The second annual Doors Open Winnipeg will open more buildings for the public to explore in downtown Winnipeg, the Exchange District and St. Boniface on May 14 and 15, 2005. The free weekend event offers visitors the chance to discover the extraordinary architecture and untold stories of 40 of Winnipeg’s built treasures. Participating buildings will host “open houses” from 10 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Most sites will feature guided or self-guided tours. Volunteers will provide information sheets detailing the history and cultural significance of the buildings, and guides to the event will also be available at each building. (Please see www.doorsopenwinnipeg.ca for specific building dates and times.)

Doors Open Winnipeg is presented by the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, the Exchange District BIZ and Heritage Winnipeg. Last year’s inaugural event drew 45,000 visits to some of Winnipeg’s most interesting buildings. Due to the popularity of last year’s event, the building hours have been extended from to 6:00 p.m.

Participating buildings range from museums and churches to theatres and hotels to a jail and curling club. Popular buildings returning from last year include the Vaughan Street Jail, Red River College Princess Street Campus, the Millennium Centre, Thunderbird House and St. Boniface Basilica.

New buildings added to the Doors Open roster for this year include the Fairchild Lofts on Princess Street, St. Boniface College, Knox United Church at 400 Edmonton Street, Dalnavert Museum, including the new visitor centre expansion, the Empire Cabaret, just north of Portage and Main, and the Metropolitan Theatre.