Nordegg Discovery Centre
Nordegg Discovery Centre
4.3
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday
Closed
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
About
The Nordegg Discovery Centre is the home of the Nordegg Visitor Information, Brazeau Collieries Mine Site Tours, and the Nordegg Public Library. If you're interested in taking a tour of the Brazeau Collieries Mine Site, please call to register! New and exciting exhibits opening in 2024!
Duration: 2-3 hours
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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.
Popular mentions
4.3
40 reviews
Excellent
21
Very good
14
Average
2
Poor
1
Terrible
2
Bernice
Alberta, Canada275 contributions
Aug 2024 • Family
Wow! They’ve done a great deal of work and this is a fantastic addition preserving some of the history of the region!
Fantastic play area for little ones! Please take the time to visit this lovely little gem!
It’s a quick tour but wealth of knowledge and great staff!
Fantastic play area for little ones! Please take the time to visit this lovely little gem!
It’s a quick tour but wealth of knowledge and great staff!
Written August 5, 2024
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.
Jean-Paul G
1 contribution
Mar 2022
My grand father, Ernest Gheur, was the Mining Engineer hired by Mr Martin Nordegg to open this coal mine in 1913. He died in Calgary following a fall in 1917, hence his wife and my father born in Canada in 1912, had to wait for the end of the WWI to return to Belgium where they originated. I visited the site in 1979 when is was a Prison Camp, It was fascinating and moving for us.
Written February 25, 2023
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.
logar
Leicester, UK81 contributions
Sept 2016 • Friends
Had a wonderful day looking at the historic mine and the incredible foresight by Nordegg is a real testament to the man himself. Restoration projects by dedicated people (like Joe Baker) have secured a lot of the buildings for future generations. We enjoyed the old style Cafe with a nice lunch, well priced and fresh with great service.
A guided tour of the mine site is a must do.
A guided tour of the mine site is a must do.
Written September 2, 2016
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.
Ken C
20 contributions
Jun 2022
We made a trip to Nordegg this week (June 6, 2022). We checked online to see what attractions were open. Really confusing as some sites said the mine site was open in 2022 from May to September and others said closed due to Covid. Well it was still closed due to Covid, so if you decide to go don't expect to see this attraction. Same for the Nordegg Museum - closed for the second year for renovations.
Written June 11, 2022
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.
Marcina M
1 contribution
Jul 2021
I was born in Nordegg and my family left there in 1955 when the mine closed. Today my sister and I made a trip to visit my place of birth. I was very disappointed with it. It is advertised as a National Historic site but very little of the town is still there. Where the main street of the town was is now being replaced with lots that are for sale. The graveyard is in appalling condition. We were unable to take a tour of the collieries & mine site. Last time I was there was 17 yrs ago and was able to go through the museum which is closed for renovations......poor time of the year to be doing renovations during tourist season. I will go back next year but in my opinion very little has been done to preserve this little town as a National Historical Site.
Written July 18, 2021
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.
vagabond e
42 contributions
Jun 2014 • Solo
I came across the mine site while 4x4 offroad exploring in the area and didn't realize you're to have a guided tour to see the site. None-the-less, the area is quite interesting and well maintained. There is a lot of structures and history here to explore. Definitely find out about the guided tours as I'm certain the education they provide is quite informative.
Written December 30, 2014
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.
Little Buddy
calgary23 contributions
Sept 2013 • Family
My wife, myself and our then 7 year old dude stumbled across this mine tour while we were staying near Nordegg - and we were really glad we did!! It turned out to be one of those great suprises you come across when you're on a trip!!
We went there on a rainy day, but since it was mostly indoors that was no problem. The mine is huge, and all the way through we all found it really fascinating. Our little boy really liked the cool, giant machinery (okay, I did too....) and investigating everything. When you tour the mine you go in a group and with a guide, so you get to hear lots of stories and ask questions, which was good as well. It was pretty hard to imagine how noisy and "coal-dusty" the place was and how anyone survived working in there!
The Heritage centre (where you sign up for the tours) also has a small museum. It's in one room and has pictures and some artifacts to look at. Our little guy actually liked it and was good to spend a short time in there. The miners café had good pie and ice cream too - so there was something for everyone! The tour costs $25 for a family, or $10 per adult and $5 for kids - and it was about 1-1.5 hours, including getting up to the mine from the Heritage centre.
We went there on a rainy day, but since it was mostly indoors that was no problem. The mine is huge, and all the way through we all found it really fascinating. Our little boy really liked the cool, giant machinery (okay, I did too....) and investigating everything. When you tour the mine you go in a group and with a guide, so you get to hear lots of stories and ask questions, which was good as well. It was pretty hard to imagine how noisy and "coal-dusty" the place was and how anyone survived working in there!
