Explore the oldest natural history museum in western Canada. Get face-to-face with Rocky Mountain wildlife! Located in the heart of downtown Banff, the Banff Park Museum houses more than 5,000 vintage botanical and zoological specimens — from bears and bighorns, to birds and bees. The Banff Park Museum shows us how natural history was understood in Canada near the end of the Victorian era. Built in 1903, it is the oldest surviving federal building in any Canadian national park.
The oldest natural history museum in Western Canada, the Banff Park Museum is a “museum of a museum.” The classical 19th century-style collection of taxidermy animals are still interesting in their own right, but more so is the 19th century-style presentation of taxidermy animals in a stunning log building with its elegant interiors. Especially notable is how the architecture works to maximize light in a time before electricity.