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Fort Calgary
Categories: Arts & Entertainment Museums Public Services & Government Landmarks & Historical Buildings Museums, Landmarks & Historical Buildings [Edit]
750 9 Avenue SECalgary, AB T2G 5E1
(403) 290-1875
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 9 am - 5 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
3 reviews for Fort Calgary
3 reviews in English
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Review from Sergey S.
2/1/2011
I would not recommend Fort Calgary as a very first place to visit when in the city, but if you stay for some time - it will definitely be worth visiting.
Just to give you an idea: Roughly half of the museum looks like a bunch of empty rooms with some old RCMP office equipment in the corners. I can imagine that this part of the building is used for educational games and other kid-oriented activities.
Another half of Fort Calgary is a nice walk-through the thematic rooms, filled with interesting artifacts. Feels more like travelling through the grandpa's basement than anything else, but in fact collections are organized quite neatly. I specifically liked the audio support - adding a lot to the atmosphere.
Staff is friendly and helpful, and price is reasonable. -
Review from Derek F.
4/13/2012
Such a historic spot deserves better. The actual area of the old fort is in a public park and all that is there are 3 wooden buildings which appear to be used as sheds, a gate, and the old flag pole. My kids favorite part; playing with some rocks.
Beside the physical location of the fort, is an interpretive center. I've seen dozens of these in my time and this is a fairly simple look into life of the late 19th and early 20th century. Essentially, the exhibits are just rooms with artifacts, some genuine, so they are cordoned off. There is a small theatre playing Dudley Do-Right shows back to back...perhaps they could have done better than this. My kids favorite part; playing with broken wooden (and some plastic) toysComment from Katie M. of Fort Calgary 5/7/2012
Hi Derek - sorry to hear that your experience here at the… More » -
Review from Chad W.
Calgary, AB
10/31/2008
The North West Mounted Police arrived in 1875 on the land where Fort Calgary rests today at the crux of the Elbow River and the Bow River. Splendid historical exhibits are scattered throughout Fort Calgary's 40 acres of riverside property that attempts to resemble the lifestyle of its original inhabitants.
I remember Fort Calgary from school tours during my youth. While not as huge or as magnificent as the Glenbow Museum, Fort Calgary does an excellent job capturing the feel of the 19th century. Old uniforms, firearms, and other artifacts bring the prairies of the old times to modern Calgarians. The staff here are extremely knowledgeable and offer insightful guided tours. Their flare and excitement make them far more entertaining than other guided tours one can find around the city.
The Deane House Historic Site and Restaurant is located on-site, as well as a hands-on interpretive centre. The restaurant is a tad pricey. But the food is rather good. Not sure if I'll ever eat here again though. Restaurants in interpretive centres usually aren't as great as their counterparts in the inner city and in Calgary's bustling downtown
Specialties
We are here to tell the story of Calgary - from the fording of the bow river by the NWMP in 1875 to the creation of the street cars, there is always something new to learn about Calgary's unique history.
We don't stop at being a museum - Fort Calgary offers educational programs and summer camps, meeting and event spaces with outstanding catering, and plenty of special events.
History
Established in 1875
Fort Calgary is the birthplace of the city of Calgary, and the original location of the North West Mounted Police fort built at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers in 1875.
Between 1875 and 1914, the Fort grew into Calgary Barracks and became the centre of a flourishing community. Fort Calgary was a police administration centre, a community symbol of law, order and prosperity, a hospital, a refuge, a social centre, and a focal point for settlers, ranchers and business.
In 1914, Fort Calgary was sold to the Grand Trunk Railway who later sold the site to the Canadian National Railway. For the next 61 years, Calgary's origins were hidden under a railway yard and storage area. In 1974, thanks largely to the efforts of Alderman John Ayer, The City of Calgary bought the site and returned the city's birthplace to the public domain. Work started on an Interpretive Centre in 1975, the site was cleaned up and capped.
