REVEALING THE RAM: GIFT SHOP REVIEW

Beyond Tradition | Elizabeth Cytko

---

The Royal Alberta Museum is in the foreground with Edmonton City Hall to the left.
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cytko.

Welcome to a special holiday edition, Alberta style!

This Christmas break I had the privilege of returning home to Edmonton and finally getting to visit the newly opened Royal Alberta Museum (RAM). While this is technically a gift shop review, I do want to briefly touch upon the museum itself. The audience of the RAM is made by Albertans for Albertans, with the assumption that the audience will visit the other major museums within the province. The new location is ideally placed downtown next to other major tourist attractions such as the Art Gallery of Alberta, City Hall, and the Stanley A. Milner library.

Historic shoes are presented as part of the shoe cubbies for children.
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cytko.

I was very impressed with how the RAM incorporates Alberta identity throughout the institution. For example, the Children's Gallery features science alongside everyday prairie life, where through various activities, they can learn about where they live.

First Nations are front and center in the Human History Hall. There are iPads that tell stories which change with the seasons in respect to cultural tradition. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cytko.

What I was particularly impressed by was the Human History Hall. Entering the space, the visitor is greeted with large beautiful landscape images of the province. One of the first things a visitor sees is a sacred buffalo rock. What excited me the most is how the First Nations are incorporated throughout the entire gallery, laced together with settler history, where the various peoples of Alberta grow and thrive together. I spent most of my time in this gallery looking at all the cool historic artifacts; my favourite part was the old post from Fort Edmonton!

A post from Fort Edmonton is featured. Behind there is a flying canoe, detailing the early history of the city as a trading fort.
I suggest you visit this museum post-haste! :) Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cytko.

If you get the chance to visit the museum, I strongly recommend it, you won’t be disappointed.

Loved the word play of these coffee names.
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cytko

I am also going to give a special mention to the Café, which is right beside the gift shop. The Café is consistent in keeping their products themed with the RAM such as Bison and Alberta craft beer chili with fry bread to the Albertosaurus cheeseburger. They even have their own specialty coffee. I ended up buying Rocky Mountain High, which is a nice light bodied medium coffee. These coffee blends are exclusive to the RAM. Seeing this had me excited to see what the gift shop has to offer.

A large entryway into the shop accommodates mobility devices.
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cytko

Entering the wide aisles of the shop, it was obvious to me that there was some thought put into accessibility. One of the downsides is that there were tall shelves, so someone in a wheelchair or using another mobility aid may not be able to reach those items. However, there were quite a few attendants in the store, so if there was need, help would easily be provided. I loved the friendly and welcoming colour scheme in the shop.

Amazing handcrafted jewellery. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cytko.

The age demographic of the store is all ages. There were products to please everyone, from the smallest baby to the ritziest of grandmas. When it comes to affordability, there were things with a lower price point (so poor students like me can buy things), ranging to high quality products with a higher price point (for future successful non-student me to buy).

It took every inch of willpower not to buy this book.
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cytko.

A warning to parents: If you appear here with your kid, you will spend money.
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cytko.

The children’s selection includes locally themed picture books, stuffed animals, science sets, cool rocks, and other items that will be sure to thrill any child.

Edmonton is known for their magpies. If you are lucky you might be able to see a 'ghost' magpie - where the black colouring is grey! I once saw one and it was amazing. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cytko.

How cute are these tiny Alberta pins? Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cytko.

Items are neatly displayed in the gift shop. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cytko.

Nice to see some local civic pride. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cytko.

What got my attention is the emphasis on local artists. It was refreshing to walk around the store and see various Alberta themed items, from hats, to bumper stickers, and postcards.  Since this museum is based in Edmonton, there were also quite a few Edmonton themed items. Recently Edmonton has undergone a civic identity renaissance, with local artists producing amazing locally themed items, such as a patch with the ever present magpie or pins shaped like the province.

For all your tiny Mammoth needs. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cytko.

Show your love for the RAM by wearing this snuggly hoodie. Sock monkey not included.
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cytko.

There were also specific RAM themed items, most of them featuring the Mammoth Mascot Moe.

A fun sticker! Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cytko.

Overall, the gift shop was chock-full of fun stuff relevant to the museum's mandate. The gift shop products show that the RAM's audience is diverse and values supporting local.

I rate this museum gift shop 4.5/5 with the .5 taken off for accessibility concerns.