3 Reasons to Get Back To The Royal Tyrrell Museum This Summer
For those that have never had the privilege of visiting the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, we’re so excited for you to experience Drumheller’s world famous museum. With Lonely Planet calling it “one of the preeminent dinosaur museums on the planet,” Discover Canada picking the museum as one of their officially curated Canadian Signature Experiences, and CNN Travel naming it one of the best dinosaur museums in the world – this museum lives up to its hype for first time visitors.
But it’s also great for returning guests too. For those that have been before, this summer we invite you to get back. Getting back means reconnecting with your inner child that fell in love with dinosaurs the moment you saw Jurassic Park, or that time your parents bought you your first Lego dinosaur set. Getting back means remembering the reaction you had when you laid eyes upon your first fossil. It also means returning to the Badlands and re-experiencing that and more with your loved ones at the Royal Tyrrell Museum.
Here are 3 more reasons to get back to the Royal Tyrell Museum this summer.
1. Fun for All Ages
We know, you’ve heard it a lot – that age-old saying “something for everyone”. Well, it’s actually true at the Royal Tyrrell Museum. From The Good Dinosaur to Jurassic World – dinosaurs are prevalent topics in pop culture at any age.
Beyond covering a topic that is interesting to all ages, the Royal Tyrrell Museum makes it a point to be informative, interesting and interactive for all ages. This means that the family with three kids pushing their stroller through the museum while on a weekend trip from Edmonton will find their visit just as enjoyable as the tour bus group of senior visitors attending from a nearby conference in Calgary. Not many places are versatile enough to offer equal value to family day outings as they do date nights – but you’ll find that balance at the Royal Tyrrell Museum.
Every turn in the museum uncovers more wonder for all ages. A favourite exhibit, one of the coolest dinosaur finds of the recent past, showcases a plant-eating armoured dinosaur known as a ‘nodosaur’. It’s the oldest known dinosaur mummy found in the province. It’s one of the most significant finds because a major amount of the dinosaur fossil, including its armour, was found completely intact and unblemished from the force of nature. For children, it looks like a sleeping dragon, and for adults, it gives off so many layered emotions it’s hard to leave its sleeping side.
2. Public Programs Galore
Let’s talk about the Royal Tyrrell Museum’s public programming. While a visit to the museum is a great outing by itself, you can enhance the experience with one of their many public programs. Here’s a few we recommend:
Fossil Casting
Have you ever wanted to make your own fossil replica? Learn exactly the difference between fossils and casts and try your hand at creating your own fossils casts in this 45-minute indoor workshop. Families particularly enjoy this program.
Seven Wonders of the Badlands
Especially enjoyed by couples and older visitors, Seven Wonders of the Badlands is a 60-minute guided hike through Midland Provincial Park. It’s the kind of hike that’ll teach you all about the amazing rock formations and the history of the Badlands in one go.
So Many other activities
Another popular program is The Dig Experience – excavations that take place in outdoor simulated dig sites, where you can uncover fossil replicas exactly the way palaeontologists do it and you’ll get to check out some real fossils too. There’s Raptor Assembly, an interactive 20-minute program where you watch a fearsome raptor skeleton get built from the ground up. Passion for the Past is a video presentation detailing just how the museum’s in-house scientists work at uncovering the past. No matter your interest or mood, the Royal Tyrrell Museum has a program that’ll pique your interest. Have a look through their extensive list of activities to enhance your visit.
3. Extended Summer Hours
During the summer months, the museum extends their hours well into the evening, seven days a week including holidays. Besides more time to check out their amazing dinosaur fossils and exhibits, the extended hours give you a chance to escape the blazing mid-day Badlands summer heat as well as experience a quieter time at the museum. You’ll also have more time to take in programs and go at your own pace.
Recent new additions include n a hands-on learning space, and the redeveloped Cenozoic: The Rise of Mammals Exhibit details of which can be found here https://royaltyrrellmuseum.wpcomstaging.com/2021/06/14/cenozoic-the-rise-of-mammals/
This summer, plan your next dinosaur experience with the world-renowned Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in mind. It’s not every day you have one of the world’s largest displays of dinosaurs, not to mention a chock full of creative programming appealing to families and couples alike, simply waiting in your backyard.