Ah, Calgary. A city popular for its awe-inspiring nature views and lovely community-centered culture. Unbeknownst to most, it’s also a hub of fascinating visual arts!
Believe it or not, we have a wide range of art museums worth seeing. Here, we listed 12 that you should definitely visit if you want to further the Calgary art scene and discover what helped shape it into what it is today.
Table of Contents
- 1. Glenbow Museum
- 2. Contemporary Calgary
- 3. Gasoline Alley Museum
- 4. Studio Bell, Home of the National Music Centre
- 5. The Nickle Arts Museum
- 6. Leighton Art Centre
- 7. Founders’ Gallery
- 8. Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre
- 9. Telus Spark Science Centre
- 10. Creative Kids Museum
- 11. Kiyooka Ohe Arts Centre
- 12. Esker Foundation
1. Glenbow Museum
Website: https://www.glenbow.org
Address: 130 9 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G 0P3, Canada
Contact details: +1 403-268-4100
Operating hours:
- Monday & Tuesday – closed
- Wednesday to Friday – 11 AM to 7 PM
- Saturday & Sunday – 10 AM to 6 PM
One of the most popular art museums in Calgary is the Glenbow Museum, a space that is home to Western Canadian history. This includes accounts from the point of view of the indigenous community as a sign of respect.
As of writing, they’re running an exhibit on Gathie Falk, a renowned local artist, for her work spanning six decades. If you want to see a diverse range of media used by an internationally recognized artist, you’d love to see how Falk plays with two- and three-dimensional art.
2. Contemporary Calgary
Website: https://www.contemporarycalgary.com
Address: 701 11 St SW, Calgary, AB T2P 2C4, Canada
Contact details: +1 403-770-1350
Operating hours:
- Monday & Tuesday – closed
- Wednesday to Saturday – 12 PM to 7 PM
- Sunday – 12 PM to 5 PM
Price:
- $10 – Single entry
- $20 – Individual membership
- $40 – Dual membership
- $50 – Family membership
- Free – Children 12 and Under
Contemporary Calgary is, just like its name suggests, a museum dedicated to modern and contemporary art.
It used to be where the Centennial Planetarium stood, which was considered an architectural marvel during its time. Now converted into a space to appreciate the voice of Calgary through different forms of art, this is a top destination for those who want to hear the heart of the city.
They also offer guided tours for their up-and-running exhibits, so we highly suggest taking advantage of that if you’d like to get up close and personal with the art pieces.
3. Gasoline Alley Museum
Website: https://heritagepark.ca/exhibits/gasoline-alley-museum/
Address: 1900 Heritage Dr SW, Calgary, AB T2V 2X3, Canada
Contact details: +1 403-268-8500
Operating hours: Monday to Sunday – 10 AM to 5 PM
Price:
- $8.95 – youth (3 to 15 years old)
- $14.95 – general (16 years old and above)
Located in Heritage Park, the Gasoline Alley Museum boasts of a rich collection of antique automobiles, refurbished gas tanks, and more. In fact, it’s considered the world’s largest collection of antique vehicles!
Anyone even remotely interested in cars will be able to enjoy this top tourist destination. You’ll also get to discover a drive-in movie just exactly like how it was in the past. There’s even a family gallery where kids can enjoy an exciting time with arts and crafts.
4. Studio Bell, Home of the National Music Centre
Website: https://www.studiobell.ca
Address: 850 4 St. SE, Calgary, AB T2G 1R1, Canada
Contact details: +1 403-543-5115
Operating hours: Monday to Sunday – 10 AM to 5 PM
Price:
- $21.50 – Adult
- $16.50 – Students or seniors (65 years old and above)
- $13.50 – Youth (4 to 12 years old)
- Free – Kids (3 years old and below) & NMC members
Explore the beauty of Calgary’s music scene in an in-depth, immersive experience by visiting Studio Bell, Home of the National Music Centre.
This museum has a collection from at least 450 years ago. They’re home to over 2,000 pieces, which would surely make your visit worthwhile.
As if that’s not enticing enough, they also have a living collection, which comprises over 200 instruments artists can get access to.
They also host events and programs that anyone who has a thirst for knowledge can join. Check out their website to be updated on what’s on.
5. The Nickle Arts Museum
Website: https://nickle.ucalgary.ca
Address: 435 Campus Lane NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
Contact details: +1 403-210-6201
Operating hours:
- Monday to Wednesday, Friday – 9 AM to 4 PM
- Thursday – 9 AM to 8 PM
- Saturday – 11 AM to 4 PM
- Sunday – closed
Also known as Nickle Galleries, The Nickle Arts Museum has a diverse collection of contemporary art pieces made by beloved local artists.
This includes various art forms such as rugs, textiles, numismatics, paintings, sculptures, photographs, prints, and many more.
Before planning your trip, we suggest checking out the current events and exhibitions they have to see if anything calls out to you.
6. Leighton Art Centre
Website: https://leightoncentre.org
Address: 282027 144 St W, Millarville, AB T1S 0Y4, Canada
Contact details: +1 403-931-3633
Operating hours:
- Monday – closed
- Tuesday to Sunday – 10 AM to 4 PM
Price: By donation
The Leighton Art Center is an art space that wears different hats. It’s a public art gallery, a museum, and an education center all rolled into one.
Some of the famous works in this art centre are by A.C. Leighton and Barbara Leighton, both of whom are beloved artists from Alberta. Take a look at those if you find the time.
