EXPLORE

OUR EXHIBITS

The museum is housed in Hinton’s original Grand Trunk Pacific Railway Station House. This building was Hinton’s railway station from 1911 to 2003. The interior footprint of the building is original. Thus, when you explore our exhibit galleries, you’re also exploring the living and working space of Hinton’s railway employees for nearly a century.

FEATURED EXHIBITS

Coming Soon!

📍 Natural History and Forestry (Kitchen)
Our Natural History and Forestry room is under construction! Visit now if you want to see the process of a new exhibit being installed!
Permanent Exhibit: Canadian Railways

📍 Railway History (Office)
Dive into the rambunctious history of railways in our region! Did you know that originally, the Yellowhead corridor had not one, but two railways built side by side! Discover hubris, endeavour, humour, and much more in this railway exhibit, which also boasts a working telegraph and touchable artifacts.
How Our History Fits

📍 Post-1955 Local History (Waiting Room)
No waiting in this waiting room: let our timeline exhibit take you on a trip through world history. Our current timeline exhibit shows how our local history compares with major world events in the rest of the world. This room also hosts our delightful model train, a favourite with all ages, that depicts Hinton in the 1970s.
Robb, The Early Years

📍 Pre-1955 History (The Living Room)
This wonderful exhibit, on loan from Yellowhead County, commemorates the centennial of Robb, a small town south of Hinton. Walk through the unique history of this town: its growth, its coal mines, and its colourful namesake. Unlock your inner child with our interactive features that explore place naming and historic toys.
More to Explore

📍 Bonus Exhibits (Lower Level)
Once you’re done upstairs, feel free to explore our modern lower level! This space often hosts travelling art exhibits. It also houses our coal shovel model, bookcases, and a siren, once used by Hinton’s pulp mill as a fire alarm.

MUSEUM RESEARCH & ARCHIVES

The Peterson Paper Project

In winter 2022-2023, the Northern Rockies Museum successfully digitized the research collection of renowned local historian Tom Peterson, now accessible at the Coal Branch Archives and online through Alberta on Record.

View Project

Yearbook Archive

Discover a treasure trove of memories with our collection of yearbooks, offering a nostalgic look back at the community’s past.

View Archive

TAKE A PART OF HISTORY HOME

A Snowflake’s Journey

Join a snowflake named Journey on an epic adventure of the water cycle from the Athabasca Glacier all the way to Brule Lake and back. Fun, informative and memorable for kids of all ages. Comes with a pull-out poster of the water cycle to hang on your wall!

Available in our gift shop and for order here!