Looking for the best museums in Edmonton? Edmonton is an incredible city to explore and that’s in part because of the amazing museums you can visit there.
What’s great is that there are many different kinds of museums in the city. You can learn about natural history, see art, and learn about science. But at the same time, you can also learn about clothing and textile, see neon signs, and see old cars!
I love visiting museums and to help you find the best one for you, I made this guide with the best ones in the city. I made sure to include many different kinds of museums in this guide to make sure you can find some Edmonton museums that are right for you.
Best Museums in Edmonton
Royal Alberta Museum
The Royal Alberta Museum is a museum where you can learn about both human history and natural history. And the museum focuses on this history in relation to the province of Alberta in particular.
You can find very diverse galleries at the museum that cover a large variety of history.
For example, there is one hall that focuses on natural history. Here, you can find fossils, plants, and many other objects that relate to the wildlife of the province of Alberta. Also, you can learn about gems and minerals here.
Furthermore, there is one hall that focuses on the human history of the province of Alberta.
Here, you can learn about various parts of the province’s history.
Besides that, there are other interesting galleries that focus on other topics, including a gallery where you can often see new and changing exhibitions.
Address: 9810 103a Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 0G2
Muttart Conservatory
The Muttart Conservatory is a very interesting place to visit if you want to learn about plants.
At this place, you can find 3 climate-regulated biomes. These biomes are arid, temperate, and tropical.
In each of these biomes, you can see a huge variety of species of plants that belong to that biome.
You can go for a walk at this museum and learn about the plants. Also, the plants look very beautiful, and that alone makes going here great as well.
Also, what’s nice is that the Muttart Conservatory consists of several glass pyramids. If you like architecture, you’ll definitely like seeing these pyramids as well!
Address: 9626 96a St NW, Edmonton, AB T6C 4L
Mactaggart Art Collection
The Mactaggart Art Collection is an art collection that is part of the University of Alberta Museums, which belongs to the University of Alberta.
The collection contains more than 1,000 different works of art that vary a lot. These works are very rare, which makes them very interesting to visit.
For example, you can see very unique textiles, costumes, engravings, paintings, and many other rare objects in this collection.
Furthermore, the objects come from ancient and modern East Asia.
If you want to learn about the history and the culture of East Asia, this is a very interesting museum in Edmonton to visit.
Moreover, if you want to visit the collection, you have to book a tour.
Address: 87 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E6
Art Gallery of Alberta
Another one of the top museums in the city is the Art Gallery of Alberta.
At this museum, you can learn about the visual arts of Western Canada.
The museum houses a collection of more than 6,000 different works of art. And the art that you can see here is, for the largest part, produced in the province of Alberta. Another part of the collection comes from other parts of western Canada.
You can see a lot of historic Canadian paintings and other art at this place.
Furthermore, the museum features modern and contemporary art by Canadian artists.
Another interesting collection of the museum is its photography collection. These photographs include both historical as well as contemporary ones.
Address: 2 Sir Winston Churchill Sq, Edmonton, AB T5J 2C1
Anne Lambert Clothing and Textiles Collection
Another one of the top museums in Edmonton is the Anne Lambert Clothing and Textiles Collection.
This is a collection that is part of the University of Alberta and it consists of more than 23,000 different objects.
The objects that you can find here are all related to clothing and textile.
For example, you can find clothing here that was worn by people from all around the world in the past 300 years.
Also, you can learn about the production of clothing at this museum through interesting historic objects that relate to that.
For example, you can see equipment to produce clothing here.
Also, there are old fashion magazines and photographs, that can be very interesting to see as well.
I definitely love that the collection is so varied!
Neon Sign Museum
The Neon Sign Museum is a museum that you have to check out as well when you are going to the city of Edmonton.
This is an outdoor museum where you can learn about the history of neon in the city.
The museum consists of a collection of neon signs that you can see on the outside wall of the TELUS building.
What’s great is that the neon signs still work and that the museum is open 24 hours per day. This means that when you go here when it is dark outside, you can see the neon signs, including their colors, which can be very interesting and beautiful to see.
Also, it is interesting to see the historic fonts and content of the signs.
Address: 104 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 0K7
Paleontology Museum
The Paleontology Museum in Edmonton, or the Invertebrate Paleontology Collection of the University of Alberta, is a very interesting place to visit when you are visiting the city of Edmonton.
This museum has a very interesting permanent collection that includes many thousands of specimens.
