The Military Museums

As you enter the foyer of The Military Museums in Calgary, you’ll be blown away by the 12-foot (3.6-metre) high Mural of Honour. Each tile in this mosaic shows different scenes from historical and recent conflicts, and together they make up a larger work representing the three services the museum pays homage to: the Navy, the Army and the Air Force.  In addition to the displays about these services, there are 10 galleries devoted to the Navy, Army and Air Force as well as the War of 1812, Explosive Threats and various temporary exhibitions that rotate through The Founders' Gallery of The Military Museums.  

In the Army Museum of Alberta, see large collections of archive material, memorabilia, uniforms and dioramas that take you through the history of the force from 1885 to today. Kids will love Skinner, the talking horse, as well as interactive audio on many of the photographic displays. Sections of the Army gallery are dedicated to recognising women and the contribution of Canada's First Nations peoples.  

Explore ships’ weapons and step aboard the wheelhouse of a replica World War II ship in the Naval gallery. You’ll also see a rare Banshee Naval jet fighter and a German Enigma coding machine. The messages from this machine were once thought to be impossible to decode.

The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force, from the development of early flight to the force’s present role, is interpreted through models, artifacts and interactive displays. Visit a piece of the Red Baron’s plane, and learn about Canadian bomber squadrons and day-to-day modern operations in a theatre designed to resemble a Hercules aircraft.

In the gift shop there are model aircraft, publications, souvenir medallions and a stunning graphic novel of the War of 1812.

The Military Museums of Calgary is located in the neighbourhood of Garrison Woods, about 15 minutes drive from downtown.  There is free on-site parking.  Buses from downtown Calgary stop a couple of blocks away.  The museum is open daily, except major public holidays, and has a modest admission fee to assist with mission accomplishment: "to remember, to preserve and to educate".