School Groups

What We Treasure is the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre’s signature tour and part of the Canadian Signature Experiences collection — a unique cultural experience offered only in Canada.

This tour is available in three formats:

• Hourly: Open to all visitors, with tours offered every hour throughout the day
• Group Tours: Suitable for organized adult, senior, or community groups
• School Groups: Tailored for K–12 and post-secondary students, with age-appropriate content and complimentary admission for teachers and chaperones

Led by Cultural Ambassadors from the Squamish and Lil’wat Nations, this guided experience includes:

• A traditional welcome song
• A 15-minute introductory film
• A curated tour of the museum’s exhibits, featuring authentic artifacts and personal storytelling

Throughout the tour, guests will learn about the values, traditions, and way of life of the Squamish and Lil’wat Peoples, both past and present. Whether visiting on your own, with a class, or as part of a group, this experience offers a meaningful and memorable introduction to the living cultures of this shared territory.

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The Interpretive Forest Walk is a seasonal guided experience offered as an Hourly Tour, Group Tour, and School Tour. Set along the Salish Stroll — the Cultural Centre’s forest trail — this tour immerses guests in the natural environment while exploring the deep cultural knowledge of the Squamish and Lil’wat Nations.

The tour begins indoors with a traditional welcome song and a 15-minute film that introduces the cultures and values of the two Nations. From there, participants venture outdoors to walk the forest trail with a Cultural Ambassador who shares knowledge about the local flora and fauna.

Along the way, visitors learn how various plants have traditionally been used for food, healing teas, and tools. These stories reflect a profound connection to the land, and how that relationship shapes identity, sustainability, and community practices.

Whether you're visiting on your own during the day, booking a private group, or organizing an educational field trip, this tour offers a powerful opportunity to engage with Indigenous perspectives on nature, health, and survival.

The Virtual School Programming brings the educational and cultural experiences of the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre directly into classrooms and homes across British Columbia. Offered exclusively as a School Tour, this virtual format ensures accessibility and engagement for students who may not be able to visit in person.

Led live by a Cultural Ambassador via Zoom, each session includes:

• A traditional welcome song
• An introduction to the SLCC and the Ambassador
• Thematic presentation on one of the following tours:
  • What We Treasure
  • The Regalia We Treasure
  • Hunters and Gatherers
• A question and answer period at the end of each session
• Access to the 15-minute short film, Where Rivers, Mountains, and People Meet, provided in advance to be viewed before the live session

This virtual experience is also available to homeschool families, following the same format, with age-appropriate adaptations and interactive discussion. It’s an ideal solution for schools and educators seeking authentic Indigenous perspectives in a flexible, digital format.

Hunters and Gatherers is a specialty cultural tour offered as a Group Tour and School Tour. It explores the traditional survival practices of the Squamish and Lil’wat Peoples, who have lived in harmony with the land for generations.

Through storytelling and cultural interpretation, participants learn how Indigenous communities sustained themselves through seasonal cycles of hunting, fishing, and gathering. These activities were not only essential for survival, but also deeply tied to cultural knowledge and the use of natural medicines for preventive care.

Led by a Cultural Ambassador, the tour highlights how families traveled to the Whistler region during warmer months to prepare food and materials for winter. Guests gain a deeper understanding of the cultural importance of land stewardship, food as medicine, and ancestral resilience.

This tour is well-suited for school field trips and organized groups seeking a meaningful educational experience rooted in Indigenous ecological knowledge and traditional lifeways.

Discover Your Animal Spirit is an interactive educational program designed exclusively as a School Tour for young learners. This culturally rich experience introduces students to traditional animal stories from the Squamish and Lil’wat Nations, fostering a sense of connection, empathy, and imagination.

The tour explores the belief that in ancient times, animals and humans were considered brothers and sisters — with stories of people transforming into animals to help one another. Students are introduced to four animals deeply rooted in Indigenous stories and teachings: Eagle, Bear, Raven, and Wolf.

Led by a Cultural Ambassador, this experience uses storytelling, discussion, and creative interpretation to help children understand the values these animals represent in Indigenous cultures.

Perfect for early education field trips, this tour nurtures cultural awareness and personal reflection through engaging narratives and meaningful connections to the natural world.

The Regalia We Treasure is a hands-on cultural experience offered exclusively as a Group Tour and School Tour. This guided program invites participants to explore the traditions and contemporary expressions of regalia-making within the Squamish and Lil’wat Nations.

Led by a Cultural Ambassador, the tour begins with an in-depth exhibit visit showcasing traditional clothing, cedar bark skirts, woven baskets, masks, tools, and accessories. Visitors also learn about specialized techniques such as buckskin tanning, wood carving, and sewing button blanket–inspired garments.

The experience includes a visit to the Spo7ez Workhouse, a temporary workshop exhibit that documents the living cultures of regalia construction. This space plays an important role in reviving ancestral knowledge and connecting present-day learners with traditional practices.

Each tour includes a craft activity customized to the group’s age, offering participants a meaningful, creative way to engage with the teachings. From colouring activities for young children to leatherwork for older students, the hands-on component reinforces cultural understanding through art and making.

This program is ideal for educators and group organizers seeking an interactive cultural experience that blends history, creativity, and Indigenous knowledge.

Paddling Through the Nations is a cultural tour centered around the Community Reconciliation Canoe, and is offered exclusively as a Group Tour and School Tour. This program introduces participants to the importance of canoes in the Squamish and Lil’wat Nations and explores themes of reconciliation, connection, and Indigenous resurgence.

The tour begins with a traditional drum welcome, followed by storytelling led by a Cultural Ambassador. Guests learn about the history and significance of canoes in both Nations and are introduced to the Community Reconciliation Canoe — a hand-carved cedar canoe completed in the summer of 2022.

As a symbolic gesture, participants are invited to sign the paddle, expressing their personal commitment to reconciliation and connection to the land and its people.

This experience can be enriched with optional add-ons, such as crafting a paddle-inspired rattle or necklace, and customized lunch offerings for group visits.

Ideal for educators, community leaders, and group facilitators, this program offers a thoughtful and engaging way to reflect on Indigenous histories and the shared path forward.

The Language Tour is an immersive educational experience offered as a Group Tour that explores the languages and cultural perspectives of the Squamish and Lil’wat Nations. Co-developed and led by Squamish Nation Ambassador Dominique Nahanee and Lil’wat Nation Ambassador Georgina Dan, this tour is ideal for learners seeking deeper cultural engagement through language.

The program begins with a traditional welcome song, followed by a 45-minute interpretive session that introduces participants to key words, stories, and cultural concepts connected to the land and plants featured on the Salish Stroll, the Centre’s interpretive forest trail. From May through October, this segment can be conducted outdoors.

The tour includes an engaging visit to the Amazing Race Canada Game Board, a unique and interactive feature from the Centre’s involvement in the television show. The experience concludes with a 30-minute Language Challenge — a fun and thought-provoking activity that tests participants' retention and reinforces the teachings.

The Language Tour is an excellent choice for schools, educational institutions, and adult learning groups looking to explore Indigenous identity through language and land-based learning.