-230-9650 to arrange a special time and tour guide.

Getting here

The Museum is located in the old Superior School Building at 280 1st Street in Sointula.

To reach the museum, either on foot or by car, turn left off the ferry and proceed three blocks (350 meters) to a bend in the road. The Superior School is located on the left (waterside). The museum and the local library share the building. Parking is free in both the parking lots in front of and behind the museum.

BC Ferries Schedules

Visitor info

Parking

Parking is free in both the parking lots in front of and behind the museum.

Accessibility

The museum is wheelchair and walker accessible using a ramp leading into the building. The washroom and galleries on the main floor are accessible. The “Rust Room’ on the lower level of the museum can be reached through a downstairs door. Please make arrangements with visitor services to open the downstairs door.

Visitor Tips

  • There is no food or drink allowed in the museum.
  • Wheelchairs are permitted in the museum. We do not have a wheelchair on site to lend visitors.
  • Lost & Found: Items left behind in the museum will be safely stored. If you think you may have left something behind, please ask at the museum or send an email to info@sointulamuseum.ca to inquire.

Info for Families

Strollers are permitted in the museum, but please note that some aisles are narrow. We will be happy to store your stroller during your visit. Please let the Visitor Services staff member know that you would like to park a stroller.

Photography

Still photography is permitted for private, non-commercial use only. Photographs cannot be published, sold, reproduced, transferred, distributed or otherwise commercially exploited in any manner.
This was a very worthwhile stop and extremely informative as to a wide scope of history of Sointula, before the Finns arrived, and their story. Many wonderful artifacts on site and stories posted behind where they came from. Will have to visit again just to absorb the amount of history contained in the exhibits.
Kris Toijonen, Google Review

upcoming events

There’s always something in the works at the Sointula Museum. Check out our Events calendar to stay in the loop!

museum calendar
Photo: Salmon Days, mid 1980s. In their regional Finnish costumes are, left to right, Annie (Anna) Tynjälä, Irma Järvinen, Helmi Pakkalen and Eeva Syrjälä. All arrived in Canada in the 1950s.