[3] Built in 1895 on Hudson's Bay Company Reserve land, it was the home of Sir Hugh John Macdonald, former Premier of Manitoba and son of Canada's First Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald; his wife Gertrude Agnes VanKoughnet; and their children, Daisy and Jack.

The house is an example of Queen Anne Revival architecture, and it has been furnished for the late Victoria era.

A committee of the Junior League of Winnipeg completed acquisition of equipment for the kitchen.

A Visitors Centre was constructed in 2005 with Wins Bridgman as its architect.

It was temporarily closed in November 2013,[4] but was reopened in May 2015 [5][6] thanks to extensive community support and campaigning by the Friends of Dalnavert.