Calgary has over 25 different museums, reflecting its location in the West and its cultural diversity.
Aero Space Museum of Calgary
2629 McCall Way NE Calgary
250-3752
Mo-Fr 10am-5pm, Sa-Su 10am-5pm
Bi-plane and single-wing commercial and military planes, airplane engines. Some artifacts are under on-going restoration work.
Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre
197-1 St SW Calgary
262-5071
9am – 9pm, Museum open 11am-5pm, tours available.
Features a large dome, modelled after the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, with 60 foot golden columns. This is one of the largest cultural centres (70,000 sq feet) in Canada. Ongoing exhibitions and cultural events, an arts & crafts store, 380-seat chinese restaurant.
Calgary Military Museums
4520 Crowchild Tr SW Calgary
974-2850
Th-Tu 10a -4p, closed Wednesdays
Exhibits on Calgary’s military heritage, particularly the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI), the King’s Own Calgary Regiment, the Calgary Highlanders, The Calgary Naval Reserves, and the Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians). Vintage tanks and carriers are outdoors. Largest military museum in Western Canada.
Calgary Police Service Interpretive Centre
2nd Level, 316-7 Ave SW Calgary
268-4566
Mo & Wed 9am-4pm, Sa 11am-4pm, Su 12-4pm
Interactive educational facility geared to the whole family dealing wth crime and the consequences of crime. Addresses topics like domestic violence, prostitution and drugs. Features a walk-through ‘flop house’.
Calgary Zoo, Botanical Garden and Prehistoric Park
PO Box 3036 Stn B Calgary
232-9300
Open year-round from 9am-4pm or 6pm
Over a thousand animals, including several rare or endangered species. Prehistoric Park with 22 life-size models. Botanical gardens.
Canada Olympic Park
88 Canada Olympic Rd SW Calgary
247-5490
Mo – Fr 10am – 10pm, weekends 9am – 5pm
Site of 1988 Olympic Winter Games events including: bobsleigh, luge, ski jumping, freestyle skiing. Guided bus tours and 90-metre ski jump tower elevations available daily. Olympic Hall of Fame & Museum with bobsleigh and ski-jump simulators.
Canadian Western Natural Gas Ltd.
909-11 Ave SW Calgary
245-7611
8am-4:30pm (allow 40 minutes for your tour)
History of the the evolution of natural gas production, transmission, and distribution since the beginning of the century. Exhibits showcase the introduction of home gas service.
Cave & Basin (Banff)
Banff
403-762-1566
Explore the original cave that caused a speculative land boom in Banff, causing the federal
government to protect the rare geology for all Canadians, creating Banff National Park. Take a swim in the Basin swimming pool in a rented 1920’s-style bathing suit.
Fort Calgary Historic Park
750-9 Ave SE Calgary
290-1875
Open May 1 – Oct 14: 9am-5pm
Historical site of the 1875 North West Mounted Police fort. Forty-acre park at the nustion of the Bow and Elbow Rivers has an interpretive centre, with ongoing excavation and reconstruction of the original fort.
Glenbow Museum
130-9 Ave SE Calgary
237-8988
Tu – Su 9am – 5pm, closed Monday.
Exhibits relating to Native culture, Western settlement, early farming, and the oil industry. Art exhibits on the second floor and an extensive gift shop. A research library is located on the 6th floor.
Grain Academy
Stampede Rundup Centre – Plus 15 level walkway to Saddledome
PO Box 2680 Calgary
263-4594
Mo-Fr 10am-4pm, also Sa 12-4pm (Apr-Sep)
Grain industry education and interpretive centre. Includes a model train layout to demonstrate grain is shipped from the Prairies to the Pacific.
Head-Smashed-in Buffalo Jump
PO Box 1977, Fort Macleod
403-265-0048
Summer hours: Tu-Su 9am-8pm, Winter hours: Tu-Su 9am-5pm
A Plains Indians historic interpretive centre, with theatre and trails, focused on their hunting practices. Guides, displays and artifact replicas. A designated World Heritage Site.
Heritage Park and Historical Village
1900 Heritage Dr SW Calgary
403-268-8500
from Victoria Day: M-F 9am – 5pm, Sa-Su 9am-5pm; Summer hours: M-Su 10am-6pm; to Thanksgiving: Sa-Su 10a-5p
Canada’s largest historical village, a recreation of pre-1915 prairie pioneer life. Steam train. paddlewheeler, and antique midway rides. Before 10 am daily: a Stampede-style breakfast with paid admission.
Luxton Museum of the Plains Indian
PO Box 850, Banff
403-762-2388
May 15-Oct 15: Mo-Su 9a-9p; Oct 16 – May 14; Mo-Su 11:30a – 4:30p
Museum showcases turn-of-the-century living conditions for Natives. Crafts and gift store with Indian and Inuit art.
Nickle Arts Museum
2500 University Dr NW Calgary
220-7234
Tu-Fr 10am-5pm, Sa-Su 1pm-5pm
Three gallery halls host 20 different exhibitions a year. Permanent exhibit: collection of coins of the ancient world
Olympic Hall of Fame & Museum
88 Canada Olympic Rd SW Calgary
247-5452
10am-5pm (allow one hour)
Tribute to Canada’s Winter Olympians with three floors of Olympic memories. Exhibits include bobsleigh and ski jump simulators, interactive displays, costumes, and Calgary Games highlights.
Pioneer Acres of Alberta
Box 58 Irricana
935-4357
Mo – Su 9am-5pm
Working museum of early 20th century rural Alberta life, featuring early agricultural implements and household artifacts.
Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology
PO Box 7500 Drumheller
403-823-7707
Summer: 9am-9pm, Winter 10am-5pm, closed Mondays except holidays
World’s largest collection of complete dinosaur skeletons, with nearby World Heritage Site of Drumheller badlands. Excellent exhibits detailing earth’s history and evolution of life on this planet. A designated World Heritage Site.
Sam Livingston Fish Hatchery
1440-17A Street SE Calgary
297-6561
M-F 10am-4pm, April-Sept:Sa-Su 1pm-5pm
Self-guided tours of the hatchery, which stocks several trout species into one-third of Alberta’s 1,000 lakes and streams. Open since 1973.
Telus World of Science
220 Saint George’s Drive Northeast, T2E 5T2
221-3680
Tu-Su 10am-5pm, closed Mondays
Discovery Hall features various interactive exhibits (changes every three months). Discovery Dome is home to the latest in multimedia giant-screen projection technology. The Plaiedes Theatre features live performances, primarily mystery theatre.
Tsuu T’ina Museum
3680 Anderson Rd SW Calgary
238-2677
8am – 4pm (closed for lunch)
Commemorates the 100 year history of Tsuu T’ina (Sarcee) Indians since Treaty Seven. Exhibits include a model Teepee and headresses.