Chiniki Cultural Centre
Chiniki Cultural Centre
4.5
About
This place is temporarily closed. . The Chiniki Cultural Centre provides a complete educational and experiential First Nations experience in food, art, music, history, culture and storytelling. Open daily, our cultural exhibit area contains museum-quality displays that depict an accurate and engaging view of the Chiniki Nation’s history and traditions in Alberta. Visitors can also browse through our gallery shop, which showcases indigenous art, handiwork and clothing items made by members of the Chiniki, Stoney Nakoda and Treaty 7 First Nations. Nature tours, interactive workshops and special programs are offered throughout the year, guided by Elders and nation members in an authentic tipi encampment. Stones Restaurant, located onsite, offers an authentic, fine dining experience. Prepared by top chefs using indigenous recipes passed down from generation to generation, dishes are created from locally grown and seasonally sourced ingredients. Menu items are available for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner.
Duration: 1-2 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Top ways to experience Chiniki Cultural Centre and nearby attractions
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
3 within 5 kms
Attractions
1 within 10 kms
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
19 reviews
Excellent
11
Very good
7
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
0
ernestobowness
Calgary, Canada7 contributions
Sept 2020
very interesting, nice to visit after a great breakfast
we';; be back. good place to hit returning to city.
we';; be back. good place to hit returning to city.
Written 19 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ben B
Calgary, Canada14,382 contributions
Re-opened after a long closure, as a permanent cultural display connect to the newly opened Smitty's
Aug 2020
The building that houses this beautiful cultural centre has had it ups and downs over the years, mainly downs. The main issue was that exactly if/when it was open could never be predicted. We tried several times to visit the Centre, with no success. BUT, now they have found the right formula. The heart of the Cultural Centre is a terrific display of information and gorgeous artifacts open as long as the Smitty's restaurant is open. It's a great companion to the restaurant, easy to explore before or after going in for a delicious meal - but you don't need go to into the restaurant if you don't want to. We don't know if they do other types of programming, we hope they do, and that they find out how to let people know appropriately. Perhaps a digital road sign that can be updated remotely?
Written 27 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
K. N
Calgary, Canada4 contributions
Aug 2018 • Solo
Stopped in late summer, mid afternoon. The bison burger was very good-came with a really nice salad. Had a saskatoon berry lemonade drink which was unusual and welcome alternative. Really neat design/architecture to building and a few tipis set up outside. Staff were polite, however, unforthcoming compared to your average Keg (Hi! i'm your waiter for the evening!") type server. Which is fine with me.
Written 11 November 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
raharmon
Atlanta, GA97 contributions
Jul 2018 • Couples
My spouse and I both greatly enjoyed our visit to the centre and the on-site restaurant. The waffle fries are really good. It took us a little over half an hour to visit the permanent exhibit. After I found the Canmore Museum to be lacking in First Nations history, this was an awesome experience and there is no admission charge!
Written 11 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We are so pleased to hear that you enjoyed touring through the cultural exhibits and dining at Stones Restaurant as well, which serves First Nations Inspired Cuisine. Our goal is provide an authentic, Indigenous experience to our visitors and it is wonderful to see our visitors learning more about First Nations history and culture during their visit to our Centre. If you are interested in participating in one of our other cultural activities, we offer a series of unique experiences such as a traditional tea ceremony with Elders (more details can be found on our website). We hope to see you again soon at the Chiniki Cultural Centre. Kind Regards, Helen Tu, Marketing Coordinator.
Written 13 July 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
JHBCremona_AB
Cremona, AB12 contributions
Jun 2018 • Couples
We stopped in to see how this new building and restaurant were faring, I had the Bison Burger and it was OK, it needed some spice to make it "World Famous" as the sign claims it is, but the Poutine my wife had was spectacular, the elk in it was excellent as was the gravy. I had a Saskatoon Berry Lemonade and it was also great.
Written 21 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review and feedback, we are happy to hear that you enjoyed our elk poutine and will also let our kitchen staff know about your comments regarding our Chiniki Bison Burger. We hope that you also had the chance to tour through our cultural exhibits and gallery shop during your visit, which features unique displays of artifacts and locally created artwork. Thank you again for stopping by and we look forward to welcoming you back again in the future. Kind Regards, Helen Tu, Marketing Coordinator.
Written 25 June 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jujobee
Arizona, United States53 contributions
Jun 2018
We were driving from Calgary to Canmore. This was a perfect place to stop to stretch our legs, go to the restroom and get snacks. Clean, easy access off the Trans-Canada Highway.
