Worth the trip upstairs. Very nice gallery. Artists you don't see elsewhere. Nice views from the…read moretop. Decent size. Prices not astronomic. They had a great historical light bulb display as well. 1900 light bulbs. Definitely worth a visit.

Elevation Gallery is a great little spot in Canmore to check out local Albertan contemporary art…read more We heard about the Gallery recently because our friend, artist Lisa Brawn was featured in a show there called "It Came from the Sky" and was featuring her latest collection, bird woodcuts. We stopped by the gallery on Sunday which also turned out to be the day after the show ended but lucky for us the show was still up. The staff was pretty busy, probably preparing the next show going up but they were really friendly and greeted us right away. The gallery was well-lit and had a good selection of contemporary pieces. Of course, my favourites were the Lisa Brawn woodcuts, but I am biased. Next time I am in Canmore I will check out Elevation again and see what is new.

Fabulous authentic art! Many pieces from While vacationing in Canada, we fell in love with the…read moreunique creations by Canadian First Nation artists. In this beautifully appointed gallery you will find stone carvings, metal works, paintings, charcoal, stunning handmade jewelry and much more. We love our carving of two nestling polar bears sculpted by an Inuit. So gorgeous and the pose of the bears together is wonderful. Paola Perez, Gallery Assistant, provided information on the artist and packed the bears securely for shipping. They arrived quickly and look beautiful in our living area.

This is amazing nature photographic art gallery. Prices are not for the faint of heart but the…read moreworks are well worth it. It's a beautiful gallery inside and no high pressure. Staff are very knowledgeable and professional. The gallery itself is clean and very inviting. The photographs are very large and create quite an impact. The appeal to the eye and other senses is profound. I am considering one piece as a gift for a friend in Paris who just bought a new home just outside of Paris. This is one of the best nature photo galleries in the Bow Valley and Jeff is definitely a very gifted photographer. Check out his website but you really have to see his works in real life.

The Whyte museum was named after Peter and Catherine Robb Whyte, local artists and philanthropists,…read more who created a museum where visitors could see the culture and landscape of the Canadian Rockies. Paintings of the original settlers, the Indians, and their clashes with the white men explorers in the 19th century. Building of the railway, including an interactive tunnel view. How the railroad tracks were laid through mountainous areas, and the effect of frequent avalanches. Picture of the golden spike where the trans Canadian railway was joined. No Chinese workers, who did all the hard work, in the picture, just business men in formal clothing, gathering around the railroad track. Early women tourists in their long ankle length skirts exploring the glaciers in pictures. Men and women of wealth in pictures showing their fancy dress for crossing the Rockies by rail. Cutaway view of a automobile from the 1920s, with a film of automobiles in the Canadian Rockies at that time. The Canadian Rockies contribution to the war effort in the world wars, including descriptions and pictures of heroic actions by locals fighting the enemy. The Canadian Rockies in the movies, including posters of 'Saskatchewan', and 'River of No Return'. Helicopter skiing in the late 20th century, where helicopters would ferry skiers to the top of mountains, to ski down. Mountain climbers going up mountains, with display showing how they slept in tents anchored off the cliffs. Great way to spend time indoors when Banff was suffocating under forest fire smoke. $10 per adult, $9 for seniors, and AAA discount. Wife had no objection when I paid for 2 senior tickets, even though she was not yet 65. You know you are getting old when the museum cashier doesn't ask to see identification with dob!

VERY SMALL MUSEUM IN BANFF…read more We recently visited the Whyte Museum located in downtown Banff. Admission is $15 adults, $12.50 seniors and students and free for children. There are free docent-led tours as well as a one hour Historic Banff Walking Tour (fee) and Historic Homes Public Tour (fee). No coffee shop on site but there is a very nice book and gift shop. This museum is a beautiful space but very small. The permanent exhibition hall is one large room featuring artifacts relating to the local Indigenous populations and the early history and pioneers of Banff. Without the docent-led tour of the special exhibit, Thick as Thieves, we would have spent less than 1/2 hour at the museum.

This is a fantastic little shop to stop by and enjoy some local talent! It's an eclectic mix of…read moresouvenirs (from key chains to cards), wall art, clothing, glassworks, mugs, candles and jewelry!!! Well worth a visit! All artwork are vibrant original pieces by LL Harrison of Canmore Alberta!

Years ago we had stopped in here and purchased a photo print. We couldn't remember exactly where…read morethey were located in Banff but found them again during our latest visit and bought another print. The photographs are fun, the staff is very helpful, and you can get a unique souvenir of your visit. Nice art store to explore.

Love this gallery, just happened that the day we went in the gallery. The photographer Jason was…read morethere. His photos are amazing. He greeted us , and as we wandered around he told us the story behind each photo. So , when in Banff wander in take a look . My favorite is "The Boss."

