Edmonton / Central Sights

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Central Edmonton has the most stuff to do, by far in Edmonton's area. From a thriving arts' district to architectural gems-it has it all!

Alberta Legislature building at dusk

• Alberta Legislature Building, www.assembly.ab.ca. Beautiful to visit any time of the year at any time of the day. In December the grounds are lit with thousands of lights and there is a skating pond one can use. In the summer you can wade in the pools and play in the fountains north of the building. There are security staff walking around and it is quite safe even later in the evening.

• Art Gallery of Alberta (AGA), 2 Sir Winston Churchill Square (Go to Enterprise Square), www.artgalleryalberta.com. Monday-Friday 10:30AM-5PM (Thursdays 4-8PM free admission); Saturday & Sunday 11AM-5PM. Art Gallery of Alberta explores all forms of art and great for seeing how artists interpret things. The facility is modern and up to date. The gallery recently underwent a new section called Edmonton Modern, a architectural study about Edmonton's architecture of the 60's and 70's. Aside from that, there is always something different going on at the Art Gallery of Alberta like NHL paintings or cross Canada art gallery tours or whatever. It is truly a unique and nice experience and the people there are really friendly/helpful. Great for just wanting to have quiet time and looking at beautiful, sometimes odd, things. It should not be turned down. Good, cheap rates..

• Gallery Walk - the first of its kind in Canada - is a handful of interesting galleries from local and international artists'. Its on Jasper Ave. between 123rd and 124 Streets. It's something neat to have a look at and you could even buy a few pieces. For parking, consider 123 Street just north of Jasper Ave.

• Edmonton Public Schools Archives, 10425 99 Avenue NW, 780 422-1970. A full-on museum at the corner of 99th St. and 104th St. It includes archives of the education system, Edmonton public in particular, from way back when Edmonton started getting schools and universities. The place is lesser known as Mckay Avenue School. Though it may seem a little lame, it is kind of interesting to learn about the education system and great for history buffs.

McKay Avenue School around sundown in Edmonton.

• Edmonton Archives, 10440 108 Avenue, ☎ (780) 496-8711 (cms.archives@edmonton.ca, fax: (780) 496-8732), www.edmonton.ca/city_government/documents/CommPeople/ArchivesBrochure.pdf. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Wednesday: 8:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.. The archives detail in historic photographs, events, statues, clippings of Edmonton in this unique museum.

• High Level Streetcar, 4 Stations: 100 Ave, 97 Ave, 90 Ave, and 85 Ave, ☎ (780) 437-7721, www.edmonton.ca/transportation/high-level-streetcar-service.aspx. May through October only. The classic High Level streetcar takes you from just north of 100 Avenue between 109 St. NW/110 St. NW in Downtown to Old Strathcona (103 Street and 85 Avenue). It crosses the HighLevel bridge and has magnificent views of the river valley and downtown. Nice for just relaxing.

• Chinatown, Stretch of 97 Street between 105 and 109A Ave.

• Little Italy.

• TELUS World of Science Edmonton (formerly the Odyssium), 11211 142 St., 780-452-9100, www.odyssium.com. Edmonton's largest science museum with an architectural design that is out of this world, with lots of science exhibits, a planetarium, and an IMAX theater. They also have some delicious pizza.

Main building of the TELUS World of Science, which houses an Imax theatre and planetarium.

Buildings of the Royal Alberta Museum, located just west of downtown.

• Coronation Park (right beside Telus Science Centre)
• Royal Alberta Museum, 12845 102 Ave, ☎ 780-453-9100, www.royalalbertamuseum.ca. The Albertan provincial museum on the eastern edge of the West End and holds many exhibits including a thorough Albertan History segment.

• Edmonton Planetarium, (now defunct). This building may be small, and out of business, but it is quite the building. Unique constellation artworks mark the floor to the first planetarium in Canada. You cannot go inside, but from the outside you get a grasp of the space love that was the 60s.ame="Edmonton Planetarium" alt="" address="" directions="now defunct" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat=""

• www.assembly.ab.ca
• www.artgalleryalberta.com
• www.edmonton.ca/city_government/documents/CommPeople/ArchivesBrochure.pdf
• www.edmonton.ca/transportation/high-level-streetcar-service.aspx
• www.odyssium.com
• www.royalalbertamuseum.ca