About Britannia
The City is implementing the Restoring Richmond Plan, a carefully planned step-by-step approach to reopening services, amenities and facilities impacted by COVID-19. See Affected City Services & Facilities for current service and amenity information.
Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site
5180 Westwater Drive
Richmond BC, V7E 6P3
Phone: 604-238-8050
Fax: 604-238-8040
Email: britannia@richmond.ca
Welcome Back
Britannia Shipyards is beginning its phased reopening after a deep clean of our site. The first building open is the Britannia Shipyard building – the heart of our National Historic Site.
Explore Richmond’s Heritage Safely
You will notice some changes to the way we do things:
- We are starting with limited opening hours: Thursday to Sunday, noon to 4:00pm.
- Anyone coming to the facility should not have: signs or symptoms of COVID-19 or experienced any in the previous 10 days. returned from outside Canada in the previous 14 days. been in contact with someone who has and tested positive for COVID-19.
- Visitors to Britannia Shipyards will be required to strictly follow physical distancing guidelines.
- The Shipyard building is open for small family groups to visit.
- There is a hand sanitizer station for you to use as you enter.
- Please adhere to the building’s entry and exit rules. Ropeways and signage ensures the flow of one-way traffic.
- Our programs and rentals are currently on hold.
The reopening of facilities is part of the City’s Restoring Richmond Plan, a careful and phased approach to restoring recreational and community programs, services and amenities that were placed on hold back in March. While the City encourages people to be active and enjoy the benefits of social connectivity, it also wants to ensure any restoration of services is done safely and strictly adheres to public health and WorkSafeBC guidelines.
Updates to the City’s Restoring Richmond Plan will be shared via the City website at richmond.ca/covid19 and social media channels as they are confirmed.
Hours of Operation
Britannia is now open to the public with limited hours.
Thursday - Sunday 12:00-4:00pm
Staff
Acting Site Supervisor: Tricia Buemann
Museum Coordinator: Gabrielle Sharp
Waterfront Coordinator: Geoff Bramhill
Welcome to Britannia Shipyards
For virtual tours of the Britannia Shipyard building and the City of Richmond's flagship Providence, please enjoy the videos below.
Britannia Shipyard - Main
Britannia Shipyard - Doris Forsyth's Office & Store
Providence - Flagship of the City of Richmond and Britannia Shipyards
Quick Links to Our Web PagesPlease keep checking back during summer as parts of our site are gradually opened.
Take a Virtual Tour
Using Chrome, IE11+ or Firefox, explore the following buildings:
Visitor Centre
Shipyard
Chinese Bunkhouse
Murakami House
Seine Net Loft
Manager's House
Men's Bunkhouse
Point House
Murakami Family Videos
A Capture of Memories: The Murakami Family at Britannia: This short film explores the Japanese Canadian experience through the memories of the Murakami family at Britannia.
Obachan's Garden: Asayo Murakami, 103 years old, recalls life in Japan, her arrival in Canada as a "picture bride," her determination to marry a man of her choice, the bombing of Hiroshima and the forced relocation of her family during WWII.
Follow us on Social Media
@Britannia Shipyards
@BritShipyards
@BritShipyards
Site Information 
Britannia Shipyards is an authentic representation of a once thriving community of canneries, boat yards, residences and stores.
City of Richmond staff and dedicated volunteers work together to preserve and restore the shipyard and surrounding buildings as an active wooden boat centre and waterfront park. Tour the oldest shipyard buildings in British Columbia, and observe ongoing boat restoration projects experiencing a bygone time when fishing and boatbuilding were flourishing industries on the Fraser River.
value and was designated a National Historic Site in 1992 by the National Historic Sites and Monuments Board.
Unfortunately due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all of our buildings are currently closed.
Free Mobile Tours
When the site buildings are closed, visitors who have downloaded the free City of
Richmond app, can take self guided mobile tours of 12 site buildings. If the Locations Services function of your mobile device is turned on, your phone will alert you when you're in the vicinity of a building entryway. The information transmitted is full with stories, photos and films that can be browsed at leisure. These histories are also available through Britannia's 'Points of Interest' tab of the City of Richmond app.
To take 3D interactive tours of some of the exhibit buildings, see the links on the Programs and Events page.
Facility Rentals
Britannia Shipyards is currently not accepting any new rentals for 2020 or bookings for 2021. If you are interested in renting with us in the future when we re-open, please read the information below about the Chinese Bunkhouse and the Seine Net Loft.
CBH Rental Information 2020
SNL Rental Information 2020
Photography
Visitors are welcome to take interior photos. For photo shoots inside any of the buildings, e.g., wedding, family photos, head shots, group hobby photography, prior permission must be given. For more information, click on the link below:
Photography Guidelines 2020
Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site Strategic Plan 2014 - 2018
The City has updated the Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site Strategic Plan within the context of and in support of the outcomes of the 2014 Council Term Goals, the 2022 Parks and Open Space Strategy and the 2007 Museum and Heritage Strategy and have developed a new mission, vision and six strategic focus areas.
The purpose of the strategic plan is to provide a framework for decision-making in the years ahead and to assist Richmond's rapid growth to make the City's unique historic sites even more valuable to residents and visitors.
The strategy explores Britannia Shipyards' past, current context and future as Britannia continues to contribute to making the City of Richmond the most appealing, livable and well-managed community in Canada.
Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site Strategic Plan 2014 - 2018
Partners
Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site Society www.britanniashipyard.ca
SS Master Society www.ssmaster.org