It's highly recommended to visit here. People are nice, products are nice and I appreciated them…read morebeing a part of history in Banff and letting me experience that. There are two sections on this place. One section in a front sells arts and crafts, the second back house, that's attached, sells the First Nation dresses and shirts and other warm clothes. If you look up in the second housing, there are many taxidermy animals, one of which was my favorite, a 38 lbs fish caught in 1928. This place has been in a business easily over 100 years. There stands a sad bear that it's claws were ripped off by this particular communist nationalities...why did they do such a thing? Now this bear has claws glued back on but not original ones. Do not touch those animals but to observe and appreciate them. It's a important piece of a Banff's history and those original residents. They have a small parking. Behind this shop is where the First Nation museum is located which is currently closed till March.

INTERESTING LOCAL BANFF HISTORY…read more The Banff Indian Trading Post is a lot more than a souvenir tourist shop. Located near Banff Ave, this unassuming log cabin is an important part of Banff's local history as we learned during a Town Walking Tour hosted by the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. In the early 1900s, a man named Norman Luxton settled in Banff after coming to the hot springs to recover from a failed attempt to cross the Pacific Ocean in a two man boat. He started a newspaper and set up the trading post from which he traded with the local Indigenous nations. Luxton operated the store with a partner - today the the Trading Post is owned by the partner's daughter who had to agree to Luxton's request that the store be preserved as it has always been. On display inside the Trading Post is a mummified creature named Herman the Merman who also has an interesting backstory. Luxton wanted to start a canoe club on Lake Minnewanka but no one was interested in coming to the haunted lake. Luxton purchased Herman, a "Fiji Mermaid" that was a taxidermy sideshow hoax - the torso of a monkey was attached to the body of a large fish. Luxton staged a struggle with this mer-man as a successful exorcism of the lake. Aside from Herman the Merman, the Trading Post houses a large taxidermy collection including a huge brown bear. The Trading Post also features Indigenous artwork and crafts, many of which are for sale. Next door is the Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum, another venture started by Luxton - it is currently operated by the Buffalo Nations Cultural Society.

Exciting to be in the shop once again. I really took the time to walk around & enjoy all it has to…read moreoffer. Lots of neat gift & art ideas. Items range from ideas for baby gifts to adult gifts. I also love that they feature so many Alberta products & artists. Found a few items this trip - part of a wedding gift, something for a birthday present & some beautiful local images on postcards (those are for me to enjoy some new wall art). Honestly, if you're looking for a gift, AB souvenir or just a lovely or special gift for yourself, this is the store to pop in. Extra bonus the staff & owner are well versed in the information of the products, sizing (I learned a lot about the blankets!) &/or background of the art. The owner especially knows where the artists are from and neat background stories. Personally, I encourage that kind of chatting energy, as I love to know the stories of how things have come to this point. Accessibility for in the store is easy for the first part of the store. The second part has 4 steps down. Staff are really great & super friendly. So just ask if you need something (or another colour options) in case you want something but physically can't make it that far. Also, no fault to any of the 8 st stores & restaurants, but the town decided that street is a safe walking/biking area (apparently some spring to fall). At first I thought maybe there was a festival they were setting up for. Nope. Just every day in Canmore. I can understand for many of the shop owners how that has impacted the flow of foot traffic. Especially as the accessible parking isn't plentiful or nearby. Not even several avenues/streets over. Sadly parking lots closer by didn't provide much more for handicap, I wouldn't have an issue on manning streets safer for enjoyment & shopping, but if I'm paying for parking as a handicap user & have to still walk a fair distance, you can bet my time is more limited in being in Canmore. For my situation, I strategized how far to walk, how much energy & time I have (including to return to vehicle as I move slower) & I still felt like I really limited myself for any extra shopping & skipped the lines for eating focusing on the few must stop places I had in mind. You would think the town would add extra benches & picnic tables that aren't restaurant run plus ramps (besides the natural sidewalk corner locations) to the street if this was truly to be an accessible & friendly walking area. This sadly was not is the case. So long story short, if you're struggling with energy, start at the top of the street by Alberta's Own & maybe if you've got someone that can park further down the opposite side streets/avenues, you can walk one direction to your vehicle without worrying too much about your energy. Lastly, a cuteness heads up... there are two wonderful little dogs as store mascots that will seek all attention & love! They're not fully out all the time but will make their presence known once they are.

This is by far the best gift shop we've stopped by in Canmore / Banff. From the moment we walked in…read morethe service was over the top, kind, and not pushy. This is not a place for your regular run of the mill t-shirts or trinkets. This is a place with truly creative pieces, art, and unique ways to remember a trip to this area if you're visiting. It's super well kept, nothing was cheap but also not overpriced and the owner Laura was someone who is just so in tune with people. My wife and I are so glad we stopped and left with a bunch of things. Added bonus- her two tiny Australian Shepherds that follow her around