For visitors who think they already know Heritage Park, a new small-group experience is offering a different way to explore one of Calgary’s most popular attractions.
The History Keepers Tour invites guests to step inside Heritage Park Historical Village before it opens to the public, offering an intimate morning experience focused on the people, skills and stories that bring Western Canadian history to life.
The next tour is scheduled for Thursday, August 20, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., giving participants two hours to explore the park in the quieter early morning hours before the regular crowds arrive.
Rather than following a traditional sightseeing route, The History Keepers Tour is designed to take visitors behind the guest experience. Participants can meet interpreters, artisans, curators and tradespeople involved in preserving Heritage Park’s historic buildings, traditions and collections.
Guests may also have the opportunity to visit active restoration spaces, see historic costumes and artifacts up close and hear stories that aren’t typically part of a regular visit.
A Different Side of Heritage Park
Heritage Park is known for its recreated streets, historic buildings, steam railway, classic midway rides and costumed interpreters. But The History Keepers Tour focuses less on simply looking at the past and more on the people who work to preserve it.
The experience is intentionally limited in size, allowing participants to interact directly with Heritage Park specialists and experience the Historical Village before it becomes busy.
Each tour can be shaped by the people, projects and seasonal activities taking place throughout the park on the day of the visit, meaning the experience can offer something different from a standard trip to Heritage Park.
The early morning setting is also part of the appeal. Visitors can walk the quiet streets before opening, hear the sounds of the Village coming to life and experience Heritage Park before the day’s visitors arrive.
What’s Included in the History Keepers Tour?
The History Keepers Tour includes more than the two-hour guided experience.
Participants receive full-day admission to Heritage Park Historical Village, allowing them to stay and explore the park after the tour. Admission also includes access to summer exhibits, rides and programming.
The package also includes a special keepsake gift and a Parklane Photo Parlour portrait in costume, giving guests a tangible souvenir from their visit.
Tickets are $79.95 plus GST, and the experience is recommended for guests aged 12 and older. The tour begins at Heritage Plaza near the Gazebo, unless otherwise directed by Heritage Park staff.
A Living History Experience in Calgary
Located in southwest Calgary, Heritage Park Historical Village offers visitors an immersive look at Western Canadian life through historic buildings, transportation, trades and costumed interpretation.
The park’s Historical Village spans different periods of Western Canadian history, while attractions such as the steam train and other historic experiences give visitors a chance to engage with the past rather than simply read about it.
The History Keepers Tour builds on that approach by putting the spotlight on the people responsible for maintaining those experiences.
For Calgary residents and visitors interested in local history, craftsmanship or the behind-the-scenes work that goes into operating a living-history museum, the tour offers a chance to see Heritage Park from a different perspective.
When Is The History Keepers Tour?
The next scheduled History Keepers Tour takes place Thursday, August 20, 2026, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Heritage Park has offered several History Keepers Tour dates throughout the summer, with August 20 currently listed as the final scheduled summer tour.
Space is limited and advance booking is recommended.
For more information and tickets, visit Heritage Park’s official History Keepers Tour page.
The History Keepers Tour offers a reminder that at Heritage Park, history isn’t simply something preserved in old buildings and artifacts. It is kept alive every day by the people who continue to practise the skills, tell the stories and care for the places that connect Calgary with its past.