This release was issued under a previous government.

Additional tickets will be released on Saturday, Sept.15 at 10 a.m. Tickets can be booked online at royalalbertamuseum.ca.

Yesterday, the museum announced its opening date, and that to celebrate the grand opening, admission will be free throughout the opening long weekend, from Oct. 3 at noon to Oct. 8 at 5 p.m.

Within six hours of the announcement, 21,500 online tickets had been booked.

“This is a testament to the love people have for the Royal Alberta Museum. Tens of thousands flocked to the museum website yesterday to try to be amongst the first to see Alberta’s newest museum. This tells us that RAM is more than a museum. It is a gathering place for people of all ages, backgrounds and experiences. It is a place that inspires us all to discover the remarkable stories of what it means to be Albertan, and I am thrilled that so many people want to join us in that journey.”

Ricardo Miranda, Minister of Culture and Tourism

Ticket availability

Of the more than 40,000 tickets available for the museum’s opening days, 21,500 tickets were made available for online bookings.

An additional 8,000 online tickets will be released Saturday morning on the museum’s website. The remaining tickets will be reserved to accommodate walk-up visitors and annual pass holders. Due to capacity and safety regulations, the museum cannot add more tickets to the opening weekend.

Those planning to visit the museum as walk-ups during the free opening weekend should be prepared for lineups.

Regular paid admission prices and hours begin Oct. 9, and are posted on the museum website.

Opening weekend visiting hours:

  • Wednesday, Oct. 3: noon to 5 p.m.
  • Thursday, Oct. 4: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
  • Friday, Oct. 5 to Monday, Oct. 8: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Background

More than 5,300 objects will be on display in the new museum that features:

  • Expansive Human History and Natural History Halls chronicling the history of Alberta’s people, animals and landscapes.
  • An interactive Children’s Gallery designed for hands-on learning through play.
  • An expansive Bug Gallery with a visible hatchery.
  • A free admission space dedicated to the Manitou Stone.

With the official opening on Oct. 3, the RAM will take its place as the largest museum in Western Canada, spanning almost 40,000 square metres (419,000 square feet), including more than 7,600 square metres (82,000 square feet) of exhibition space – twice as much as the former Glenora location. The new space allows RAM to provide visitors with new objects and stories to explore, in addition to old favourites that everyone knows and loves.

A total of $375.5 million is invested in the new museum: $253 million from the Alberta government and $122.5 million from the federal government’s Building Canada Fund.