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A smiling couple walks past a towering mammoth skeleton. In the background, a mastodon skeleton can be seen.

Plan Your Visit

Natural History Hall

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Step into the great outdoors at the Royal Alberta Museum

Our Natural History Hall celebrates the landscapes around us, from the rocks beneath our feet, to the fossils that record ancient life, to the many animals and plants that make their home in Alberta today.

Hike through alpine meadows and windswept grasslands, up rocky precipices and into dank caves. Detailed, lifelike dioramas offer an intimate glimpse into the world of Alberta wildlife, from black bears and black widow spiders to pelicans and pronghorn. Along the journey, take in floor-to-ceiling vistas of our province's many distinct natural environments.

Get up close to life-size replica skeletons of the giant sloths, mastodons, and sabre-toothed cats that roamed our landscape during the Ice Age. Discover how ice sheets sculpted the land we know today. Explore the diversity of rocks that form the landscape. We share stories that begin thousands, millions, even billions of years ago with our glittering collection of gems and minerals from Alberta, around the world, and even outer space.

Ice Age Alberta

Take a journey back in time to discover plants and animals, from the massive to the minuscule, that lived in Alberta thousands of years ago.

Ancient Alberta

Learn about the formation of Alberta's Rocky Mountains, discover the diversity of rocks, and meet the great Edmontosaurus.

Gems and Minerals

See a meteorite up close, discover how crystals grow, admire colourful minerals, and wonder at the beauty of rubies, diamonds, and emeralds. Featuring minerals and gems from Canada and around the world.

Wild Alberta

Discover stories of the fascinating animals and plants found in our province's three ecological zones. From the sundew plant and the northern pike, to a black bear's den and a tree condominium, Wild Alberta takes you on a trek into the wild landscapes not far from our backyard.