I started to write my story about this place, it's almost a year that had been passed. But was not able to publish it in my blog immediately.
I visited Royal Alberta Museum same day when I went around Edmonton City, it was Saturday - June 7, 2008 . The tour I had that day started early in the morning, I also visited that day were Muttart Conservatory (just the vicinity area since it still under renovation), West Edmonton Mall, Alberta Aviation Museum, Government House and some historic places in Edmonton such as 24th Street. Well I considered that day as my Edmonton Day Tour.
For this article I will be focusing what I did and what I found in Royal Alberta Museum. Just additional information before I continue telling my story, after I visited two royal museums such as Alberta and British Columbia (in Vancouver), I quite understand that it seems that there might be another province in Canada that have their own royal museums. After checking in internet, I just found out that there is one in Saskatchewan and Ontario province. After I learned that, I felt good that at least I was able to visit two royal museums in Canada.
As far as I remember, it was more than an hour left when we went to Royal Alberta museum and it will be closed (the reason was, we visited other places and I never realized that museum's will be closing that so soon). Because of tight schedule, we were so aware about the time but honestly, while looking to each exhibit in that museum, how I wish I have more time.
There are two levels in Royal Alberta museum. First level has portion where you can see lots of wild animals that had been preserved in some ways, they call it "Wild Alberta". And for me, seeing those animals in up close and personal (although they are not moving anymore) was one of my amazing experience in that museum. There are lots of animals I saw in that gallery. I wish I can take pictures of all of them but that is impossible with short period of time that we had. The second level, composed of the gallery of Aboriginal Culture where you can see the earlier history of Canada. While in another room, you can view the Natural History Gallery for their beautiful stones and historic fossils.
Without further ado, lets begin my short journey in one of the beautiful museum I visited in Canada.
Wild AlbertaThere are different kinds of zones in Wild Alberta.The following zones are: Borreal Forest Zone, Prairie Zone, Parkland Zone, Mountain Zone and Water Zone.
In Borreal Zone, I was quite exciting because I saw beaver that I felt like they were so real. I saw beaver while traveling in Banff but I am very far from it. Unlike in the exhibit I saw them closely and found how cute they are c",). I also found some caribou, wolf, moose, pelican and grouse. And even I have less time to see it, I still take my time to take pictures of some animals there.
Beaver
In Prairie Zone, I had fun enjoying the view of eagles. The museum exhibits different kinds of eagles. And eagles are the raptors that I really admire. The other animals I saw were: coyote, mule deer and prong horn. I also post with huge bison, the animal that I can't believe with an amazing size.
Coyote
In Parkland Zone, I found birds and swans. This is the zone where the animals you can see in Borreal and Prairie were mixed. In this place, I enjoy the different sounds of birds tweeting in my ears. And most of the sounds soothes my ears. It's really different in a place like nature, the only difference of the museum to the nature, animals through dioramas are enclosed in glasses and not in motion.
In Mountain Zone, I found the mountain lion which similarly look like a tiger. Honestly without notes at the front of diorama there, I will really think they are tiger. Other animals that I saw were bighorn sheep, grizzly bear and mountain goat.
Lion
Bighorn Sheep
Mountain Goat Kid
And in Water Zone, I saw different fishes that was enjoyable to watch but since I have limited time, I was not able to capture some photos from this area.
Syncrude Gallery of Aboriginal CultureWhen I visited this part of the museum, I totally understand who were the first people lived in Canada. They call them "First People" or "First Nation". While in this gallery it reminds me that this huge country of Canada has similarities in my own country Philippines when it comes to the first people. The way they live their life, like hunting is amazing. And the way they survive in the winter season. I saw a lot of unique stuff of Canada history.
winter ski shoe
Wolf during winter season
I saw the old winter ski shoe and that was awesome. Then I saw the clothes that the "First Nation are wearing during winter. I was able to see the ancient tools they used for living like rocks. The life that first people did to survive during ancient times such as Bison hunting. Even the kind of shelter that they live in. I remember when I visited
Fort Edmonton Park, and thinking the Fur Trading Era. It connects everything. Seeing a very old and unique stuff were wonderful. The gallery showcased the artifacts of history from Ice Age up to the modern times of Canada specially in Alberta. It's really worth to know the Alberta history and of Canada as a whole.
Natural History Gallery
Since we just have few minutes left before the museum close, we tried to visit this gallery as much as we can. But even I tried to view all those stuff displayed, I still amazed and I can't stop admiring the things I saw in this gallery. I took a lot of time, viewing the wonderful stones displayed. Every stones displayed there, struck me and I can't believe I am seeing it.
Photos above are snapshot of different stones from a video since
I don't have good photos of these magnificent rocks
Then, I saw the fossils display in the gallery where you can find the dinosaur bones located at the side of the room.
Dinosaurs bones and fossils
Photo snapshot from video
to see inside the gallery
For me everything I saw in the museums are made of artwork and passion for history. I hope you enjoy the little story I had when I visited Royal Alberta Museum last June 2008.
