Banff Park Museum, Natural history museum in downtown Banff, Canada
Banff Park Museum is a natural history museum in downtown Banff housing more than 5,000 botanical and zoological specimens. These objects are displayed in original glass cases spread across two exhibition floors.
The building was completed in 1903 and remains the oldest surviving federal structure in any Canadian national park. Its early rustic architectural style was pioneering for its time and influenced later park buildings.
The display cases show how people viewed natural history a century ago, with mounted animals and plants arranged for study and display. Visitors can see the working methods and interests of early museum professionals in this setting.
The museum is located on Banff Avenue in the downtown area and is easy to reach on foot. Plan to spend at least an hour or so to explore the exhibit at a relaxed pace.
Norman Bethune Sanson, a long-serving curator, built the collection from just 268 objects into 5,000 pieces over several decades. His work from the 1890s onward shaped what visitors see today.
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