Gem of the West Museum in Coaldale opens for the season on May 2

Posted on April 30, 2026 by Sunny South News

By Kristine Jean
Sunny South News

T

he Gem of the West Museum is gearing up for another season. 

Gem of the West Museum Society Manager, Craig Day, said things are coming together for a fantastic 2026 season-opening event on May 2. 

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will feature games, blacksmith shop demonstrations, a free barbecue and other family activities. There will also be free admission to the museum that day. 

“The blacksmith shop will be fired up and we have our volunteers doing that. We’re going to pull our 1928 Studebaker car, which is normally in the parades, and we’re going to pull that out with a couple of tractors and have them set up out front,” said Day. 

Generous donations by local businesses and organizations are helping make the season opening event a great success. The Coaldale and District Ag Society will provide several volunteers to help out that day, and there will be french fries courtesy of McCain Foods Ltd. and a deep fryer provided by the Potato Growers Association.   

The Coaldale Food Market is donating hot dogs and condiments for the barbecue and outdoor canopies will be provided by ATCO, along with support from the Town of Coaldale. 

Day said they look forward to welcoming back residents and welcoming new visitors to the museum this season. At the season opening, residents and visitors will have a new exhibit to explore and a new event feature to enjoy.  

“Our new barbershop exhibit will be ready to showcase and then we’re doing a cultural fair, where we’ve invited museums from all over southern Alberta,” said Day. “We’re going to have tables set up around our banister on our main floor and we have 12 museums participating,” he added, noting museums from Milk River, Nanton, Picture Butte, Pincher Creek and Taber will be part of the season-opener. 

“It’s an opportunity for us small town museums to work together and promote each other in that way,” said Day, adding the museum season runs from May 2 until the end of September. “We’ll be open six days a week (May to Sept.) and then in September we’re open just five days a week from Monday to Friday.” 

They will once again have a summer student to assist at the museum for the season. Most students they hire are studying social studies, history or museum studies at post-secondary school.

“When we get a summer student every year, we propose them with a project of building an exhibit so they get (museum) experience,” he said. “So our summer student last year is the one (who created the barbershop exhibit). We came up with the idea and gave them guidance, but they researched it, they designed it and we implemented it.” 

Day said they are hoping for good weather on May 2, are excited for another season, and are looking forward to welcoming everyone back to Gem of the West Museum in Coaldale. 

“This is the first year having other museums come (and participate),” said Day. “There’ll be free food while supplies last and free admission, so it’s a great day for the family.”