My obsession with the Ukrainian Village may have had to do with the fact that my grandmother immigrated to Canada from Ukraine as a little girl and I grew up hearing all the stories of how the people lived. Seeing it for myself in this replicated village that focuses only on Ukrainian history was so amazing. It was like putting pictures to a book for the very first time, every story my grandmother had told me truly came alive.
The village does such a good job with their live reenactment and exhibits that you really feel like you travelled back in time. The staff at the museum was friendly, but they were also in character which was a neat addition. The park is fairly large and the had multiple different times that you could go through, from the first settlers to the actual town. Seeing the mud houses really put into perspective how different life was back then.
Pros:
- Family friendly, stroller and wagon accessable
- Flushing toilets
- Easy walking path
- In era live actors
- Food and drinks for sale
- Special holiday events
- Amazing exhibits and buildings
- Close to Elk Island National Park
- Good price, also you can use your “Experiance Albertas History Pass“
Cons:
- Some buildings were closed
- Bathrooms were far apart
- Decent drive from Edmonton
- Youre not allowed to picnic inside the park
- Nowhere to buy food once you’re inside the village
All in all, I think that this was one of the best museum villages that we have been to because they really focus on the topic! There were live animals, people to talk to, and so many different artifacts to see. I think that if you are learning about Alberta’s Ukrainian history or you’re just wanting a fun family activity I definitely think you should check the Ukrainian Village out!
