Seasonal Activities for the whole family!
Brrr! It’s winter! Learn about the traditions and science of winter in the warmth and comfort of the museum. Discover how the people and animals of Alberta have found surprising ways to survive and thrive in this cold time of year. During your visit, you might make a pinecone bird feeder or mix up a batch of cinnamon spiced playdough! Maybe you’ll tie a rag rug, cozy up while listening to a snowy story, or meet a many-legged creature during a bug encounter!
December
Saturday, December 23:
Time | Location | Description |
| 10:30 am | Children's Gallery | Storytime Listen and enjoy some wintertime tales. |
| 11 am - 12 pm | Lobby | Wintertime Touch Table Brrr! It’s cold outside! Drop by and warm your hands on real museum objects from our Learning Collection. You might learn the science behind animals and their adaptations in winter or see ingenious technologies created to stay warm during the coldest months of the year |
| 1 - 2 pm | Makerspace | Caring Cards Sometimes life can get busy, and we can get a little disconnected from each other. Come by and take some time to write a card to a friend or family member. We’ve got all the supplies to really jazz up your card. |
| 2:30 - 3:30 pm | Lobby | Bug Encounter Get up close and personal with our live bugs! Learn about their superpowers and ask all your burning questions. |
January
Daily:
January 2-7
Time | Location | Description |
| 10 am - 12 pm | Lobby | Wintertime Tech: From Rags to Rugs Brrrrr! Peoples of the past invented objects that helped them survive and thrive in winter. Help us make a giant rag rug one knot at a time and get a chance to touch real museum objects to learn how people stayed cozy and warm for generations. |
| 11 am | Blue Room (located in the Human History Hall) | Storytime Listen and enjoy some wintertime tales. |
| 1 - 2 pm | Lobby | Naturally Chilly: Object Touch Table When the snow rolls in, animals in Alberta make a choice: get ready or get out! Get hands-on with specimens from our collection and discover which creatures migrate, hibernate, or stay active all winter long. |
| 2 - 3 pm | Makerspace | Make a Pinecone Birdfeeder Roll up your sleeves and rustle up a tasty snack for your feathered friends in the Makerspace. Trust us - all the chickadees rave about them! |
| 3 - 4 pm | Lobby | Bug Encounter Get up close and personal with our live bugs! Learn about their superpowers and ask all your burning questions. |
4 - 5:30 pm (Thursday, January 4 only) | Lobby | Animal Investigators Play on our kinetic sand table and make footprints like all your favourite Alberta animals. Drop by to touch real specimens from our collection to learn about how scientists investigate what animals leave behind. |
Please note: Programs are subject to change without notice.
Self-Conducted:
Additional activities like Museum Bingo, Film viewings, activities, card writing and a cozy book nook will be available at various times throughout December and January.
Time | Location | Description |
| Daily to January 7 | Children's Gallery | Animal Home Build Challenge How about a beaver lodge, a bear den, or a bird nest? Use giant blue blocks to build a cozy winter home inspired by critters who live in Alberta. |
| Daily to January 7 | Lobby | Community Recipe Sharing Throughout history people have been gathering this time of year to make and share tasty food. Do you have a nostalgic recipe that warms your tummy and your heart over winter? Share your recipe and learn about food traditions from the recipes of others. |
| Daily January 2-7 | Roundhouse | Film Viewing Swing by to catch a viewing of a classic retro film from the National Film Board of Canada: "The Sweater" by Sheldon Cohen (1980) 10 mins (Showing throughout the day) |
| Daily January 2-7 | Human History Hall | Cozy Book Nook Stop by our super cozy book nook and read some wintertime stories. |
| Daily January 2-7 | Human History Hall | Caring Cards Sometimes life can get busy, and we can get a little disconnected from each other. Come by and take some time to write a card to a friend or family member. |