Calgary 
Enjoy free admission at select Alberta museums and historic sites on Monday, February 16, 2026.
Credit: Alberta Culture and Tourism
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 16th & Offering Free Admission
1. Oil Sands Discovery Centre – Families are invited to the Oil Sands Discovery Centre this Family Day for a hands-on introduction to geology. Visitors can build a dinosaur puppet, make a salt dough fossil, and learn how fossils form. Interactive presentations run at 11:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m., offering learning opportunities throughout the day. Monday, February 16, 2026, 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. Monday, February 16, 2026, 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. Explore this elegant historic house, join in historical games with the costumed interpreters, sample a treat made in the historic kitchen, and make an old-fashioned craft. Monday, February 16, 2026, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. @ 11153 Saskatchewan Drive
Edmonton
4. Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology – The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology, Canada’s unique museum dedicated to ancient life, offers one of the largest dinosaur displays globally and engaging educational programs. Enjoy Fossil Casting and the Express Dig Experience ($10/person), where kids can make fossil casts and dig for real fossils. Free Science on Stage presentations run at 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.. Programs cater to all ages, offering hands-on learning and interactive fun! Free Family Day tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis on February 17, 2025. Monday, February 16, 2026, 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. Built in 1891 by Senator James A. Lougheed and Lady Isabella Hardisty Lougheed, the site reopened as a museum in 2005 after a decade-long restoration. The day includes crafts, complimentary tours, and time to explore the historic house. Monday, February 16, 2026, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm @ 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. Celebration at the site, located southwest of Fort McLeod, includes live Alberta Birds of Prey display, Storytelling, an array of interactive archaeology activities, guided building tours, and “Living off the Land” artifact demonstrations. Monday, February 16, 2026, 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 Museums Free on Family Day:
- Hanger Flight Museum – Hanger Flight Museum houses over two dozen aircraft representing the civilian, military, and commercial history of flight in Canada. Monday, February 16, 2026, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. @ 4629 McCall Way NE, Calgary
- Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre – Explore five floors of exhibitions, enjoy all-ages activities, and experience live performances, including headlining sets from new wave group BETABOYS. Monday, February 16, 2026, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. @ 850 4 Street SE Calgary
Other Activities:
Family Day Weekend in Edmonton
