Galaxyland

Originally known as Fantasyland, West Edmonton Mall changed the name of the park to Galaxyland in July 1995 after fighting a case with Disney. This indoor amusement park has 24 rides and attractions, which include 8 beginner rides, 9 intermediate rides, 7 thrill rides, and 5 other “pay at site” rides and games. Among these rides is the “Mindbender ride,” the largest indoor triple loop roller coaster. Other attractions include the TurboRide 3D Theatre, the Haunted Castle, and the 3D Fun House.

World Waterpark

The World Waterpark is also a favorite tourist spot for people visiting Alberta. Built in 1985, it is the world’s largest indoor waterpark and covers over 20,000 square meters. Apart from its sheer size, the water park also has the biggest indoor wave pool in the world. The “Sky Screamer,” a high-speed water slide and the “Twister,” the highest slide in the park are two of the most well-known rides in this water park.

Theme Areas in the Mall

There are several themed areas in the mall, including Bourbon Street, Europa Boulevard, and Chinatown. Bourbon Street has a lot of clubs and restaurants in a setting that is heavily influenced by New Orleans. Some of the restaurants you can see her are Boston Pizza, Hooters, The Old Spaghetti Factory, Tony Roma’s Ribhouse, Jungle Jim’s, and Albert’s Family Restaurant. Europa Boulevard has been designed like a European streetscape, while Chinatown has a miniature koi pond with a bridge.

Other attractions included in this mall are the Fantasyland Hotel, an indoor shooting range, a petting zoo, a troop of ring-tailed lemurs, the Nightclub Empire Ballroom, an inter-denominational chapel, and four Radio Stations.

The West Edmonton Mall is a place around which you can plan a whole day. Even if you are not interested in shopping and spending money, many attractions here are bound to catch your fancy. You could simply come here to spend time at the World Waterpark or have some great food in one of the many restaurants here; or maybe, you are genuinely looking to buy something. Whatever your reasons may be, you are sure to find something to your liking here, something that will catch your eye and pique your interest.

The Muttart Conservatory, located in the North Saskatchewan River valley is home to four beautiful glass pyramids, which, in turn, house different botanical regions. There are two large pyramids and two small ones. The larger ones cover an area of 660 square meters and the smaller ones are 410 square meters in size. Three of the pyramids showcase botanical displays from tropical, temperate, and arid regions while the fourth one is reserved for shows with changing themes. Information related to each environment can be found at the entrance of each section, and the moment you step into the pyramids, you can feel the effects of a whole new climatic zone.

The Temperate Pavilion houses plants from areas of temperate climates, such as Australia, the southern Great Lakes, and the mountainous regions of Asia. As you enter, you see a bog area that is fed by a stream and has parrot’s feather and white water lilies. Further ahead there are low shrubs and the eastern deciduous trees, such as redwoods and cedars. In the Australian section you get to see flowering shrubs and Eucalyptus trees and several other tiny flowering plants.

The Arid Pavilion is kept warm so as to simulate the appropriate environment for cacti and other desert plants. The conservatory has also managed to recreate barren and rocky slopes of various arid zones, which gives you the feel of standing right in the middle of a hot and dry desert.

The Tropical Pavilion showcases diverse kinds of plants. The warm temperatures in this section are conducive to plants like orchids, vines, bananas, tall palms, weeping fig, hibiscus, and birds of paradise. In the fourth pyramid, the temperature is modified according to the needs of the seasonal plants that are kept on special display.

The construction of the Muttart Conservatory was only possible after the Gladys and Merrill Muttart Foundation gave a donation. The rest of the funding came from the City of Edmonton and the Province of Alberta and the City of Edmonton. It was designed by architect Peter Hemingway and today the conservatory is owned and operated by the Edmonton Parks and Recreation Department. It is also a very popular destination for parties and special functions like weddings. Only recently, the conservatory received a ‘face lifting’ renovation that cost around $6.3 million.

The next time you are in Edmonton and wish to see the major climatic zones of the world housed in creatively designed pyramids, head over to the Muttart Conservatory. It’s a wonderful experience.

Here, you can see the locations of some the first fur trading posts, see how a beaver hat is made, see an old fashioned soda fountain, and have a picture of yourself taken in the back drop of an old fashioned setting.

There are four areas in the park corresponding to different periods in the history of Edmonton and many of the structures you get to see in the park are originals. The park is operated by interpreters who wear period costumes. You can enjoy free steam engine train rides from the entrance of the park to the Fort and free street car rides, period rides in wagons, stagecoaches, ponies, and buggies.

1846 Fort – Fur Trade Era

The first phase in Edmonton park is the Hudson’s Bay Company fort, which represents the fur trade era. The fort has been rebuilt using a scale plan diagram drawn by Mervin Vavasour, a British Lieutenant. There are several notable features in this section such as the replica of a York Boat and an aboriginal camp just outside the palisade of the fort. This Cree camp represents the indigenous First Nations, who traded in fur and provisions.

1885 Street – The Settlement Era

The1885 street represents the beginning of a town in Edmonton and the development of self-sustaining farms. In this section you can see the establishment of the printing press media and the telegraph and also references to the North-West Rebellion of 1885. Visitors get to see covered wagons, reproduction of the Jasper House Hotel, and the original structure of the McDougall Methodist Church.

1905 Street – The Municipal Era

In this section you get to see instances that verify the economic boom experienced by the Edmonton. However, since it lacked housing facilities for the large influx of newcomers, it lead to the development of the tent city, which is also shown in the park.

Yet another notable display is the house of Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first Premier of Alberta. This house was moved to this location from its current one in south Edmonton.

1920 Street – The Metropolitan Era

This street shows life in Edmonton during the First World War and the times that followed. You get to see a replica of Blatchford Field which was the first ever “Air Harbor” in Canada. Also in this section is The Mellon Farm, which is the only structure that is original to the park site.