The Royal Tyrrell Museum is a favourite place for dinosaur lovers of all ages. It is an easy drive of about 90 minutes from Calgary.

One of the Best Dinosaur Museums in the World

The famed Tyrannosaurus rex - one of the biggest carnivores of all time - may no longer walk the earth, but you can stand beside its skeleton and feel the power of this great, extinct animal at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, Alberta, Canada.

The museum is located outside of the town, in the dry, eroded valley of the Red Deer River. The scenery is a spectacular display of Canadian badlands. Over time, the river has cut through the soft sediments of the valley to form a landscape of strange curved shapes and striking muted shades of grey, red, brown and white.

Known to many as the dinosaur museum, the Royal Tyrrell Museum displays and explains the physical evidence of early forms of life. The dinosaur gallery may be the most memorable part of a visit, featuring life-size displays of dinosaur skeletons as the animals are believed to have looked in their original habitat.

The Tyrrell Museum has ten major exhibits. One of these features the Burgess Shale. This geologic formation has yielded an astonishing variety of fossilized life forms unlike anything living today.

The Cretaceous Garden is an indoor conservatory showing some of the ancient plants which we still enjoy having around us today, growing indoors and in tropical nature.

The museum staff at the Tyrrell Museum can often be seen working in the specimen preparation lab, much of which is visible to visitors through a big glass window.

Accessibility

For wheelchairs and strollers, the Royal Tyrrell Museum is completely accessible, although larger strollers (double-wide and double-long strollers) are not allowed inside due to fire regulations. The large strollers may be exchanged at no charge for smaller ones. Alternatively, strollers and wheelchairs may be rented on site.

The Tyrrell can be very busy on weekends in the summer (July and August especially). Although it is always an instructive and enjoyable place to visit, it would be advisable to avoid these peak visitor days if accessibility is a concern.

Hands-on Access

The Royal Tyrrell Museum's website does not emphasize any particular hands-on opportunities. Nevertheless, there are some touchable exhibits, audio commentary as part of a number of the exhibits, and there is an audio guide which may be rented.

The Cretaceous Garden is a rich sensory experience. It does not take more than a few minutes to walk straight through the garden, but there are benches where one could easily enjoy a much longer break to enjoy the sights, smells, and sounds of the place.

Parking

The on-site parking is free and there are handicapped parking spots near the main entrance. When the museum is busy, an overflow parking lot is put to use. This lot is downhill from the museum. Visitors can climb a long set of stairs to enter the museum, or take a complimentary ride on a little shuttle vehicle to get to the upper level.

Food Services and Washrooms

Both the cafeteria and one set of washrooms are located near the main museum entrance, and are wheelchair-accessible.

Outdoor Activities

There are walking trails around the museum, including one to a great lookout point with a commanding view of the surrounding badlands.

Further Information

The museum is open year-round and is an excellent day trip from Calgary. It is well-suited for families of all ages, scientists and children with an interest in science, and for anyone who wants to understand the natural history of life on earth. The best time to visit is in the spring and fall (April-June, September-October), as the weather is generally pleasant (though not always predictable) and the museum is not likely to be crowded. During July and August, a mid-week visit is better than a weekend one. On weekends, it may be less crowded to visit later in the day.

During May 19 - September 3, 2007, the museum will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. The hours change seasonally and in the winter the museum is closed on Mondays.

It almost goes without saying that this is THE place to bring little ones who love dinosaurs.