The Badlands Historical Centre is described by Travel Drumheller as the town's original museum, and it has been telling the story of the valley since the 1950s. It stands at 335 1st Street East, in the middle of downtown Drumheller, a short walk from the World's Largest Dinosaur and the river pathways, which makes it one of the easiest sights to fit in without getting back in the car. This is a community museum rather than a polished national institution, and that is exactly its charm. It looks at the people who arrived in the valley, the coal mines that drew them here, the fossil hunters who followed and the town that grew up between the two, and it does so at a scale that suits a short visit. The museum is a good counterweight to the Royal Tyrrell Museum. At the Tyrrell you meet animals that lived millions of years ago; here you meet the settlers, miners, ranchers and families who lived in the valley a century ago. Museums of this kind rely on volunteers and local donations, and Travel Drumheller notes that the centre is looking for volunteers to help create a new vision for the museum. That is a reminder that it is a living, changing place, so what is on display and how it is arranged can differ from one visit to the next. Do not expect a long, scripted route. Expect a modest collection, friendly people and an hour of context for the rest of your trip.
What to see
Take your time with the local history displays, which usually cover the settlement of the valley, the coal industry and the early search for fossils. Photographs and everyday objects are often the most moving items, because they show faces and workplaces you can then recognise on the drive out to East Coulee and Wayne. If a volunteer is on duty, ask about their own family connection to the valley, because many have one and the stories are often better than the labels.
Practical planning
Opening days and times are not published on the Travel Drumheller page, and a small community museum may keep seasonal or limited hours, so phone ahead or check the museum's own page before you set out. The contact details are on the Travel Drumheller page. Admission is not stated there either, so ask when you call.
Because the museum is downtown, you can combine it with lunch or a stroll along the river pathways. Plan on about an hour, and treat it as a flexible stop that you can fit around a rainy or very cold afternoon.
Fitting it in
It works best as a second-day or half-day stop. Visit it before you drive out to the Atlas Coal Mine, the East Coulee School Museum or Wayne, so that the places you see on the road already have a story attached. Families with younger children may find the Homestead Antique Museum on North Dinosaur Trail more hands-on, but older children and adults who like local history will appreciate the Centre's roots in the town.
If you are staying at one of the downtown hotels, you may well be able to walk to it, which is a nice change in a valley where almost everything else needs a car.
What to expect
The experience
A small, self-guided community museum about the settlement, mining and fossil-hunting history of the valley.
Best time
A cold or wet afternoon, or an hour between other downtown stops, once you have checked that it is open.
How long
About an hour for a relaxed look.
Tips
Phone ahead for opening times and admission, and ask any volunteers on duty for their own stories of the valley.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Visitors who enjoy local history and want context for the mining towns and ghost towns of the valley.
- Families
- Best for school-age children and up, and a good rainy-day option close to the downtown restaurants.
- Couples
- A quiet, unhurried hour that adds depth to a dinosaur-focused trip.
- Pair with
- The World's Largest Dinosaur and the downtown pathways are a short walk away.
- Time needed
- About an hour.
Good questions
Where is the Badlands Historical Centre?+
It is at 335 1st Street East in downtown Drumheller, within walking distance of the World's Largest Dinosaur.
What are the opening hours?+
The hours are not published on the Travel Drumheller page, so phone the museum or check its own page before you go.
What does it cover?+
It is Drumheller's original museum, founded in the 1950s, and focuses on the local history of the valley, including settlement, coal mining and the town itself.
Is it worth visiting after the Royal Tyrrell Museum?+
Yes, as a contrast. The Tyrrell covers deep time, while the Centre covers the people who lived in the valley in the last hundred years or so.
Can I volunteer there?+
Travel Drumheller says the museum invites volunteers to help create a new vision for it. Use the contact details on that page.
