On June 10th, Alberta entered Stage Two of its Open for Summer Plan.  

The same day the first of the province's provincial heritage sites also reopened their doors to visitors and more are almost ready to do the same.

As part of Stage Two, museums and archives can open to the public, with reduced capacity.  The Provincial Archives of Alberta opened on June 10th with a new photo exhibit titled Prairie Royalty. 

The same day, Drumheller's Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology opened for summer and is open seven days a week from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm in June and will expand their hours to 9:00 am to 9:00 pm daily July 1st to August 31st.  Before you make the drive to the museum you're advised to visit their website at tyrellmuseum.com to purchase your timed tickets to avoid disappointment.  The Royal Tyrell also has a new exhibit, The Rise of Mammals features some of the weird and wonderful varieties of life that flourished after dinosaurs became extinct.

More provincial sites will open over the next two weeks.  Starting June 16th you'll be able to explore the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre, the Remington Carriage Museum and the Royal Alberta Museum.

On June 19th the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, located in Lamont County will open with their new exhibit, Make, Mend and Modify: Ukrainians Adapting in Alberta. 

World Famous Head-Smashed-In-Buffalo Jump returns June 21st after a year of construction and renovations. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the oldest, largest, and best-preserved buffalo jump sites across the western Plains.  

The Reynold-Alberta Museum opens on June 23rd.  It will be open Wednesday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm daily.  It will also have a new exhibit open for the summer, Motorbikus Mechanicus, a story that features 40 concept and early production motorcycles.  

“Alberta’s museums, historic sites and archives have done a wonderful job this past year, says Leela Sharon Aheer, Minister of Culture, Multiculturalism and Status of Women.  "They have sparked our curiosity and kept us engaged in our province’s history. We are so excited to welcome Albertans back by offering a safe and fun experience for families, educators and history buffs alike," 

Each of the sites has individual guidelines in place to keep families safe.  Masks remain mandatory and timed ticketing is in place at several of the facilities for reduced visitor capacity and physical distancing.  Visitors should check online and review each facility's guidelines before visiting.

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