People who grew up in Moose Jaw tell stories of playing in a maze of tunnels under the town. No one knows what the real purpose of the tunnels was. Only a few tunnels remain since some of the buildings have filled in the tunnels under their structures. The tunnels that do remain were turned into the Tunnels of Moose Jaw, an underground, interactive museum experience that relies on theatrical tours to explain history.
Some of the tours are based on events that occurred when the town of Moose Jaw relied on a large liquor distribution network during the Prohibition era. Gambling, prostitution and speakeasies gained popularity in Moose Jaw during this time. Even the police chief was able to get rich thanks to his relationships with gangsters, supposedly including Chicago Mafia leader Al Capone. The tours weave these stories with events of the times to explain history.
Moose Jaw is in the heart of Saskatchewan’s great prairies. Moose Jaw is about 60 miles west of Regina between Calgary, Alberta on the west and Winnipeg, Manitoba, on the east.
Each tour takes 50 minutes and includes animatronics characters, including a piano player, bartender and a drunk, in a multimedia presentation. Live tour guides dress and talk like the characters they represent. One tour, The Chicago Connection, tells the history of bootlegging in Moose Jaw. The other tour, Passage to Fortune, focuses on the early Chinese immigrants and their lives as they made their way through Canada.
The Tunnels of Moose Jaw are open daily and year-round except for Christmas. Depending on the season, tours are available sometime between 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Check ahead of time to determine the schedule. Group, children and youth rates are available. Discounts are given to visitors who buy both tours. Purchase tours at the tunnels office.
Moose Jaw offers a number of accommodations, restaurants and boutique shops. Accommodations in Moose Jaw range from bed and breakfasts to motels and hotels. Restaurants include pizza joints, soup and sandwich shops, fast food, and Asian-inspired restaurants.
