Last updated July 28, 2023
Fancy taking a road trip through time? We put together a list of some of the coolest museums and heritage areas East of Edmonton you can visit if you’re wanting some local knowledge and cool facts. Pack your things, jump in the car, and go!
Northeast of Edmonton
Visit this region’s museums to explore Francophone, Indigenous history, and unique collections:
Legal – a bilingual community and featuring over 35 murals portraying the history of francophone families. Admire the painted walls of buildings on almost every corner in town portraying the history, events, and challenges of the families, the organizations, and the religious communities.
Plamondon Museum – honouring the first bilingual community that was a mix of French and Metis peoples.
Lac La Biche – part of one of the oldest communities in Alberta, the Lac La Biche Mission Historical Society is home to the fully restored convent from 1894. Learn about some of Alberta’s early residents while exploring the many exhibits and displays available, and participate in one of their guided tours!
Displaying nearly 2000 Indigenous artwork and artifacts from First Nations, Metis, and Inuit peoples, the Portage College Museum of Aboriginal Art is dedicated to teaching the rich history of Aboriginal peoples in Canada. While you are free to explore on your own, you can also request a group tour to get the most out of your experience. If you want to take some of this wonderful art home with you, stop by the Traditions Store, or participate in one of their workshops and learn the traditional ways of teaching through art.
You’re going to want to make a whole day trip out of this one. The Lac La Biche Museum is filled with numerous interactive exhibits displaying the town’s history, including the Boreal Forrest exhibit, Fur Trade exhibit, The Empress of France & and The Sea Cadets – and that’s just to name a few. Don’t forget to visit the gift shop to see what books and knick-knack it has to offer!
Hideaway Adventure Grounds – learn about Metis culture and indigenous traditions in a pristine wilderness. Choose from many year-round, as well as seasonally themed adventure packages. Stay on-site and enjoy wall tent camping.
St Paul – Agriculture has always been an important part of Alberta’s culture and history, and the St. Paul Museum is dedicated to showcasing how farming has evolved over the years through various displays. You can also check out their new First Nations Display as well as the trapper’s cabin, farm kitchen, general store, and barber shop. They are open daily this summer, so plan you trip now! Historic Destrube House pictured at top.
Bonnyville & Cold Lake – The Bonnyville & District Museum has an extensive collection of artifacts and memorabilia relevant to the town’s history. You’ll have a blast exploring through several buildings including two churches, a school, a general store, a hospital display and a replica of the Northwest Trading post that served as one of the major destination points in settlement-era Bonnyville.
Head up the road and check out the Cold Lake Museum, offering many interesting things for just about anyone. If you’re into military and aviation, the Air Force Museum has flight simulations and historical displays of our military past. You can discover just how oil extraction works in the Oil & Gas Museum, learn about the history of the Indigenous communities that settled along Cold Lake in the Aboriginal Museum and find out about the first European settlers who arrived in the region at the Heritage Museum.
Gibbons – Just north of Gibbons is Jurassic Forest- an active learning park featuring over 60 life sized, realistic animatronic dinosaurs nestled into a 40-acre natural forest and wetland environment. Read more here.
Redwater – The Redwater and District Museum is a living time capsule of the region’s homesteading roots. You’ll get to take in some thought-provoking artifacts and displays all tied to the history of one-room schools and when oil was discovered in Redwater, bringing serious changes to the area
Smoky Lake County – Fancy a trip to settlement times? The Victoria Settlement Historic Site is home to the oldest building in Alberta, still standing on its original foundation! You can get a real dose of pioneer history here and thanks to working interpreters, tour the former fort.
Métis Crossing – Dedicated to documenting Métis culture, its 512 acres filled with plenty of rich history, a gorgeous riverfront view, boat launch and a gift shop. We mean it when we say you’ll be standing on history; the area has been an important river crossing for centuries and the campsites were originally used by the Métis people, fur traders, missionaries, voyagers and farmers for over 6000 years.
East of Edmonton
Experience the heart of experience Ukrainian culture. The first Ukrainians to come to Canada settled in the Edna-star region, now known as Lamont County.
Lamont County– The self-described “Church Capital of North America,” Lamont is home to more churches per capita than anywhere else on the continent. Stop in at the County Office to pick up a self-guided tour information and let the adventure begin!
History comes to life at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village. This open-air museum recreates 35 restored buildings that were part of the first major Ukrainian bloc settlement in Central Alberta. Learn all about the history of Ukrainian immigration, brought to life with the help of interpreters found throughout the park.
Elk Island National Park – Nestled deep in the Astotin Lake Area is the Ukrainian Pioneer Home, built in the early 1950s to honour the Ukrainian-Canadians who settled in the area. It was the first museum in the country dedicated to Ukrainian immigration and today, this one-story replica stands as an example of how homes were built in the era.
Mundare – The Basilian Fathers Museum features an intriguing collection showcasing Ukrainian heritage.
Fort Saskatchewan – To learn about the fascinating history of the Northwest Mounted Police and the early settlers and pioneers of Fort Saskatchewan, head to the Fort Heritage Precinct! Filled with historic artifacts and buildings such as the courthouse, there is plenty to explore both in the pioneer village and in the newly completed fort. Guided tours are available as well as exciting programs and events!
Willingdon – Located 4 miles north of Hwy 45 is the Romanian Pioneer Museum of Boian where you can experience fascinating Romanian history and culture. Explore this open-air museum displaying artifacts, documents, and family histories from Romanian immigrants who came to Alberta in the early 20th century. Four exhibits are featured, including The Bordei—a shelter used by pioneers. Bring out the family for a day of fun!
Southeast of Edmonton
For all things planes, trains & automobiles, head down Highway 13.
Discover the roots and community history of the CREAM – Central Regional East Alberta Museums located along Highways 16, 14, and 13. The CREAM tour has something for everyone in the family, with 16 museums set to take you on a crash course through rural history.
Camrose Mirror Lake Express Train Rides – This popular little train is 92 feet long, carries 24 passengers, and was beautifully crafted by a local Camrose resident. The train runs every Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30 – 8 pm from June 1 to August 31 at Mirror Lake Park. Read more on Explore Camrose.
Wetaskiwin – If you consider yourself to be a bit of a motor head, or just want to learn about the world of machines, head to the Reynolds-Alberta Museum. This interactive museum if full of classic cars and vehicles that you can climb into, exciting warehouse tours, and an indoor drive-in movie theatre! School and youth programs are also available, as well as a variety of guided experiences. Stop by Cruisers Café for a delicious lunch, and don’t forget to check out the gift shop!
Flagstaff County – Stop in at Battle River Train Excursions to ride the rails on delightful themed trips this year. Located southeast of Camrose.
Lougheed – visit the Iron Creek Museum.consisting of several historic buildings and a preserved grain elevator.
Worth a look, are the museums in Forestburg and Donalda.
For a complete listing of Museums and Historic sites, click here.
Looking for our Awesome Roadside Attractions…click here to see our Worlds Largest and One-of-a-Kind unique attractions!
Looking for a place to stay on your next road trip? For a campground? Check out our campground guide here.
If a hotel is more your style, here’s a few great places to stay:
- Canalta Hotels –Lac La Biche, Canalta Camrose,
- Ramada – Lac La Biche, Ramada Wainwright, Ramada Camrose
- The Landing – St. Paul
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Need more info? We’re happy to help you plan a trip! Please feel free to contact our Go East of Edmonton team at 1-888-632-8755 or message us on Facebook.