The Heritage centre (where you sign up for the tours) also has a small museum. It's in one room and has pictures and some artifacts to look at. Our little guy actually liked it and was good to spend a short time in there. The miners café had good pie and ice cream too - so there was something for everyone! The tour costs $25 for a family, or $10 per adult and $5 for kids - and it was about 1-1.5 hours, including getting up to the mine from the Heritage centre.
Written August 27, 2014
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.
demetrius1905
Wetaskiwin, Canada58 contributions
Aug 2011 • Friends
This is worth an afternoon to see first-hand, the huge size of this coal mining operation. My personal guess is that because of size of the facilities, the related cost to restore them and an impending safety factor, the opportunity to go through them all will be limited in the near future. So for a full experience, go now.
Written January 26, 2012
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.
Dawn D
Sherwood Park, Canada78 contributions
Jul 2016 • Family
We did a tour of the Brazeau coal mine this past weekend. It was a great tour as our guide was very knowledgeable. As we had 4 kids with us; a 7 year old, a 6 year old and 2 four year olds, it was very nice that our guide was good with children and included them in conversations whenever he was able to.
It rained fairly hard many times during our tour, but as the tour goes on most days rain or shine, we were able to duck into buildings where the guide told us more about the site and its significance. (Note - if it looks like rain, make sure that you bring appropriate clothing for the tour.) This tour does have a fair amount of walking on gravel or dirt trails.
This site was of interest to me as my father-in-law worked at the mine during its later years. As I had been there a few years before, it was interesting to see all of the recent changes to the site as they continue to improve & restore it. New to the site since my last visit was the addition of the washrooms by the parking lot. Also new was the restoration of the explosives storage shed, and one of the junior manager’s log cabins. Additional equipment and items have been found or unearthed and added to many buildings.
I thoroughly enjoyed the tour even though I had been on it before. Each tour guide is able to add their own flavour and information to the tour, so that it is a bit different each time. If you are a local Alberta history buff, you will find this tour well worth your time.
It rained fairly hard many times during our tour, but as the tour goes on most days rain or shine, we were able to duck into buildings where the guide told us more about the site and its significance. (Note - if it looks like rain, make sure that you bring appropriate clothing for the tour.) This tour does have a fair amount of walking on gravel or dirt trails.
This site was of interest to me as my father-in-law worked at the mine during its later years. As I had been there a few years before, it was interesting to see all of the recent changes to the site as they continue to improve & restore it. New to the site since my last visit was the addition of the washrooms by the parking lot. Also new was the restoration of the explosives storage shed, and one of the junior manager’s log cabins. Additional equipment and items have been found or unearthed and added to many buildings.
I thoroughly enjoyed the tour even though I had been on it before. Each tour guide is able to add their own flavour and information to the tour, so that it is a bit different each time. If you are a local Alberta history buff, you will find this tour well worth your time.
Written August 2, 2016
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.
BigOldBear05
Sherwood Park, Canada80 contributions
Jul 2014 • Couples
We arrived too late to take the full mine tour but did enjoy a tour of the small musem and gift shop. We enjoy reading about the men who travelled to this very remote to mine coal and build a very thriving company town populated by up to about 2500 people during it's heyday.
The gift shop has a variety of local crafts, books and clothing.
The gift shop has a variety of local crafts, books and clothing.
Written July 29, 2014
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.
Are people aloud to explore the old abandoned part of the town when ever they want?
Written April 21, 2016
There is part of town that is just up the hill from the museum that you can drive through, but the abandon mine can only be explored through guided tours. From May 21st to July 1st the tours are Saturday and Sunday at 10am and 2pm. Then from July 1st to August 28th the tours are everyday at 10am and 2pm. As well there are two different tours, the upper mine site and the lower mine site. These tours are at alternating times on each day.
Written May 27, 2016
My wife and I will be staying in Rocky Mountain House the nights of June 18 &19 , 2016 and we want to visit the Brazeau Mine site where my father and grandfather worked and lived in Nordegg in the early 1900's. What are the "must sees & do" in Nordegg. it is our first time to Nordegg for both of us and the first time in the Rockies for my wife. Our 50th wedding anniversary will take place during our 10 day trip to Calgary, Rocky Mountain House, Edmonton, Jasper and lake Louise where I worked during the summers of 1958-62.
Any assistance//advice//recommendations to make this trip memorable would be appreciated
Paul Daignault
Written February 20, 2016
On those days there will be tours through the mine site at 10am and 2pm each day. The two tours each day show a different part of the mine and depart from the museum, which is the old school house. As well, there are many beautiful and short or long hikes to do in the area.
Written May 27, 2016
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