Enjoy free admission at select Alberta’s museums and historic sites on Monday, February 19, 2024.
The Family Day weekend also marks the first of two annual Family Fishing Weekends. Head out and discover the lure of fishing without buying a sportfishing licence. All regulations still apply.
Alberta Museums Open on Feb 19th & Offering Free Admission
1. Oil Sands Discovery Centre – Visit the Oil Sands Discovery Centre on Family Day for a free, educational experience about human body systems through hands-on activities and engaging presentations. Activities include building a skeleton hand, testing heart and lung models, and making slime to learn about blood. Scheduled presentations feature Keyano College, DNA extraction, and Dental Hygiene Express. Monday, February 19, 2024, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. @ 515 MacKenzie Blvd, Fort McMurray
2. Royal Alberta Museum —The Royal Alberta Museum, Western Canada’s largest, offers an extensive journey through Alberta’s history with over 82,000 square feet of exhibition space. It showcases over 5,300 artifacts, from petroglyphs and dinosaurs to First Peoples’ history and modern Alberta. Highlights include the Natural History Hall, Human History Hall, Bug Gallery, a Children’s Gallery, and international exhibitions. Walk-up tickets available if advanced ones are sold out. Monday, February 19, 2024, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. @ Royal Alberta Museum, 103A Avenue Northwest, Edmonton
3. Rutherford House — This Family Day, experience a free guided tour at the historic home of Alberta’s first Premier, Alexander Cameron Rutherford. Discover intriguing details about the Rutherford family, from their favorite bedtime snacks to their pets and vacation spots. Engage with costumed interpreters, enjoy treats from the historic kitchen, and create traditional crafts in this elegant house museum. Monday, February 19, 2024, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. @ 11153 Saskatchewan Drive
Edmonton
4. Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology – The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, Canada’s unique museum dedicated to ancient life, offers one of the largest dinosaur displays globally and engaging educational programs. On February 19, activities include Fossil Casting and Express Dig Experience for a fee, and free Geologic Time Scale and Raptor Assembly sessions. Programs are designed for various ages, combining hands-on experiences like making fossil casts, uncovering real fossils, and assembling dinosaur skeletons, to bring prehistoric pasts to vivid life. Monday, February 19, 2024 , 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. @ Midland Provincial Park, Drumheller
5. Lougheed House – A rare example of a grand sandstone prairie mansion, blends Victorian eclectic styles, featuring modern conveniences of its era and reflecting the Lougheed family’s prestige. On February 19th, enjoy free admission to explore this historic site, partake in a Métis beading workshop, family-friendly tours, and craft your own hot chocolate during regular hours, with tours from 12 pm to 2:30 pm. Monday, February 19, 2024, 11:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. @ 707 13 Ave SW, Calgary
6. Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump – Head-Smashed-in Buffalo Jump, a site used for communal hunting for over 6,000 years by the Plains Buffalo people, features advanced techniques for herding bison into lanes towards a cliff for capture. This location, exceptionally well-preserved and extensive, offers insights into pre-European North American hunting practices. The site, located southwest of Fort McLeod, celebrates Family Day with events like live bird displays, storytelling, archaeological simulations, and demonstrations of historical survival skills. near Fort Macleod on Monday, February 19, 2024, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. @ Highway AB-785, Fort MacLeod
Historic sites like Okotoks Erratic – ‘Big Rock’, Brooks Aqueduct and Leitch Collieries are free to visit year-round.
Other Activities:
Family Day Weekend in Edmonton