We also suggest watching out for the workshops they have available at the time of your visit. In the past, they’d have workshops about photopoetry, combining printmaking & watercolor, and indigenous beadwork.
7. Founders’ Gallery
Website: https://founders.ucalgary.ca
Address: 4520 Crowchild Trail SW, Calgary, AB T2T 6E9, Canada
Operating hours: Monday to Sunday – 9 AM to 5 PM
Price:
- $15 – Adults
- $5 – Seniors, students, and youth (7 to 17 years old)
- $30 – Family
- Free – Children (7 years old and below), veterans and serving military personnel and members of the Military Museums
Through artifacts from various sources both locally and internationally, the Founder’s Gallery aims to observe human conflict to help visitors gain deeper knowledge about the local military’s involvement and its impact on the world.
Here, you’ll be able to see exhibits about different perspectives like military immigrants in Canada, Afghan war rugs, untold stories from WWII and more.
8. Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre
Website: https://www.culturalcentre.ca
Address: 197 1 St SW, Calgary, AB T2P 4M4, Canada
Contact details: +1 403-262-5071
Operating hours: Monday to Sunday – 10 AM to 5 PM
Price: Free
The Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre helps form a deeper bond between the local Chinese community and the other Calgarians. Through several events, they aim to promote diversity and the Chinese heritage.
Located at the lower level of the cultural centre is the museum where one can appreciate an array of Chinese artifacts. Though they are replicas, they’re a sight to behold!
Aside from the programs and exhibits, their architecture is also worth the visit. Because of its unique structure, it stands out in the Chinatown neighbourhood.
9. Telus Spark Science Centre
Website: https://www.sparkscience.ca
Address: 220 Saint George’s Drive Northeast, Calgary, AB T2E 5T2, Canada
Contact details: +1 403-817-6800
Operating hours:
- Monday to Thursday – 9 AM to 5 PM
- Friday – 9 AM to 7 PM
- Saturday 9 AM to 4 PM
- Sunday 9 AM to 5 PM
Price:
- $19 – Child
- $22 – Student
- $24 – Senior (65 years old and above)
- $26 – Adult (18 to 64 years old)
- $90- Family (maximum of 6 people, up to 2 adults)
Telus Spark Science Centre helps guests explore the wonderful world of science through immersive exhibits people of all ages can enjoy. Any curious mind or someone looking for a more unique adventure should add this to their itinerary.
As of the moment, they have a lot of fun exhibits like Spark After Dark, a Halloween special that takes a deep dive into what humans are scared of. Do note that this is only for adults.
Of course, they also have something especially for kids, which brings us to our next museum…
10. Creative Kids Museum
Website: https://www.sparkscience.ca/for-kids/creative-kids-museum
Address: 220 Saint George’s Drive Northeast, Calgary, AB T2E 5T2, Canada
Contact details: +1 403-817-6800
Operating hours:
- Monday to Thursday – 9 AM to 5 PM
- Friday – 9 AM to 7 PM
- Saturday 9 AM to 4 PM
- Sunday 9 AM to 5 PM
Price:
- $19 – Child
- $22 – Student
- $24 – Senior (65 years old and above)
- $26 – Adult (18 to 64 years old)
- $90 – Family (maximum of 6 people, up to 2 adults)
The Creative Kids Museum is located inside the Telus Spark Science Centre but is big and important enough to deserve its own entry in our list. It’s a huge space spanning around 10,000 square feet!
Here, kids get to be kids with fun, exciting, and educational opportunities to explore.
A few highlights of this space are the water area, tactile activity tables, bubble piano, and the climbing space. We found that the most popular attraction is the water area, so parents – this is a reminder to bring your kids some dry clothes!
There’s also a cool eatery with a picnic zone that opens at 10 AM, so no need to bring a packed lunch. That said, be sure to bring a water bottle so you can refill it at the drinking fountains around.
11. Kiyooka Ohe Arts Centre
Website: https://www.koartscentre.org
Address: 244034 Horizon View Rd, Calgary, AB T3Z 3M5, Canada
Contact details: +1 587-391-9837
Operating hours:
- Monday to Wednesday – closed
- Thursday to Sunday – 10 AM to 7 PM
Price:
- By donation – self-guided tours
- $25 – guided tours
The Kiyooka Ohe Arts Centre is a unique destination for art enthusiasts. Visitors will get the chance to appreciate the local contemporary art collection through a series of outdoor installations by the sculpture park.
There’s also an art gallery that houses a stunning collection of local artwork. If you have a bit of cash to splurge, we highly suggest opting for the guided tour to make your visit even more educational.
Aside from the exhibit, they also host workshops, which we suggest you check out. We just came from a workshop called Patricia’s Wild Weave where we learned the intricacies of the art of weaving.
12. Esker Foundation
Website: https://eskerfoundation.com/
Address: 1011 9 Ave SE 4th floor, Calgary, AB T2G 0H7, Canada
Contact details: +1 403 930 2490
Operating hours:
- Monday & Tuesday – closed
- Wednesday to Friday – 11 PM to 6 PM
- Saturday & Sunday – 12 PM to 5 PM
Price: Free
Last but definitely not the least is the Esker Foundation. It’s another interesting destination for art enthusiasts who are particularly keen on learning more about contemporary art.
They have a series of permanent collections that explore visual arts through different media. One of the more popular ones is called “Let Them Take Selfies” – where people can do exactly that. Take a gander at it if you’re interested in social media and its influence.
