Attractions
Calgary - Glenbow Museum
Located in the heart of Calgary opposite the tower, Canada's largest museum has more than 93,000 square feet (8,640 sq meters) of exhibition space spread over three floors. It houses more than a million objects that fill up its 20 galleries and showcase the colorful history of Canada's West. Explore the exhibits to discover the people, stories and events that shaped the region from its First Nations to the arrival of the European settlers. There is a family-friendly Discovery Room, which is an open studio full of educational activities and crafts that bring the museum to life. A special feature is the Blackfoot Gallery, which tells the story of the Nitsitapi people through interactive displays, artifacts, a film and circular narrative path. There are also some 28,000 artworks dating from the 19th century to the present on display in the museum. Glenbow's library is a treasure trove of reference materials on western Canada and the Glenbow Archives are a major research center for historians, writers, students and the media.
Address: 130 9th Avenue, S.E
Telephone: (403) 268 4100
Web site: www.glenbow.org
Opening time: Daily 9am to 5pm, closing at 9pm on Thursdays. Library and archives open Tuesday to Friday 10am to 5pm
Admission: C$12 (Monday to Friday), C$14 (weekends). Concessions available
Calgary - Calgary Zoo
Canada's second largest zoo includes a botanical garden and prehistoric park, and offers more than 100 rare animals, a variety of birds, species of reptiles and amphibians in natural habitat enclosures. In the prehistoric park there are 19 life-size dinosaur models on display. The gardens include a 20,000 square foot (1,858 sq meter) conservatory and butterfly garden and a special Rocky Mountain exhibit featuring many indigenous Alberta animals, including the endangered Whooping Crane. The zoo is situated close to the downtown area, St George's Island.
Address: 1300 Zoo Road NE
Telephone: (403) 232 9300
Web site: www.calgaryzoo.com
Openingtime: Open daily 9am to 5pm
Admission: C$15 (adult), C$7.50 (child); other concessions available
Calgary - Fort Calgary
This historical site chronicles Calgary's history between 1875 and the 1940s and allows visitors to step back in time and explore the early days of the city through interactive exhibits, costumed interpreters, hands on activities, guided tours and an entertaining audio-visual presentation. Fort Calgary is situated on the site of an original North West Mounted Police Fort and is designed to preserve the history of the founding, development and growth of the city. The 40-acre riverside park includes the reconstructed 1875 fort, 1888 barracks, the interpretive center and Deane House Historic Site and restaurant.
Address: 750 - 9th Avenue SE
Telephone: (403) 290 1875
Email: info@fortcalgary.com
Web site: www.fortcalgary.ab.ca
Openingtime: Daily 9am to 5pm (May to October); hours vary from November to April
Admission: C$10 (adults), C$6 (youth). Other concessions available
Canadian Rocky Mountains - Columbia Icefields
This massive field of ancient ice, made up of three glaciers, is situated near the town of Jasper in the middle of Jasper National Park. The icefield covers 125 square miles (325 sq km) and in places is estimated to be 1,270ft (385m) deep. The icefield feeds four of north America's major river systems, the Columbia, Fraser, Mackenzie and Saskatchewan and its meltwaters flow into three different oceans, the Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic. Tours of the glacier are offered on snow-coaches between April and October each year. Ice-walk tours are also offered by the Jasper Adventure Center.
Canadian Rocky Mountains - Jasper
Affectionately known as the "little town in the big park", Jasper lies in the middle of Canada's largest mountain park, the Jasper National Park, and makes a delightful base from which to explore the lakes and mountains. The town is 233 miles (373km) from Edmonton and lies among pristine wilderness, surrounded by a necklace of green lakes and majestic waterfalls. Besides exploring the surrounding premiere national park there are one or two attractions in the town itself. These include the Jasper-Yellowhead Historical Society Museum featuring displays that deal with the early explorers in the region; the 165ft (55m) deep Maligne River Canyon; the longest and highest reversible tramway in Canada that transports passengers up Whistlers Mountain; and the Den Wildlife Museum that houses more than 100 specimens in their natural habitat.
