Which museums offer programs for children in Calgary?

Calgary has a rich array of museums and cultural institutions offering a variety of educational programs for children of all ages. This article takes a detailed look at the city's main museums and what they have to offer young visitors.

TELUS Spark Science Center

TELUS Spark is Calgary's premier science center, offering the widest range of programs for children. The center has over 200 interactive exhibits designed to engage children in science.

Creative Kids Museum

The centerpiece for the youngest visitors is the Creative Kids Museum, an interactive space of over 10,000 square feet designed specifically for children ages 0 to 8. This space includes:

  • Water play areas with toy boats and slides
  • Large structures for climbing and motor skill development
  • Sensory activities and spaces for creativity
  • A permanent installation on the science of Native American moss bags

Other programs for children

  • Summer camps with various themes
  • Birthday parties with science activities
  • Overnight stays for groups
  • School programs for all age groups

Calgary Zoo (Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo)

The Calgary Zoo offers a wide range of educational programs for children.

School programs

  • Programs on zoo grounds with curator-educators
  • School programs in classrooms with interactive lesson plans
  • Virtual programs for distance learning

Special Programs

  • Chevron Open Minds Zoo School - a week-long program for grades 1 through 12
  • Summer camps with different age groups
  • Programs for preschoolers, including Wee Wigglers and Kindermusik
  • Birthday parties for children ages 5 to 12

Specific educational programs

  • Bear Necessities for children from kindergarten to grade 3
  • Penguin Palooza for younger students
  • Biodiversity for grade 9

Heritage Park Historical Village

Heritage Park offers unique historical educational programs.

School Programs

  • Interactive school programs for kindergarten through 12th grade
  • Living History Program for independent study
  • Resource Ridge Program for 7th grade, combining science, math, and history

Summer Camps

Heritage Park offers themed day camps:

  • History Hunters for children ages 6-8
  • Time Travellers for children ages 8-10
  • STEAM programs for children ages 9-12
  • Home on the Range overnight camp for children ages 11-14

Special events

  • Storytime at Heritage Park with volunteers reading classic and contemporary stories
  • PD Day camps with different themes throughout the school year

The Military Museums

The Military Museums of Calgary offer educational programs focused on Canada's military history.

Educational Programs

  • Programs for K-12 students with artifact handling and museum activities
  • Evening programs for cadets, scouts, and youth groups
  • Summer youth programs with themed activities

Special Events

  • Family Day annually with interactive activities:
  • Black powder demonstrations
  • Face painting
  • Crafts for children
  • Treasure hunt
  • Military board games
  • Opportunity to touch real artifacts

The Hangar Flight Museum

The aviation museum offers programs dedicated to the history of flight.

Programs for children

  • Fly Babies - a morning program for children ages 2-5 with:
  • Story time
  • Crafts
  • Aviation activities
  • Commercial aviation themes

Educational services

  • Curriculum-based school programs
  • Interpretive tours
  • Birthday parties for children
  • Special events such as National Aviation Day

Contemporary Calgary

This contemporary art gallery offers regular programs for children.

Contemporary Kids

  • Free Sunday programs for children ages 5-12:
  • Exhibition tours followed by art-making
  • Hands-on art sessions led by education coordinators
  • Themed workshops based on current exhibitions

School Programs

  • Tours and field trips for kindergarten through post-secondary levels
  • Campus Calgary/Open Minds - Sunday educational program

Studio Bell, National Music Centre

The music center offers programs focused on music education.

Programs for families

  • Family Day annually with free admission:
  • Five floors of interactive activities
  • Live performances
  • Demonstrations of the Kimball theater organ
  • Beatles-themed family jam sessions

Summer camps

  • Build a Band for children ages 9-12
  • Music Makers for children ages 5-9
  • Programs include band formation, songwriting, and live performances

YouthLink Calgary Police Interpretive Centre

A unique educational center focused on crime prevention.

Main programs

  • Grade 6 programs on drugs, gangs, bullying, and cyber safety
  • Forensic programs with hands-on experiments
  • Virtual programs including “Calling all Detectives”

Additional services

  • Summer camps for children ages 6-12
  • PD Day camps during the school year
  • Police Story Hour monthly for children under 8

Royal Tyrrell Museum

Although located in Drumheller (about 90 minutes from Calgary), this paleontology museum offers programs for Calgary families.

Programs for children

  • Day Dig programs for children ages 3 and up
  • Educational programs for kindergarten through grade 12
  • Distance Learning programs for schools
  • Badlands Science Camp for in-depth learning

Bow Habitat Station

This environmental education facility offers programs about fish and aquatic ecosystems.

School programs

  • Fish life cycle programs for various grades
  • Aquatic ecosystems and watershed programs
  • Learn to Fish programs for families with children ages 4-12

Special events

  • Discovery Days with community partners
  • Fish feeding on Fridays and Saturdays

Glenbow Museum

Important update: The Glenbow Museum is currently closed for major renovations until 2026.

Current status

  • All school programs, including Museokits, are suspended
  • Open Minds Museum School is suspended until 2026
  • Digital learning resources are available online

Calgary Public Library

Calgary Public Libraries offer free programs for children.

Regular programs

  • Family Storytime for children ages 2-5 at all branches
  • Summer reading programs
  • Reading Buddies program for students in grades 1-3
  • Computer Buddies program for students in grades 1-6

City of Calgary Programs

The City of Calgary offers a variety of programs through its parks and recreation centers.

Free Programs

  • Stay n' Play for children ages 3-5 with adults
  • Park n' Play for children ages 6-12
  • Wetland Wonders at Ralph Klein Park for children ages 5-12

Nature Programs

  • Birding Breaks at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary
  • Nature Explorations for students in grades 1-12
  • Preschool Create and Explore for children ages 3-5

Conclusions

Calgary offers an incredibly rich array of museum programs for children, covering science, history, art, nature, and technology. From interactive science experiments at TELUS Spark to historical adventures at Heritage Park, from music education at Studio Bell to environmental programs at Bow Habitat Station, every child can find a program that suits their interests and age.

Many of these programs are free or available for a nominal fee, making quality education accessible to all families. The museums actively partner with schools, offering programs that align with the Alberta curriculum and providing both in-person and virtual learning opportunities.

For parents looking for educational and entertaining opportunities for their children, Calgary's museums are an invaluable resource that combines learning with fun and helps foster a love of learning in the younger generation.