Dinosaur skeletons
Among some 800 fossils on show.
Ymblanter — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ymblanter — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Chris Woodrich — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Chris Woodrich — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Drsrisenthil — CC BY-SA 4.0
The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology is a museum and research centre in Drumheller, Alberta, in Midland Provincial Park amid the badlands on the Red Deer River. It is among the best known dinosaur museums and holds Canada's largest fossil collection, so it suits families and science lovers alike. The provincial government announced it in 1981, and after four years of preparation it opened in September 1985. It is named after Joseph Burr Tyrrell and received the title «royal» from Queen Elizabeth II in June 1990. It occupies a building of 12,500 square metres, expanded twice this century, most recently in 2019. The collection holds over 160,000 catalogued fossils, including over 350 holotypes, of which about 800 are on display. The halls take you through the ages of the earth, with large dinosaur skeletons among them. By the entrance stand models of Albertosaurus and others, and lookouts around the building face the banded badlands. It is 6.5 km in a straight line from the town of Drumheller and 101 km from central Calgary, so it suits a day trip by car. One source says it opens daily from May to August, and from 1 September to 14 May it opens Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm, so check the site. Bring a hat and water if you head into the badlands, as summers are hot.
Among some 800 fossils on show.
Albertosaurus and others.
Banded layers in view.
Midland Provincial Park, Drumheller, Alberta
Usually two to four hours, with a walk around the building.
It closes on Mondays from September to mid May, except holiday Mondays.