The specimens that you can find at this museum are very old. Some of the specimens are more than 600 million years old.
You can see dinosaurs, fish, and much more at this museum.
Through this collection, you can learn about very old creatures and about the evolution theory in general, which is very interesting!
Edmonton Public Schools Archives and Museum
The Edmonton Public Schools Archives and Museum is a museum that you can find inside the historic McKay Avenue School.
This is a historic building where you can learn about the heritage of Edmonton Public Schools.
You can do a self-guided tour of this place through which you can learn about the history of public schools at the beginning of the province of Alberta.
At this place, you can find old exhibits and objects.
For example, there is an exhibit of a schoolroom from the 1950s.
The old school that you can find the museum in, the McKay Avenue School, was a school from the year1881 till the year 1983.
Besides an interesting permanent collection, you can also often see traveling exhibitions at this museum.
Musée Heritage Museum
The Musée Heritage Museum is a museum that you can find in St Albert Place.
At this museum, you can learn about the story of St Albert, a city in Alberta that is very close to the city of Edmonton.
You can learn about the city’s story through various exhibits and programs that are very interesting.
The exhibitions that you can see at this museum change throughout the year, which means that you can often go here and see something new.
Each exhibition focuses on a different part of St. Albert’s story. For example, there might be an exhibition about a part of history.
Address: 5 St Anne St, St. Albert, AB T8N 3Z9
John Walter Museum
Another one of the best museums that you can visit is the John Walter Museum.
This is a museum where you can learn about the life of John Walter, who was a Canadian entrepreneur and an early settler in Fort Edmonton. Moreover, he played a large role in the development of the city of Edmonton.
There are a variety of exhibitions at this museum through which you can learn about the life of John Walter and a part of the history of Edmonton.
Also, what’s interesting is that you can find houses constructed by John Walter at this museum.
Address: 9180 Walterdale Hill NW, Edmonton, AB T6E 2V3
Mineralogy and Petrology Museum
The Mineralogy and Petrology Collection of the University of Alberta can be very interesting to see as well when looking for Edmonton museums.
This is a collection of the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and it consists of more than 11,000 different objects.
The collection consists of lots of rock and mineral specimens, and these specimens come from all over the world.
Some of the objects that are on display at this place are very rare.
What’s interesting about the collection is that it dates back to the year 1912. And it is one of the oldest collections of objects that were purposely collected. Nowadays, it is also used for teaching.
What’s great is that you can visit the collection for free as there is no admission fee.
WG Hardy Classics Museum
The WG Hary Classics Museum is yet another museum that is part of the University of Alberta.
This museum is part of the University’s Department of History, Classics, and Religion.
Through the objects of the permanent collection, you can learn about very old civilizations.
For example, you can find a lot of objects here related to ancient Greece and Rome. Also, you can learn about early civilizations in Mesopotamia and Palestine at this museum, and there’s much more to see here.
Some of the objects at the museum are Roman coins, ancient jewelry, and a Roman bust.
Rutherford House
Rutherford House is a historic building that you can find in the area of Strathcona in Edmonton.
This is the former home of the first Premier of Alberta. Alexander Cameron Rutherford lived here from the year 1911 to the year 1941.
The house is very old as it dates back to the year 1911. The historic architecture of the house makes it very interesting to see from the outside.
You can find the Rutherford House on the campus of the University of Alberta.
What’s interesting is that you can do guided tours of the house through which you can learn about its history.
Also, there are costumed actors that tell you about the house’s history, which makes the museum even more interesting to visit!
Address: 11153 Saskatchewan Dr NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 2S1
Yesterday’s Auto Gallery
Do you like old cars? Then, you have to visit Yesterday’s Auto Gallery.
This is a gallery where you can see a great collection of classic cars in the city of Edmonton.
The 100 classic cars that are on display here cover a period from the year 1926 to the present day.
You can go for a stroll at the museum and learn a lot about the different vehicles that you find here.
Also, there are a lot of memorabilia that relate to these classic cars.
And what’s great too is that there are special events with a very specific theme. These are temporary events, which means that what you can see at the museum changes.
For example, there could be an exhibit at the museum that focuses on car racing, which is very interesting.
Address: 8707 51 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T6E 5H1
Loyal Edmonton Regiment Military Museum
The Loyal Edmonton Regiment Military Museum is a museum where you can learn about the Canadian military. To be more specific, you can learn about the history of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment at this place.
At the museum, you can find a lot of historic objects related to this regiment.
