Tours and programs
Cave and Basin National Historic Site
Memories await
From tours by our friendly Heritage Presenters to Xplorers Club, check out the unique experiences at the Cave and Basin.
Cave and Basics Tour
A quick introduction to all the highlights Cave and Basin National Historic Site has to offer.
Natural History Tour
Explore the biodiversity of the wetland area surrounding the Cave and Basin, where snakes, fish, birds, bears, microbes, snails, flowers, and humans all...
Banff Winter Carnival Returns
Immerse yourself in the magic of winter and let the snow fly!
Just over a century ago (1917), the first Banff Winter Carnival kicked off with great fanfare and enthusiasm, much to the delight of locals and visitors alike. There were competitions in curling, hockey and ski jumping, along with more unusual spectacles like snow-shoe obstacle races, broom-ball tournaments, swim races and fancy diving in the Cave and Basin hot pool. The Winter Carnival quickly became a must-see annual festival that helped to establish Banff as one of the world's premier winter sports destinations. The original Winter Carnival faded into memory long ago, but in Banff the spirit of winter fun lives on!
The Banff Winter Carnival returns to the Cave and Basin National Historic Site this year with fun activities for all ages. Try your hand at mini curling, challenge family and friends to box hockey and other fun winter games and activities. Check out vintage films and photos from the Banff Winter Carnival’s glory days in the Roaring Twenties.
Dates: Thursday to Monday, December 15, 2023 to April 1, 2024
Times: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: Pool Deck and Galletly Building
Xplorers Club
Pick up an Xplorers club booklet during your visit to Cave and Basin National Historic Site where kids can become slime sleuths, snail detectives and more as they "xplore" the site.
- This activity booklet has a dozen fun activities.
- At the end of this self-guided challenge, don’t forget to ask a Parks Canada staff member to sign your Xplorers certificate and receive a souvenir!
Exhibits
Visit year-round for interpretive exhibits, movies, and seasonal activities.
Imagine a country!
Imagine a Country is an interactive exhibit at the Cave and Basin where you’re invited to share your vision for an ideal country.
Conservation is about preserving what we most value in culture and nature. The places, objects and stories we protect help us to understand who we are, where we have been, and where we are going.
What would you choose to protect for future generations?
Conservation starts with you…
Free with Banff National Park admission
You can also participate at home!
- Download the Imagine a country file (PDF, 414 Ko)
- Print the page that contains the sentence that inspires you and complete it
- Take a picture and share your vision on your social media, #ImagineACountry, #ParksCanada
HTML version
- In my dream country, society would protect ...
- In my dream country, we would remember ...
- In my dream country, my fist act of conservation would be ...
- In my dream country, an important story to tell is ...
- In my dream country, an important thing to preserve for future generations would be ...
First World War Internment Exhibit
Through National Historical Recognition Program funding, Parks Canada has created an exhibit to increase awareness about Canada's First World War internment operations 1914-1920. The 1,000 ft2 exhibit, located adjacent to the Cave and Basin National Historic Site in Banff National Park, includes interactive touch-screens, mixed media and two-dimensional displays that encourage visitors to discover at their own pace and reach their own conclusions about a difficult and challenging time in Canadian history.
Learn more
Free with Banff National Park admission
Movies
4-Screen HD Movie
Enjoy the 4 screen HD movie in our Story Hall that takes you to national and cultural treasures Parks Canada administered places across Canada - from sea, to sea, to sea. (11 minutes long)
Location: Story Hall
A Glimpse of the Precarious Existence of The Sublimate Organism
Get an up-close look at the endangered Banff Springs Snail. This inconspicuous creature is about the size of a popcorn kernel! This video by Noel Bégin gives you a glimpse into its enigmatic world. (10 minutes long)
Location: Basin
Story Stations
Through a series of interactive video displays, discover the story of natural and cultural treasures administered by Parks Canada from 1885 to today. (Various durations, from 1 to 4 minutes.)
Location: Story Hall
Wellspring: A Journey of Water
This movie showcases the Cave, hot springs and thermal marsh landscape of Cave and Basin National Historic Site, using only images and sound. Follow the journey of hot spring water as it flows through the site on a gorgeous and steamy Spring morning in early May, 2021. (11 minutes long)
Location: Galletly Building, 2nd floor Theater
Related links
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