St. Norbert Arts Centre — Attraction in Winnipeg

The St Norbert Arts Center is located in St Norbert provincial heritage park. It is extremely beautiful and is lovingly maintained. It offers beautiful views of the LaSalle river as well as the ruins of the Trappist monastery.

The Guest House at the former Trappist Monastery site is a three-storey wood-frame structure crowned with a mansard roof punctuated by dormers. Constructed in 1912 on the foundation of an 1892 building, the guest house, now home to the St. Norbert Arts Centre, is tucked away from the south Winnipeg community of St. Norbert in a thick veil of forest on the banks of the La Salle River. The City of Winnipeg designation applies to the buildings on its footprint. HERITAGE VALUE The Guest House is the last remaining intact building on the original site of Notre Dame des Prairies, a monastery closely associated with the development of St. Norbert and the preservation of the French language and culture in the area. Operated from 1892 to 1978, this facility was both a contemplative setting and a substantial, self-sufficient mixed farm where the Trappists led productive, but austere lives. Their church, monastic wing and guest house formed the nucleus of the complex. Designed and built by the monks, the guest house is typical of the Second Empire style and standard layout of Roman Catholic eccliastical architecture in Canada. Its unadorned, restrained character further expresses the Trappists' Cistercian values that favour simple architecture and minimal decoration over worldly ostentation. This important site recalls one of only four Trappist monasteries established in Canada by the early...

I've had the pleasure of photographing multiple weddings at St. Norbert Arts Centre, and it’s truly a gem of a venue! The grounds are stunning, offering such a unique variety of backdrops—from the historic ruins and lush gardens to the charming patio and beautiful indoor spaces. It’s always a treat to capture weddings here because every couple can make the space their own.

Connie and her team are amazing—always on top of the details, ensuring everything runs smoothly for couples and their guests. Their warmth and attentiveness make the experience that much better.

Beyond weddings, SNAC is also a wonderful spot for family photo sessions. The ruins offer such interesting framing opportunities, blending Tyndall stone textures with the surrounding natural landscape—perfect for families who want a mix of history and greenery in their photos.

I always love returning to this space, and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a picturesque and meaningful location for their wedding or...

Connie was the real superstar in making our wedding day so wonderful! We were supposed to get married at Fort Gibraltar but due to the incident that happened there we were moved to St. Norbert Arts Centre. Although the venue change (and we ended up having to change our date) was stressful, Connie helped us with the changes and helped to make us feel more at ease. We felt very well taken care of in her hands. It ended up being such a beautiful wedding and we were so happy with the venue in the end. The day ran smoothly and it turned out to be an even more amazing day than we had imagined. We received many compliments from our guests who said it was one of the more beautiful weddings they had ever been to. We highly recommend the FG event staff and the SNAC venue was...