Naval Museum of Alberta

The Museum traces its roots to HMCS Tecumseh in Calgary which was formed to serve the Naval Reserve establishment at the end of the Second World War. The Naval Museum of Alberta originally opened in 1988 at HMCS Tecumseh to house the naval aircraft that survived a fire at HMCS Tecumseh in 1981. Following that fire, it was determined that preservation of Alberta’s Naval History was paramount and the Tecumseh Historical Society was formed in 1984.

In October 2008, the Naval Museum moved to its current location and re-commissioned as part of The Military Museums, a tri-service museum comprising seven Museums that includes Army, Navy, and Air Force history.

What can you explore at the museum?

• The most extensive indoor collection of major ship weapons systems in Canada.
• Original aircraft of the Royal Canadian Naval air Service including a Supermarine Seafire, a Hawker Sea Fury, and an F2H Banshee jet fighter.
• Over 50,000 square feet of exhibit space featuring naval artefacts ranging from the Navy’s historical roots to modern times.
• A replica of a Second World War wheelhouse, a working periscope from the Canadian Submarine Ojibwa that was decommissioned in 1998, and an original German Enigma machine that was used to encrypt messages sent to U-boats at sea.

The Museum also has an extensive collection of archives, records, and photographs related to Canadian naval and maritime history which is held in the University of Calgary Library and Archives located on-site at The Military Museums, which includes the John Burgess Library and Ken Macpherson Photographic Collection.

Surface Warfare

Navies have used surface warfare since the inception of fighting ships. Our gallery exhibits examples of naval weaponry including a six pound Bronze cannon from 1797, guns dating from the beginning of the naval service, the first and second World Wars, guns and counter-measure systems from the cold war, and modern equipment such as an SM2 Guided missile used on Canada’s destroyers.

1. Anti-Submarine Warfare

The RCN has long specialized in Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW). The ASW exhibits include equipment ranging from the Second World War to the Cold War including depth charges, hedgehog mortars, limbo mortars, Mk. 46 Anti-Submarine torpedoes and launcher, and submarine detecting sonobuoys.

2. Canadian Naval Aviation

The Canadian Naval Aviation Exhibit features the history of Naval Aviation from the creation of the Royal Canadian Naval Air Service in 1918, the Second World War, to 1975 when naval aviation was discontinued in favour of the RCAF taking on that role. The exhibit highlights the equipment, personnel, and the aircraft carriers off which they flew.

The exhibit also includes examples of Canadian Naval Aircraft:

• Supermarine Seafire – one of the only two remaining Mk XVs
• Hawker Sea Fury
• F2H Banshee jet fighter that flew off of HMCS Bonaventure

3. “Up Periscope and HMC Submarines”

In addition to the story of the Submarine Service in Canada, the gallery also has a working periscope from the Oberon Class submarine HMCS Ojibwa, and the periscope from HMCS Grilse.

4. The Battle of the Atlantic

The Battle of the Atlantic gallery tells the story of the RCN during the longest battle of the Second World War, and includes models of RCN corvettes, frigates, patrol boats, launches, and destroyers. The gallery details the north Atlantic convoys and the threat to them by German submarines, and also highlights the role of the merchant Navy, and the role of armed merchant vessels and Park Ships in the Atlantic convoys.

5. Dressed as Seaman

The uniform gallery exhibits examples of RCN and WRCNS (WRENS) Uniforms throughout the history of the RCN, including rank and trade badges as well as the story of the people who wore them.

6. The RCN in Korea

The RCN in Korea highlights the 9 ships and the 3,621 officers and men of the RCN that served in the Korean conflict from 1950-1953, and those that participated in with the UN missions in Korean waters until 1955.

The Naval Museum of Alberta is located within The Military Museums – a Canadian Forces tri-service history, heritage, art, research, and educational institution located at: 4520 Crowchild Trail SW Calgary AB.

Hours of Operation

The Military Museums is open daily, except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

• Monday – Sunday 09:00 AM – 5:00 PM (1000 to 1600 during Covid19 restrictions)

Annual Passes can be purchased at the Front Desk of The Military Museums.