10 Things Your Kids will Love at RAM (beyond the Children’s Gallery!)

Edmonton Playgrounds finds 10 things your kids will love at the Royal Alberta Museum!
Kids LOVE the Royal Alberta Museum – for MORE than just the Children’s Gallery! Photos by Edmonton Playgrounds.

Think kids will only love the amazing Children’s Gallery at the Royal Alberta Museum? Wrong! We found 10 things kids will love at RAM beyond the Children’s Gallery! Which of these will be the favourites among your kids?

Ride the mechanical horse when you visit the Royal Alberta Museum!
Ride “The Champion” at RAM!

1. The Champion

  • Your kids will channel their inner John Wayne or Lone Ranger when they climb aboard The Champion! Parents may lament over the fact that this pony ride, which was in virtually every mall or grocery store when we were growing up, is now in a museum. Take solace in the fact that you don’t have to shell out a quarter for every ride – this one is on the house!
  • Find it in: The Human History Hall
We love the live turtles, and other critters, at the Royal Alberta Museum!
Watch the Western Painted Turtles swim at RAM!

2. The Critters

  • Bugs aren’t the only creatures that call the Royal Alberta Museum home! A trip through the Natural History Hall reveals that RAM is home to a number of other critters. We love watching the Western Painted Turtles. (They just happen to be the only turtle native to Alberta!) Search around to find fish, a variety of underwater creatures, and even snakes!
  • Find it in: The Natural History Hall
The glow in the dark rocks are a fun feature of the gem room at the Royal Alberta Museum
Don’t pass the chance to see rocks that glow in the dark in the Gem Room!

3. The Gem Room

  • No matter how many times we visit the museum, we always have to make it a priority to visit the gem room. The girls love looking and all the bling – but there’s much more to the gem room than that! Be sure to check out interactive activities, like testing magnetic rocks, and don’t miss the room of rocks that glow in the dark!
  • Find it in: The Natural History Hall
The RAM arcade game is a favourite of ours at the Royal Alberta Museum
The RAM Arcade Game is a really cool feature that kids will love!

4. The RAM Arcade Game

  • Keep the little woolly mammoth safe, as you zip him through the museum in search of coins and artefacts in this FREE arcade-style video game!
  • Find it in: The Main Lobby
Feed the baby pelican at the Royal Alberta Museum!
Feed the pelicans, step on the bison weigh scale, and dance like a grouse!

5. Pelicans, Bison and Grouse – oh my!

  • I always laugh watching the girls wiggling around doing the grouse dance, or firing as many squishy balls as they can into the baby pelican’s mouth. I must admit I find it slightly less funny when they insist I step on the weigh scale with them so that we can weigh as much as a baby bison. Everywhere you turn, the Royal Alberta Museum offers unique interactive features to help kids learn something new about our province! A few more to look for: tracing the flight of the hummingbird and binoculars that offer a glimpse of eagle vision!
  • Find them in: The Natural History Hall
Go beyond the bug room, to the back of the bug room, at the Royal Alberta Museum!
Take a peek in The Hatchery!

6. The Hatchery

  • The Bug Gallery itself is something some kids will surely love. (I have one who LOVES the bug room, and one who isn’t a huge fan.) Little known fact – zip down the hallway, past the door to the Bug Gallery, and you’ll find The Hatchery! This is a space where the RAM team breeds, feeds and cares for insects that will be on display in the Bug Gallery!
  • Find it: on the main floor, past the door to the Bug Gallery.
Kids love the switchboard at the Royal Alberta Museum
Snoop on old-timey conversations between neighbours at the switchboard!

7. The switchboard

  • The girls get such a kick out of eavesdropping on telephone conversations and dancing around to old-timey music! Plug the cables into different spots to get the tea on what’s happening in the neighbourhood!
  • Find it: in the Human History Hall
Check out the Oilers History display at the Royal Alberta Museum!
Hockey fans will love this section of the museum!

8. The Oilers history

  • Hockey fans will love this one! The Oilers display is a trip down memory lane on the glory days of the 1980’s OIlers teams that won five Stanley Cups! The setup includes vintage hockey paraphernalia and a video tribute to the teams!
  • Find it in: the Human History Hall
We love exploring the feature gallery at the Royal Alberta Museum.
The feature galleries always include interactive displays that kids will love!

9. The feature gallery

  • RAM has welcomed a few unique feature galleries since its move to the new downtown location. My girls LOVED the Vikings exhibit. The current feature is Drive: Reimagine the Ride. It includes fun photo ops and a great car-play area for kids!
  • Find it on: the main floor, just beyond the front desk.
Moe the Mammoth is something your kids will love at RAM!
Shop at the RAM Shop for Moe the Mammoth memorabilia and other cool museum souvenirs!

10. The RAM Shop

  • Whether you’re looking for an educational kit or a made-in-Alberta gift, the RAM store is brimming with unique options! Our favourites are the toys and plushies that feature Moe the Mammoth and Bertie the Alberasaurus! Bonus – if you notice that your kiddos have their eyes on something, but you don’t want to purchase while they are in tow, you can also shop online at ramshop.ca!
  • Find it on: The Main Floor, near the west entrance
Find the Royal Alberta Museum at 9810 – 103a Avenue, in Edmonton
Enjoy these 10 features in addition to the amazing Children’s Gallery at RAM!
The Royal Alberta Museum Children's Gallery is a great place for kids in Edmonton.
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