Port Alberni is located on traditional territory of the Hupacasath and Tseshaht First Nations, two of the fourteen nations of the Nuu-chah-nulth people of western Vancouver Island. 

Get your cultural information straight from the source. 

Hupacasath First Nation

Nuu-chah-nulth Culture
View videos and learn about the language.

Tseshaht First Nation

Ahtsik Gallery & Gordon Dick Studio
Learn about west coast carving traditions by seeing it firsthand at Ahtsik Gallery & Gordon Dick Studio. The Gallery is owned and operated by master carver Gordon Dick who creates traditional west coast art in the Tseshaht/Nuu-chah-nulth style. See his work alongside the art of his contemporaries in a custom build cedar gallery and carving shelter located on Tseshaht lands. Hours vary seasonally.

Alberni Valley Museum - Nuu-chah-nulth Culture Collection

Exquisite collection of weavings, woodcarvings and more located at the Alberni-Valley Museum in Echo Centre. More photos available from the BC Museums Association.

Traditional Artists, Dancers, Drummers & Singers

See the Artist Studios section of the Arts page for a list of local artists working in the traditional style of the northwest coast.

Those with an interest in connecting to traditional dancers, drummers and singers should contact the First Nation government office.

Whaling Monument

A gift to the City from the collection of the Royal BC Museum, a life-sized monumental woodcarving at the Victoria Quay depicts the strength and skills of Nuu-chah-nulth whalers who took to the open waters on massive, ocean-going wooden canoes to hunt the largest mammals of the sea. 

Many of the buildings in the city have been around longer than you might think - including businesses and residences. It's still possible to find a character home for sale, one that's either been lovingly cared for or one that's waiting for you to bring out its best.

Walking Tours

Download historic walking tours (PDFs) of the city produced by the Alberni Valley Museum. Each tour takes no more than 40 minutes. 

Port Alberni has a long standing history of welcoming newcomers and building something new together. Join us as we grow our cultural family. 

Abashiri-Japan Twinning Society

Port Alberni has been a Sister City with Abashiri, Japan, since 1986. The Twinning Society coordinates student and adult education and cultural exchanges and promotes goodwill between the two communities. Visit City Hall to see a display of some of the cultural gifts received. Contact the Society to inquire about travelling or being a host family.

Italian-Canadian Society

The founding body of today's Italian Hall Events Centre on 5th Avenue.

Guru Nanak Sikh Society 250-723-4483

Shri Sanatan Dhramam Society 

Natural heritage refers to the land, water, features and formations that are important to plants, animals and us. We care about them for their cultural and scientific significance, or because of their beauty.

Cathedral Grove

Legendary stand of ancient rainforest with douglas firs and red cedars with some over 800 years old. Located within MacMillan Provincial Park only a 20 minute drive east of port Alberni and directly to either side of Pacific Rim Highway #4. Visitors are encouraged to respect the sensitive habitat by staying on the designated trails and not littering.

Petroglyphs

The historic petroglyphs are located in Sproat Lake Provincial Park, a short 20-minute walk along the shoreline of the lake. A floating dock protects the integrity of the site while giving you a closeup view of hand carved traditional images on rock made by thousands of years ago by the ancestors of today's Nuu-chah-nulth people.

The Somass River Estuary

Located where the Somass River and the Albern Inlet meet, the estuary is one of the most unique environments in BC and the Alberni Valley's premier birding hotspot. The estuary’s diverse habitat offers mudflats, salt marshes, meadows, ponds, upland areas of deciduous and coniferous forest and a poplar plantation. It is one of the most important sites on Vancouver Island for wintering and migratory waterfowl, home to resident and migratory bird populations and has a diversity of plant life and wildlife. This includes:

• 204 identified plant species
  • 20 species of special significance
  • 9 different plant communities
• 100+ bird species (wintering, staging, resting/feeding)
  • Trumpeter Swan (blue-listed)
  • Year-round species
    • Great Blue Heron
    • Bald Eagle
    • Red-Tailed Hawk
• Mammals
  • Columbian Black-Tailed Deer
  • Beaver
  • Mink
  • Red Squirrel
  • Raccoon
  • Vagrant Shrew
  • Townsend's Vole
  • Deer Mouse
  • Muskrat
  • River Otter
  • Bats
  • Black Bears

During low tide throughout the year the estuary is the city's premiere bear-watching location. Safely watch the bears go fishing for salmon from the safety of the Victoria Quay waterfront - front row seats across the river. 

Learn more about birding at Bird Alberni: The Birding guide to Port Alberni.