Also, there are archival items at the museum that can be very interesting to see.
The museum’s collection covers both historic as well as more modern items.
Some of the items that you can find here are historic weapons, uniforms, photographs, badges, and many other items.
Through these items, you can learn about the history of the regiment and the Canadian army in general, as well as about the lives of the people that were part of these organizations.
Address: 10440 108 Ave NW #118, Edmonton, AB T5H 3Z9
TELUS World of Science
If you want to learn about science when you are in Edmonton, you have to check out the TELUS World of Science.
This is a science center located in the neighborhood of Woodcroft in the city of Edmonton.
It is the largest museum of its kind in Western Canada which is also why it’s one of the museums in Edmonton you should definitely check out.
At the museum, you can find many different galleries that all focus on a different aspect of science.
For example, there is one gallery that is about the Arctic region.
Also, there is a gallery that is dedicated to Space. You can see a rocket launcher, a lunar rock, and many other artifacts related to space here.
Furthermore, there is one gallery where you can often see temporary exhibitions. These exhibitions are at the museum for several months to about a year. These exhibitions focus on a very specific part of science and also the exhibitions often feature popular movies, series, or books.
Address: 11211 142 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5M 4A1
The Ethnography Collection
The Ethnography Collection of the University of Alberta Museums is a great place to visit if you want to learn about different cultures.
The collection that you can find here consists of objects from cultures from around the world.
For example, one part of the collection focuses on the people of the First Nations in Alberta.
Also, a significant part of the collection shows Inuit Artifacts. The objects of this part come from a collection by Douglas Lord.
Another part of the collection features objects from Belgian Congo.
If you want to learn about people and their history and culture, this is the best place to go to for that!
Also, you can combine a visit to this collection with a visit to other collections of the University of Alberta.
Print Study Centre
The Print Study Centre is yet another museum in Edmonton that belongs to the University of Alberta Museums.
The Print Study Centre was founded in the year 1996 and you can find the center at the Fine Arts Building of the university.
At the center, there is a very large print collection that can be wonderful to see.
This collection includes a variety of prints that is very diverse.
For example, you can find a lot of Japanese prints in the collection, including historical and contemporary ones.
Also, there are prints by printmaking students of the University of Alberta that are very interesting to see.
Besides prints, you can also see information about the artists of the prints at the collection. Reading about the artists makes seeing the prints even more interesting!
Alberta Aviation Museum
The Alberta Aviation Museum is yet another one of the top museums in the city.
At this museum, you can find a large collection of historical aircraft that are very interesting to see.
This collection includes aircraft that were used in war.
Also, you can see some very early versions of airplanes at this museum, including a historic airplane that could land on water and land.
In total, there are more than 30 different historic aircraft at this museum.
Besides that, there are very interesting interactive displays at the Alberta Aviation Museum.
What’s very interesting as well is that you can find the aircraft inside a former airplane hangar from WWII.
Also, there are all kinds of events that take place at the museum throughout the year.
Address: 11410 Kingsway NW, Edmonton, AB T5G 0X4
Prince of Wales Armouries
The Prince of Wales Armouries is a place where you can find the City of Edmonton Archives.
Also, you can see small exhibitions of the archives at this place that can be interesting to see.
And it is possible to do tours of the Archives as well and learn new things at the same time.
What’s great about this place as well is that the building where you can find the archives is a very historic one. It was built in the year 1915 and is a historic brick and sandstone building.
Address: 10440 108 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5H 3Z9
Canadian Energy Museum
The Canadian Energy Museum is the last museum on this list that you have to check out when in Edmonton.
This museum is dedicated to the energy sector of Canada.
For example, you can learn about oil drilling from the 20th century at this place.
You can learn about the history of oil and everything that relates to that. Furthermore, you can learn about other forms of energy at this place.
At the museum, you can read stories and see interesting exhibits with objects related to this topic.
In total, there are more than 5,000 different objects at the museum. And the museum’s collection is always growing.
Address: 50399 Highway 60 South, Leduc County, AB T9G 0B2
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Edmonton Museums Tips
The museums in the city are very good and are worth the admission price for sure!
But what to do when you are on a budget? You can visit many of the Edmonton museums for free on special days of the year.
For example, the Royal Alberta Museum can be visited for free on certain days.
I recommend checking out if you can visit a museum that you want to visit for free on the museum’s website.
Thanks for checking out my guide to the best museums in Edmonton! As you see, there are many amazing ones to visit in the city.