Bus Tours are Back

This is a quick post to announce that I`m planning bus tours for summer 2010! The tours will again feature topics from Southwest Alberta history. Our tours have experts on each topic who spend the day with the participants. We also try to provide behind the scenes access and excellent food. Tours leave from the museum in the morning, and return in the afternoon or early evening depending on the length of the tour. All of our tours are full day tours except for the Hutterites History and Culture tour in August.

In June (Saturday that 19th), we`ll travel to Waterton and learn about natural history on the bus ride, and at Red Rock Canyon. We`ll return to the town site for lunch followed by a special guided tour from the Wildflower Festival. Last year we had a wonderful time searching out the flowers, and I think the guests would have been happy to stay all day if I had allowed it :)

In July we`ll go to Indian Days on the Kainai Reserve and learn about Blackfoot history, culture, and modern life. The tour last year was a wonderful and full day - the dancing was a particular favorite, as was the chance to learn about current projects on the reserve including wind power and agricultural initiatives. The visit to Red Crow College, formerly St. Mary`s Indian Residential School, was interesting and informative.

In July we will also go to Writing-On-Stone Provincial park for a tour of the rock formations and the new interpretive centre. A trip to Writing-On-Stone was the most requested tour in our visitor surveys from our tours over the past three years. I`m really looking forward to the trip myself as I have many fond memories of visiting the park while growing up in Lethbridge.

In August we`ll have our only half-day tour to Wilson Hutterite Colony. Last year`s tour provided unprecedented access to modern Hutterite culture. The tour guides from the colony were more than generous with their knowledge and time, and served a delicious lunch.

I`ll post more info about these tours once I have it confirmed. I think it`s going to be a fun summer!