The Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum, Grande Prairie Museum and Heritage Discovery Centre are collaborating to recognize International Museum Day with free celebrations at all locations on May 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

To celebrate the event, each facility is hosting an exhibit-themed craft and scavenger hunt to guide guests through their galleries. The Philip J. Currie Museum is additionally featuring $2 movies all day at their theatre. The Grande Prairie Museum is opening the Heritage Village for the 2019 summer season on this day, bringing it alive with live historic demonstrations.

“As we celebrate International Museum Day, I would like to invite people from our region to come out and visit the Philip J Currie Dinosaur Museum in Wembley. From a historical, cultural and educational perspective, this is an opportunity to come out and see what this world-class museum has to offer,” says Mayor Chris Turnmire, Town of Wembley.

 “International Museum Day is a great way for people to learn and explore the variety of historical and cultural places located throughout our City and neighbouring municipalities. We are excited and proud to participate every year and look forward to contributing to its ongoing success,” says Mayor Bill Given, City of Grande Prairie.

Free shuttle services are available every 30 minutes from all three locations starting at 9:00 a.m. from the Heritage Discovery Centre and 9:40 a.m. from the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum. The last bus leaves Wembley for the Grande Prairie Museum at 3:40 p.m.

Guidebooks and shuttle schedules for the event are available at participating locations, Grande Prairie Regional Tourism in Centre 2000 or by visiting dinomuseum.ca/events.

Background

The International Council of Museums (ICOM) chose the theme Museums as Cultural Hubs: The future of tradition for this year’s celebrations. In theme with ICOM, the local partnership focuses on encouraging guests to travel between locations to discover the uniqueness of each individual attraction while creating a full day of engaging, educational experiences for the whole family.

The ICOM has celebrated International Museum Day since 1977 to raise awareness about the importance that museums have in promoting cultural connections, understanding and community. In 2017, more than 37,000 museums participated in the event in over 150 countries. Grande Prairie has participated since 2014.