2010-09-26The Reynolds-Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin, Alberta, interprets the impact of technological change in transportation, aviation, agriculture and industry from the 1890s to the present. Visitors will see a wide variety of vintage automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, trucks, stationary engines, tractors, agricultural implements, aircraft and industrial equipment.
More than 100 major artifacts are on display in the exhibition hall, and additional artifacts are in storage in the Collection Storage Facilities. Exhibits are arranged by theme and displayed in three conditions: restored, conserved and last-used.
The exhibition gallery takes the visitor around the perimeter of the exhibits along a \"highway through time\", beginning with a horse-drawn carriage from 1916. The centre of the gallery has artifacts and displays that showcase the agricultural theme through the four seasons of the year. The gallery is anchored by four stations: 1911 factory, 1920s grain elevator, 1930s service station, and 1950s drive-in.
The factory depicts the transition from horse-drawn carriages to automobiles during a time when buyers were faced with the dilemma of whether to buy electric, steam or gasoline powered vehicles.
The grain elevator is itself a giant machine. This 1920s replica enables visitors to gain a better understanding of the elevator\'s inner workings.
The service station offers a location for school programs, including \"Funlights of Technology\" where students pretend to be Service Station employees of the 1930s.
Drive-in theatre at the Reynolds-Alberta Museum exhibit gallery.The drive-in theatre provides visitors with a flashback to the 1950s. Period movies are shown among vintage automobiles throughout the day.
The museum has 88 vintage aircraft, the second-largest vintage aircraft collection in Canada.
