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    The Sleeping Buffalo

    3.0 (1 review)

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    9 years ago

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    Banff Indian Trading Post

    Banff Indian Trading Post

    4.3(12 reviews)
    0.6 km
    •$$

    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.

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    Banff Indian Trading Post
    Banff Indian Trading Post
    Banff Indian Trading Post - Local candied salmon

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    Local candied salmon

    Rock Paper Silver - Inside (8/2022)

    Rock Paper Silver

    5.0(4 reviews)
    0.2 km

    If you're looking for ammolite (which is moving to become recognized as the official gemstone of…read moreAlberta), Rock Paper Silver has the best selection in terms of small "stone" samples, jewelry, and "rock" pieces. In general, they have nearly everything relating to stones, crystals, and fossils in a variety that stretches from the regular souvenir stuff (wire-wrapped crystal necklaces and bead bracelets) to jewelry-grade stones and actually jewelry to decorative house pieces, statues, and wall pieces. The storefront is smaller than the actual store, which stretches REALLY far back. Very well organized with clearly marked sections for the different kinds of stones. Employees are extremely helpful and knowledgeable and were pretty open about admitting to their stuff being a bit upmarked. They even recommended other locations for some possibly cheaper, specific types of fossils. Not only were they very informative when we asked about specific crystals and rocks, and this included where they'd gotten everything. Canada is famous for being a rockhound's dream, with its amazing and numerous mineral and precious metal deposits. However, Rock Paper Silver also provides specific other kinds of crystals from other parts of the world. There are a number of souvenir and rock/crystal/fossils places along Banff Avenue. However, Rock Paper silver is right at the center of the main cluster of restaurants and gift shops. The closest parking (besides the minimal street parking when the road isn't blocked off) is the Bear Street Parking Lot, an open parking lot that (like the street parking) has an hourly rate of $3 per hour from 8 AM to 8 PM. If you manage to park there, you can cut through Park Avenue Mall's backdoor (southeast corner of the lot) straight to Banff Avenue. The other main parking area is the Bear Street Parkade. First floor has the same hourly rate as mentioned before with the second floor up completely free. We mostly used the parkade and the only drawback is that so do most people. Be sure to check the counter they have at the entrance for if there are still spaces available on the upper floors. Would absolutely recommend dropping by here to browse. Especially if you're interested in rocks, crystals, and fossils. While there are a lot of pricier items, there are a variety of other more affordable products that make for a great unique souvenir!

    I always spend way too much in here. They have such a…read morehuge, beautiful inventory. Almost too much for one person to take in. I always have something in mind before I arrive. The polite staff are quick to serve. I am a gemologist, so I know a thing or two about rocks, gems and jewelry. I am very impressed with their abundance of product knowledge. Really amazing. It's pretty expensive, but the quality is fabulous. Call me a sucker.

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    Rock Paper Silver - Muonionalusta is a meteorite found in Scandinavia.

    Muonionalusta is a meteorite found in Scandinavia.

    Rock Paper Silver - Inside (8/2022)

    Inside (8/2022)

    Rock Paper Silver - Inside (8/2022)

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    Inside (8/2022)

    The Sleeping Buffalo - giftshops - Updated October 2026

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