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The city's grandest (and most mysterious!) building is also open to the public. The Manitoba Legislative Building offers free hourly guided tours from July to Labour Day, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Fridays throughout the rest of the year at 2 p.m., where you can learn about its mythological and Hermetic-based architecture and sculptures. For even more insights into the city's famed architecture, the Winnipeg Architecture Foundation (winnipegarchitecture.ca/tours/) has placed QR codes on some of the city's most beloved buildings, providing insightful information on each site. The Foundation also regularly hosts free walking tours, while Heritage Winnipeg's marquee event—Doors Open Winnipeg— allows you to join free group tours of Winnipeg's most fascinating buildings for one weekend at the end of May. Learn about The Forks, Manitoba's most-visited tourism centre, using its self-guided audio walking tour (available at theforks.com). Narrated by award-winning columnist and Indigenous academic Niigaan Sinclair, the tour will guide you to the area's most noteworthy sites, all while providing context on the area's 6,000 years of Indigenous history. The Winter Park at The Forks is always free too, while Parks Canada often has free programming on at Fort Parka (located behind the Manitoba Children's Museum) all summer long. Just across Main Street from the Forks, you'll find Upper Fort Garry Provincial Park. Enter via its original circa-1853 limestone gate, then head to the colossal Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Heritage Wall where you can watch daily sound and light shows. Its free CanNect Upper Fort Garry app (available at upperfortgarry.com) brings the park to life while you explore, showcasing unique features while shining a light on this space's history. Museums and more The city is also brimming with free museums and galleries. This includes the Winnipeg Police Museum, the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and the Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre (Oseredok), where you'll find one of the largest pysanky (Easter egg) collections in North America, along with a fine art collection featuring more than 900 works and an inspiring boutique. Winnipeg also has several by donation museums, including Seven Oaks House Museum, Ross House Museum, Transcona Museum and the Fire Fighters Museum. WAG-Qaumajuq is also free on the second Sunday of every month for Canada Life Free Sundays. For even more art, be sure to mark your calendar for late September for Nuit Blanche Winnipeg, an all-night examination of the city's creative side. Taking place across the Exchange District, The Forks and Saint-Boniface, Nuit Blanche features free art installations, happenings, tours and more, all of which you must experience to believe. Upper Fort Garry Provincial Park, photo by Mike Peters 19 tourismwinnipeg.com BUDGET-FRIENDLY/FREE THINGS TO DO IN WINNIPEG