Central Library

Plan Your Visit

There’s plenty to do and see in the downtown core and East Village.

Explore downtown’s backyard.

St. Patrick’s Island is just across the George C. King Bridge and offers Calgarians activities for all seasons. Enjoy some fishing or outdoor programming in the summer, or bring your toboggan in the winter to slide down The Rise.

Relax along the river.

Pedestrians and cyclists move along the Jack and Jean Leslie RiverWalk, beside the Bow and Elbow rivers. Whether you’re looking for a peaceful spot to enjoy a book or want to take part in some outdoor programming, RiverWalk is a cultural hub, recreational pathway, and peaceful destination.

Fuel up for adventure.

Steps from the RiverWalk is the Simmons building, with tenants sure to tempt any appetite. Other historic buildings are also nearby, each restored to enjoy a new lease on life. Don’t pass up a stop at Crossroads — with a playground, community garden, and public art installation, there’s lots to see and do in this space.

Stand at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers.

This place is known to the Blackfoot as Moh’kinsstis. Before it was Fort Calgary — the birthplace of the modern city of Calgary — it was a gathering place for Indigenous peoples for thousands of years.

Take a stroll down Music Mile.

One of the anchor points on Calgary’s Music Mile, Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, is comprised of five floors of exhibitions that tell the story of music in Canada and celebrate Canadian music icons.

Catch a glimpse of governance.

Calgary’s City Council meets in the Municipal Building, next to Historic City Hall. There are frequently exhibits on display inside the building, and groups of 10 or more can register for a tour of the City of Calgary’s Civic Complex with a volunteer guide.

People-watch at Olympic Plaza.

Built to celebrate the ’88 Olympics, this plaza is a prime spot for festivals, and for cooling off in the wading pool in the summer and skating in the winter, all under the watch of the nearby Calgary Tower.

Take in a show.

Just across the way from Olympic Plaza is Arts Commons, a multi-venue arts centre featuring music, theatre, dance, and everything in between. About a 15-minute walk farther up Stephen Avenue is the Globe Cinema, a classic movie house that hosts many of the film festivals in Calgary.

Find out what’s going on at the Glenbow.

There is always something new to see at the Glenbow Museum pop-up with its frequent rotation of exhibitions from the collection and visiting installations of national and international art and culture.