Written 15 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review, we are pleased to hear that you enjoyed your visit to the Chiniki Cultural Centre during your trip to Canmore. We hope that you had the opportunity to tour through our gallery shop, featuring locally made Indigenous artwork and crafts, and our cultural exhibits as well. We look forward to welcoming you back again on your next trip to the Rockies. Kind Regards, Helen Tu, Marketing Coordinator.
Written 18 June 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
marikaS
Montreal, Canada220 contributions
May 2018 • Couples
We stopped here on the way to Calgary from BC, and were glad to find a First nations center. There is a nice restaurant there, and a well-planned exibit. Artifacts and photos provide illustrations about the history of the people, and there is a gift shop with art and handicrafts. Outside, there are actual teepees to explore. It was great to see this type of exibit. We were hoping to find similar during our travels to the hot springs, but this was the only center we found. Definitely worth a stop!
Written 6 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Marika, thank you for sharing your experience with us. We hope you had a wonderful road trip and are delighted that you stopped by our Cultural Centre during the journey. It is great to hear that you had the opportunity to tour through our cultural exhibits, tipis and gallery shop, and we hope that you also enjoyed your meal at Stones Restaurant, which specializes in First Nations Inspired Cuisine. We hope to see you again in the future and look forward to welcoming you back. Kind Regards, Helen Tu, Marketing Coordinator.
Written 12 June 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
TravelBedfordshire
Leighton Buzzard, UK1,085 contributions
Jun 2018 • Couples
We spotted this wooden restaurant and cultural centre from the main highway going from Calgary to Canmore. As someone has already stated it is quite confusing to find. The service station is at the lower level but go up the ramp and the entrance to Stones restaurant and the cultural centre are up there.
It's really tranquil inside, with calming music playing in the background. The small menu of local dishes are good value and well presented.
The exhibition area is well laid out and has some interesting information about the indigenous Chiniki people.
Some large tepees are being erected outside the main building.
It's really tranquil inside, with calming music playing in the background. The small menu of local dishes are good value and well presented.
The exhibition area is well laid out and has some interesting information about the indigenous Chiniki people.
Some large tepees are being erected outside the main building.
Written 5 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review and feedback, we're pleased to hear that you enjoyed touring through our cultural exhibits and sample First Nations Inspired Cuisine at our restaurant. Visitors are also welcome to tour through our tipis with one of our Chiniki Guides, for a small admission fee. We apologize about the confusion in finding our facility and are currently working on installing additional signage for easier wayfinding. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back again in the future. Kind Regards, Helen Tu, Marketing Coordinator.
Written 12 June 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
freckleknee
Calgary, Canada196 contributions
Jun 2018
Our group of 9 people really enjoyed our time here. A great museum showing the history of the indigenous, beautiful crafts and a nice menu featuring local food well prepared. Very friendly and helpful staff. We also took part in creating a dream catcher.
Written 2 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us, we're delighted to hear that you had a fun and enriching visit to the Chiniki Cultural Centre! Our goal is to provide an authentic experience to our guests with the food and activities that we offer, all created by our Indigenous chefs and artisans. I will be sure to pass on your kind words to our staff members, and we hope to welcome you back again soon to our Cultural Centre. Kind Regards, Helen Tu, Marketing Coordinator.
Written 4 June 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
DokGrey
Paranaque, Philippines761 contributions
May 2018 • Couples
Had our dinner here. Ample.parking. very nice place and sevice. We orderd steak, with potatoes and veggies. Love the food.
Written 29 May 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us, we are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your meal at Stones Restaurant and hope that you also had a chance to visit the cultural exhibits and gallery shop inside the Chiniki Cultural Centre. We look forward to welcoming you back again to our facility. Kind Regards, Helen Tu, Marketing Coordinator.
Written 31 May 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
No questions have been asked about this experience
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listingCHINIKI CULTURAL CENTRE: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Chiniki Cultural Centre
- Hotels near Chiniki Cultural Centre:
- (0.23 km) Stoney Campgrounds
- (12.85 km) Stoney Nakoda Resort & Casino
- (12.20 km) Our Basecamp For Adventure In Banff And The Rockies
- (15.21 km) Wildcat Ridge Retreat
- (14.65 km) Ghost Lake acreage Cottage
- Restaurants near Chiniki Cultural Centre:
- (0.03 km) Stones Restaurant
- (1.74 km) Tim Hortons
- (5.64 km) Cafe Le Matin
- (7.14 km) Chef Michael Hinds X West
- (12.93 km) Stoney Nakoda Resort - Ridge Restaurant & Sidelines Lounge