Parks Canada has released the summer schedule for the Wapusk National Park Visitor Centre in Churchill, Manitoba. The centre is currently closed but can be opened by request; scheduled operating hours run June 22 through August 31, 2026. Housed in the historic railway station at 1 Mantayo Seepee Meskanow, the centre is the main information stop for anyone hoping to see Canada’s largest polar bear maternity denning area. Early visitors should note the centre operates on reduced hours until the end of June before expanding service for peak summer months.
From June 22 to 30, the centre will be open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Starting July 2, hours expand with Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday service from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., while Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays see extended hours until 8 p.m. The centre is closed on July 1 and July 18.
Access to the 11,475-square-kilometre park itself remains limited year-round. All activities require a licensed tour operator, and visitors are encouraged to plan ahead. Two licensed operators serve the area: Wat’chee Expeditions, a ground-based tour company run by brothers Michael and Morris Spence since 1994, and Hudson Bay Helicopters, offering aerial tours.
Summer in Churchill means beluga whale season, with about 3,000 whales entering the Churchill River Estuary—part of a wider Western Hudson Bay population of roughly 60,000 belugas—during July and August. While the park is best known for its fall polar bear viewing, the summer months draw visitors eager to experience the whales and the tundra landscape.
For more details on booking tours or visiting the centre, residents and travellers can contact Parks Canada’s Eric Pearson at [email protected] or reach out directly to the licensed operators.
