%20(3).png)
By Jen Royal, Manager of Education
Since the start of the pandemic, the Whyte Museum has had to transform its thinking. This was particularly true for the Education Department, as all programming is typically focused on in-person experiences. But with visitor safety at the forefront, we knew we had to shift from in-person tours to self-guided options for visitors. We also knew that people preferred to be outdoors, so how could we create engaging, experiential activities? To ensure that all considerations were taken in regards to comfort levels, we’ve had to pivot in a new digital direction. And what a learning curve!
The Education Department has created a brand new walking tour app designed to get people outside in the fresh air, while still connecting with us and the stories we house in our extensive collection. The first tour on the app is a 60-90-minute walking tour around the town of Banff. The audio is supplemented with photographs from our archives and links to videos from our collection and partners. The tour route is on paved pathways, sidewalks, and some gravel paths, so it is friendly and accessible. We invite users to be independent and move at their own pace. The app is simple to use, safe, and fun.
So when you next have free time in Banff and want to experience the town in a different way, download the app and try it out. I’m hoping that this is the first of many diverse self-guided tour options on this digital platform – and I’m so excited to see where it can take us.
This project was generously sponsored by the Pauw Foundation.