Doukhobor Discovery Centre (Castlegar)
Doukhobor Discovery Centre
An open-air museum recreating the life of Russian Doukhobor settlers, where you can taste traditional borscht and rye bread.
The Doukhobor Discovery Centre is located across from Castlegar Airport and is a restored village of an early 20th-century Doukhobor community. The Doukhobors are a Russian Christian sect that embraces pacifism. Because they refused military service, they were persecuted, and in 1899, with support from Leo Tolstoy, they emigrated to Canada, later establishing communal farms in the Kootenay region. The village includes two-story brick communal houses, bathhouses, a blacksmith shop and a weaving workshop, displaying traditional costumes, farm tools and handicrafts. A statue of Tolstoy also stands in the grounds. In summer, you can taste vegetarian borscht and rye bread. Admission is about 12 Canadian dollars, and a visit takes about 1 hour. It is about 40 km from Nelson.
Opening hours
Approx. May–Sep 10:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Cottonwood Falls Park
- Pulpit Rock Trail
- Baker Street Heritage District
- Touchstones Nelson Museum of Art and History
- Nelson Electric Streetcar No. 23
- Lakeside Park & Big Orange Bridge
- Whitewater Ski Resort
- Kokanee Creek Provincial Park