Be a Tourist in your own (Down) Town

When was the last time your family visited some of the great tourist attractions Downtown Calgary has to offer?

If it's been a while since you took in the Science Centre, Glenbow Museum, Calgary Tower, Calgary Zoo, Fort Calgary, Police Interpretive Centre or the IMAX Theatre, then May is the month for you. It's a chance for families to be tourists in their own (down) town!

How it works Simply pick up your personal passport to fun at any Calgary Co-op store or any of the participating attractions. During the month of May, check out what's new, what's wacky, what's fun at some of your favorite venues — or ones you've never been to before.

As you travel from attraction to attraction, get your passport stamped . . . just like a real passport.

When you've collected stamps from at least half of the attractions, you become eligible to win a great Tourist Weekend Prize. It includes two nights at the Sheraton Suites Eau Claire, breakfast, valet parking, yearly family passes/memberships for all the attractions and a Downtown shopping spree.

Just drop off your completed passport at any Calgary Co-op store or at the attractions to enter to win the random draw.

In addition to the paid venues, there are also some free ones to enjoy. Why not mosey on through the Udderly Art Legacy Pasture —watch where you step, feed the fish in Devonian Gardens or visit the largest collection of children's books at the main branch of the Calgary Public Library.

Ride the train free Downtown If you get tired from all your exploring, ride the train anywhere along 7 Avenue - free. Hop on and off as often as you like. All aboard! Bring your family and friends

Before the attractions get busy with out-of-town tourists, this is your chance to re-discover the fun, unique and interesting attractions only Downtown has to offer. Then don't forget to bring your family and friends back for another visit this summer when they come to Calgary. You'll know just what to recommend!

Have a family sleepover Why not make a weekend of it? Your family can stay at the Sheraton Suites Eau Claire any Thursday-Sunday (based on availability) during the month of May for just $139, including valet parking. Just ask for the Calgary's Child Getaway rate. Extra adults are $25 each and children under 17 always stay for free.

Calgary Science Centre: A place made for curious families
Address: 701- 11 Street SW
Phone: 268-8300
Website: www.calgaryscience.ca
Make sure you don't miss the blockbuster exhibit 'LEGO: Ocean Adventure', which closes May 20, 2002.

Does your family love space? If you do, don't miss our new exhibit 'Experience Space', opening May 25, where you can start training to be an astronaut. Experience "body-on" simulations that will make you feel weightless or control a replica of the Mars Rover!

Calgary Zoo: Rediscover us!
Address: 1300 Zoo Road NE
Phone: 232-9300
Website: www.calgaryzoo.ab.ca
Whether it's hiking through the Rocky Mountains to get close to the grizzlies, discovering a bit of Africa in your own backyard, tromping through time in our Prehistoric Park or enjoying the soothing sensations of our Botanical Gardens, the Calgary Zoo is never the same trip twice! Don't miss our annual garden festival, Bloomfest, May 3-5.

Fort Calgary: Bringing history to life!
Address: 750 - 9 Avenue SE
Phone: 290-1875
Website: www.fortcalgary.com
Spend a day in the life of Calgary in 1875. Meet historic characters from Calgary's past and participate in reveille and flag-raising. See if you can 'pass muster' at inspection and greet the neighbors when they come to call. Take part in costumed interpretation, hands-on activities and historic crafts in the 1875 Fort, 1888 Barracks, 1906 Deane House mansion and interactive Interpretive Centre all on the site of the original Fort Calgary at the junction of the Bow and Elbow Rivers.

IMAX Theatre: Have you ever wondered . . .
Address: 200 Barclay Parade (Eau Claire Festival Market)
Phone: 974-IMAX
Website: www.eauclairemarket.com
What would it would be like to climb the world's largest freestanding mountain? Where does your lunch go once you chew it? How awesome would skateboarding at the Extreme Games would feel? You can experience it all at IMAX Theatre at Eau Claire Festival Market.

Treat your senses to the world's most powerful film experiences. Witness breathtaking images on the giant five storey screen and unbelievable sound of our 15,000-watt IMAX Digital Sound. We'll expose you to edge-of-your-seat action and adventure, uncover the world's most intriguing mysteries. May films: Kilimanjaro, The Human Body & Ultimate X.

Calgary Police Interpretive Centre: Wear the blue!
Address: 316- 7 Avenue SE, 2nd Floor
Phone: 268-4566
Website: www.calgarypolice.com
Come and investigate a unique, educational, hands-on facility that puts crime under the microscope. Examine the fascinating aspects of police work from fraud scams to homicide. Learn first hand about those issues that confront police officers every day, particularly those that impact our youth.

Become a 'junior' detective and match wits with interactive computer/video exhibits, solve crimes, examine forensic evidence and get behind the wheel of a computer-equipped police car.

Calgary Tower: The top of the world!
Address: 9 Avenue @ Centre Street S
Phone: 266-7171
Website: www.calgarytower.com
Come and see if you can spot your house from the top of Calgary's most famous and identifiable landmark. Get a birds eye view of the river, the mountains, Downtown and beyond. Though now 33 years old, the Calgary Tower is still the 4th tallest structure in the city and a must see on any itinerary. Did you know that during the 1988 Winter Olympic Games, an Olympic Torch burned non-stop at the top of the Tower? And, if you visit the Panorama Dining Room, the floor moves so you get a 365° view without leaving your seat.

Glenbow Museum: Pop Revolution
Address: 130 - 9 Avenue SE
Phone: 777-5506
Website: www.glenbow.org
Post war consumerism, Pop Art and censorship are topics grown-ups can explore during a tour of the current Pop Revolution exhibit. For kids, check out these activities: May 11: Built for speed: classic cars cruisin' accessories - make your own neat-o accessories to hang from your rear view mirror or sit them on the dash board of mom and dad's car. May 18: 50s style puppet time - Back then it was Howdy Doody time. Join us for this fun-filled afternoon of puppet making in the classic style. May 25: Space age sculptures - Rockets to the moon, the space race - these are the things that occupied the minds of 50s families. Blast off and make your own out-of-this-world sculptures from materials we supply.

Devonian Gardens: More than just plants
Address: 4th Floor TD Square
Phone: 221-4274
Come feed the fish or the turtles! Did you know the Devonian Gardens pools and falls are alive with over 200 Koi and Rainbow Trout and 45 Red Ear Turtles? Why not crawl through the dirt trails for the 400,000 bugs living there? It's 2.5-acre indoor oasis with 20,000 plants and over 135 varieties, including the exotic 'Queen of Siam,' 'Painted Princes,' 'Bird of Paradise' and 'Samba.' A green jewel in the middle of an urban jungle - Calgary's own Emerald City.

Udderly Art Legacy Pasture: Mosey on over!
Address: Centennial Parkade +15 walkway;
9 Avenue between 5 and 6 Streets
Phone: 215-1570
Website: www.udderlyart.com
In the Year 2000, 125 beautiful bovines graced the streets of Cowtown in a once-in-a-lifetime outdoor visual art exhibition called Udderly Art: Colorful Cows for Calgary. But some of those cows just couldn't stay away from Downtown! They've made their way back to the city and are grazing in a permanent pasture. Come and visit. Chew the cud with the cows. Have your picture taken or read all about the beautiful bovines that captured Calgarians' imaginations. Watch where you step!