I'm thankful for...

Since today is Thanksgiving, I started thinking about the Alberta tourism attractions, destinations and events I’m thankful for. Here’s my list:

• Art Gallery of Alberta for exposing me to art I wouldn’t have otherwise sought out
• small town museums for keeping history alive through the hard work and dedication of volunteers
• Alberta’s many choirs for revealing the passion and joy of choral music
• our province’s national parks for preserving some of Alberta’s wondrous wilderness
• Calgary Zoo for reminding me that you’re never to old to enjoy the zoo
• Chinook Arch Meadery for giving me another reason to like honey
• music festivals like the Edmonton Folk Fest and Labatt’s Blues Festival for luring me outdoors to enjoy Alberta summers to the sound of great tunes
• hiking trails throughout the province that show the beauty and diversity of our landscapes
• Slave Lake Sand Castle Competition for reminding me that Alberta does have beaches
• biplane rides at the Reynolds Alberta Museum for giving me something to look forward to

What are you thankful for?

Mundare's Other Attraction: The Basilian Fathers Museum

There’s more to Mundare than Stawnichy’s sausage. There’s also the surprisingly interesting Basilian Fathers Museum. The museum, established by Ukrainian Catholic priests of the Basilian order, showcases religious artifacts dating back hundreds of years as well as objects that are representative of the every day life of Ukrainian immigrants to Alberta.

Some of the every day items on display include blacksmith equipment, traditional clothing made of colourful embroidery and hand-woven material, and carpentry tools used to craft the beautiful interiors of many of the Ukrainian Catholic churches in the area. Even though these objects would have been commonplace to early settlers, they are interesting today because most people have no experience with them.

There is nothing commonplace about the museum’s religious collections. Crosses, icons, communion vessels and candlesticks used in services and rituals dazzle with their ornate decoration and intricate details. Maps, bibles and liturgical books that are hundreds of years old show the historical depth of the museum’s collections.

Basilian priests established printing presses in the areas they served and the museum also displays early printing related items such as photo negatives etched onto metal printing plates and hundreds of individually-cast metal letters that would have been typeset to make the words of the printed material.

Some of the quirkiest items were the ones from Father Jean’s private collection – beer steins, a sword and handcuffs allegedly worn by Louis Riel.

Even though there is no sausage tastier than Stawnichy’s, if you want to fill your mind rather than your belly, give the Basilian Fathers Museum a try.

Behind the Scenes of Lethbridge's History

History is more than buildings and antiques. It’s also about the people who came before us and the experiences they had. From May 1 to 9, we have the opportunity to learn about our collective past by attending Historic Lethbridge Week.

Hear from a Japanese Canadian who was placed in an internment camp during World War II and learn about Canadian war brides. A screening of a 1945 Oscar-winning movie and a 1940s dance hall party will help you re-live the fun side of the war years.

Demonstrations of Sumi-e (traditional Japanese painting style), Bonseki (art of creating landscapes on black lacquer trays using white sand, pebbles, and small rocks) and Ikebana (flower arrangement) get you in touch with your artistic side.

Other events such as cemetery tours and a peek at the Galt Museum’s collections vault allow a glimpse of often unseen parts of history.

Experience the stories behind the places and things that represent Alberta’s history during Historic Lethbridge Week.

Other locations in the province also offer similar historic festivals:

• Edmonton and Northern Alberta Historic Festival, July 9 - 18, 2010
• Doors Open Edmonton, July 9 - 11, 2010
• Historic Calgary Week, July 23-August 2, 2010

Tickle the Ivories at Cantos

How many museums do you know of that let you get within an arm’s length of the items on display let alone touch them?

At the Cantos Music Foundation in Calgary you can do more than just visually appreciate the keyboard collection from a distance. You can observe the inner workings of the instruments up close, listen to your talented guide play the keyboards and even play them yourself.

See
The craftsmanship of many of the older pieces in the collection is not found in keyboards made today. Wood inlay, mother of pearl, intricate carving, and real tortoiseshell and ivory keys are examples of old-world artistry. Two of the oldest keyboards, the 1560 Virginal and 1679 Couchet Harpsichord, have painted scenes on the underside of the lids.

Some of the more technological items have clear exterior cases so you can see the inner mechanisms of the instruments. The clear casing of the Robb Wave organ lets you see the six-cylinder car engine that the organ was constructed from.

Sometimes you won’t believe what you’re seeing. On the transposing piano the entire row of keys slides sideways. Who knew pianos could do that?

Hear
Cantos showcases the evolution of keyboards and you can hear the diversity. The difference in sound from the string-like notes of a Baroque harpsichord to the techno beats of 80s dance music synthesizers is amazing.

You’ll recognize the sound of the Mellotron M 400 featured in The Beatles’ song Strawberry Fields Forever and the distinctive sound of the Theremin often used to make sound effects for 1950s sci-fi movies.

Play
The most remarkable thing about Cantos is the opportunity to play many of the instruments on display. Broadway aficionados will appreciate the rich sounds of the Rhapsody in Blue grand piano honouring George Gershwin and lovers of old-school blues will go wild over the Hammond B3 organ. You can’t pass up the chance to touch a piece of history by playing the 1875 Hammer dulcimer or the1876 Steinway grand.

Sensory Explosion

Of all the items in the collection, the Kimball theatre organ best combines all the sensory elements of the Cantos experience into one delightful package. Feel the rush of air from the pipes. Hear the astounding range of sounds that the organ can make including tweeting birds. See the xylophones and cymbals move as the keys are played.

Experience Music
By allowing visitors to explore the collection through sight, sound and touch, Cantos provides a tangible connection to the experience of music.

You can connect with Cantos through drop-in tours, private tours, and customized tours.