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Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village
Category: Arts & Entertainment Museums Museums [Edit]
8820 112 Street NWEdmonton, AB T6G 2P8
(780) 662-3640
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 10 am - 5 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
4 reviews for Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village
4 reviews in English
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Review from Alouise D.
Edmonton, AB
8/26/2011
I've lived in and around Edmonton my whole life, 27 years and this was my first visit to the Ukranian Cultural Heritage Village. For some reason whichever class I was in always missed out on the field trips to here.
I went to the Village a few weeks ago with a friend. It is smaller than Edmonton's other outdoor historic attraction (Fort Edmonton Park) but it still took about 3 hours to get through the site. There are no information signs at each building explaining what each thing is, and how it was important to the Ukrainian settlers. Instead there are actors who assume the rolls of Ukrainian settlers from the early 19th century, and they explain what life was like back in the day. I liked that you got to go inside each building, and see how things were, but there were some buildings we couldn't go to because they were under construction.
I had a nice time, I just wish I got to do this as a kid. Still I'd come back again.Listed in: The 30 Day Challenge List
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Review from Gord L.
7/4/2011
Lauren N's review was an excellent summary of the park, so I won't try to duplicate it, just give you a review of our experience.
My wife is from Ukraine, moving from there to here about 6 years ago, and I've always wanted to take her to the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village. We've been out to the museum in Mundare, but never made it to the village. After hearing some radio commercials for things going on at the village on Canada Day, I decided that'd be the day we finally check it out.
The weather was excellent to walk around the park, stopping off at the various buildings to chat with the characters inside. Everyone is in character, and they never break it, ever. My father-in-law and his wife took a visit to the park and were convinced that the woman they were talking to was given land if she worked the fields, and they were upset at her living conditions - the entire conversation took place in Russian (the park does a great job hiring people!). There's not as much to do here than you'll find at Fort Edmonton, but it'll take you about 3 hours to see everything.
My score is a little bit lower than I want it to be, and the reason for that is the food. It was a busy day, and their kitchen is woefully unprepared for lots of visitors. We stood in line for over 30 mins to order food, and when we got the food it was.... crap. At least it wasn't tons and tons of money. They just aren't setup for lots of people at once, and lots of people were grumbling about the length of time they were waiting in line (and this was at 2:30 - I can't imagine what it was like at 12:00!).
If you go to the park, definitely eat beforehand! Take away the food experience and I'd probably rate it a 4/5. -
Review from Paula K.
8/5/2011
I remember going to the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village as a child. It was like stepping back in time looking through all of the old buildings, and even more so because all of the interpreters are actors in costume, even putting on a Ukrainian accent for authenticity. Not much has changed, and more buildings are being added and restored all the time. There is quite a bit of walking, and as another reviewer pointed out, don't come expecting it to be as packed full of things to do as Fort Edmonton. However, it is a lovely drive from Edmonton and in addition to the buildings, the scenery around the area is spectacular.
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Review from Lauren N.
10/17/2008 1 photo
It may not be the right season anymore, as winter is upon us, but the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village is a wonderful historic site to visit. It educates the public on Ukrainian settlement during the late 19th to early 20th century. The site is set up so that it is a real village in that time period, in which visitors can walk through and interact with actors who play the role of pioneers.
The village is great for kids, as it lets them travel through time and see what things were like back then. Actors are stationed at each building throughout the village to give a short tour to visitors. The buildings are decorated with authentic furniture and appliances from back in the day. There is an accommodating eating area for visitors to take their lunch break too.
The majority of the village is located at the end of a long lane. Here you can find a fully-functioning grain elevator, train station, hotel, blacksmith shop, churches, dry goods store, gas station, school house, and court house, to name a few. There is also a horse-drawn buggy ride for large groups that will take you all around the village.
It's fun to interact with the actors, because they are so in character. They dress the part and have the accents and everything! Even when you pass them walking down the roads, they will say hello to you in Ukrainian and the men will tip their hats. It's funny when you ask a question that's outside the context though, like "what year is it?" because your answer will be something like "it's 1921". (For anyone who watches South Park, it's like when they went to that village museum and the actors pretended not to know anything about present time.)
If you do go, there are bathrooms but I must warn you that they can have quite a stench. No, not because of that -- it's because their water is pumped from the lake, so it may have a very strong odour. It might be better in the colder season though, I'm not too sure.
The high season is of course the summer. They are unfortunately closed for the rest of the year until May long weekend, but remain open for pre-booked tours, special events, and school groups. The village is located 25 minutes east of Edmonton along Highway 16, just 3 km east of Elk Island National Park.Listed in: Culture Vultures
