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Miniature World

649 Humboldt Street · Victoria, BC

Why you should go…

Miniature World is a walk-through attraction on the north side of the Fairmont Empress Hotel, a few steps from Victoria's Inner Harbour and the BC Legislature. Visitors move through more than 85 dioramas with lighting, sound and animation: one of the world's largest model railways crossing a miniature Canada, two 1880s dollhouses with over 50 rooms, circus and castle scenes, and a working miniature sawmill. It has operated for about 50 years and is open daily year-round, with hours that vary by season.

  • #miniatures
  • #model trains
  • #dollhouses
  • #indoor
  • #inner harbour

Good to know

General attractions guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Book the time slot, not just the ticket

    Timed entry is now the norm at big-draw attractions, and online tickets are often cheaper than the gate.

  • Grab the daily schedule on arrival

    Feeding times, keeper talks, and shows run on a posted timetable that changes day to day.

  • The first hour is the quietest

    Queues build through late morning and peak after lunch, so an early start buys you the shortest waits.

  • Budget past the ticket price

    Parking, lockers, strollers, and food inside the gates are common extras worth planning for.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Miniature World, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Tours
    Outdoor Adventure

    Prince of Whales

    $50+

    Whale and marine wildlife boat tours departing from Victoria and Vancouver in search of orcas and humpbacks.

    Steps awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Tours
    Outdoor Adventure

    Orca Spirit Adventures

    $50+

    Whale watching boat tours from Victoria's harbour in search of orcas, humpbacks and other marine wildlife.

    Steps awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Museums
    Iconic

    Royal BC Museum

    $25–$50

    Victoria's flagship museum showcasing British Columbia's natural and human history.

    Steps awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Victoria Butterfly Gardens

    Under $25

    Indoor tropical jungle in Brentwood Bay with thousands of free-flying butterflies from up to 70 species, plus flamingos, parrots, poison dart frogs and tortoises.

    11 mi awayMore like this

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    The Raptors

    $25–$50

    Birds-of-prey centre near Duncan on Vancouver Island with daily flying demonstrations, hawk walks and hands-on encounters with eagles, hawks and owls.

    29 mi awayMore like this

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Hologram Zoo Vancouver

    $25–$50

    Walk-through holographic wildlife attraction beside BC Place with rotating shows such as Dinosaurs, Underwater and Asia.

    60 mi awayMore like this