Categories > Guides and Tips
10 Best Art Galleries in Calgary with Powerful Displays and Exhibits
There’s always something interesting in Calgary. It does have a vibrant arts and culture scene, with brilliant minds showing off their artwork for us to admire.
Lucky for us, Calgary has many art galleries that showcase local and international talents. You can appreciate these masterpieces up close (but no touching!) and you can even bring them home to spruce up your home (for a price!).
Let’s take a little trip to this beautiful city and visit the best art galleries, where you can see different kinds of artwork and witness intellectually stimulating exhibitions.
Contemporary Calgary
Media credit: contemporarycalgary
Location: 701 11 St SW
Contact: (403) 770-1350, [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday – Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday – Saturday: 12 pm – 7 pm
- Sunday: 12 pm – 5 pm
Admission:
- 24 years old and under: By donation
- 25 years old and up: $12 (single admission)
If you love modern art, Contemporary Calgary is a must-visit. Even the building itself is a work of art, which is a prime example of Brutalist architecture.
It hosts a wide range of exhibitions from famous personalities in the art world, like Yoko Ono, Chitra Ganesh, and Robert Houle. You can find paintings, installations, murals, and unique displays from talented artists every so often.
Join a guided tour that’s already included with your admission, which will give you an in-depth knowledge of the current exhibitions. Check out public programs, open for all ages, where you can join arts and crafts projects or watch a special screening.
The art gallery is wheelchair-accessible. Accessible parking and washrooms are available, as well as wheelchairs on site for those who need them.
Pro Tips:
If you want to join the guided tours, they’re on a first-come, first-served basis. Arrive early to secure a spot because it’s only open for up to 15 guests (it starts at 1 pm).
Individuals aged 55 and up can visit for free on Wednesdays to join the open studio session. But check for updates in case the program isn’t available anymore the following month.
Webster Galleries
Media credit: webstergalleries
Location: 625 77 Ave SE Unit 2
Contact: (403) 278-3074, [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday – Saturday: 10 am – 5 pm
- Sunday: Closed
Webster Galleries is not exactly a massive art gallery, but it does have a more intimate setting because, even in a small space, you’ll find lots of artworks from Canadian artists. This is the palace to go to if you’re searching for original works.
Once you enter, you’ll be greeted by a variety of artworks—it’s like browsing your friend’s gallery! Most of the displays are paintings (oils, watercolours, and acrylic), but you’ll also see a collection of hand-pulled prints and sculptures by Inuit artists.
We all know art is expensive, but here, you can purchase works that are under $500. If you’re travelling from far away and don’t know how to pack these delicate pieces, you can purchase them on the website.
Pro Tip:
If you want a special frame for your painting, Webster Galleries offers custom framing services. You can do this for collectables as well, like family heirlooms and antiques.
Glenbow Museum
Media credit: glenbowmuseum
Location: The Edison, 130 9 Ave SE (future home is JR Shaw Centre for Arts & Culture)
Contact: (403) 268‑4100, [email protected]
Operating Hours: To be announced
Glenbow Museum is an important part of Calgary’s art community as it provides an inclusive place and a learning space for everyone. It has a massive and diverse collection with over 250,000 pieces from Indigenous and international cultures.
In fact, it’s home to the largest public art collection you’ll find in Western Canada. You’ll see various displays that relate to important parts of history, and you can witness these in the form of print works, drawings, and sculptures.
The Glenbow Museum is currently under renovation, though. While you might not get to visit it for a while, you can look forward to a revamped space at the JR Shaw Centre for Arts & Culture in 2026.
Pro Tip:
Submit a request if you need to visit for research purposes without waiting for the reopening. However, you need to have a backup plan in case you’re not granted entry due to certain circumstances.
Gibson Fine Art
Media credit: gibsonfineart
Location: 523 Cleveland Crescent SE
Contact: (403) 244-2000, [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Sunday – Monday: Closed
- Tuesday – Friday: 11 am – 5 pm
- Saturday: 10 am – 5 pm
In 1970, Gibson Fine Art first opened its doors, providing a space for contemporary and modern art. It welcomes both established and emerging artists from all over Alberta in the Calgary art community—actually, half of its collection is from Alberta regional artists.
Discover a wide range of paintings displayed in this industrial chic space. Exploring this art gallery feels relaxed as it envelops you in beautiful masterpieces by talented artists (the elegant furniture adds a nice touch).
This isn’t your typical art gallery, too—this place also offers other services, like professional art placement recommendations, commissions, delivery, and installation. If you’re renovating your home, visiting this stunning space is a good idea!
Pro Tip:
Book this art gallery for events like weddings, cocktail receptions, and fundraisers. Its central location makes it accessible to anyone living in Calgary.
The Military Museums
Media credit: themilitarymuseums
Location: 4520 Crowchild Trl SW
Contact: (403) 410-2340
Operating Hours: Monday – Sunday: 10 am – 5 pm
Admission:
- Adult 18+: $17
- Senior 65+: $7
- Student: $7
- Youth (4 – 17): $7
- Children under 3: Free
- Veterans/Serving Military Personnel: Free
This place should be on your list, especially if you’re Canadian! The Military Museums is the 2nd largest museum in the country and is the largest tri-force military history museum you’ll find in Western Canada.
It welcomes over 50,000 visitors a year and has 8 separate museums you can visit, including those of the Army, Air Force, The King’s Own Calgary Regiment, and Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. You’ll not only see incredible artefacts but also learn!
It hosts permanent and temporary exhibitions, and new collections are added regularly. Explore the art galleries and see local, national, and international exhibitions, which include paintings, military accessories, recreated settings, and film screenings.
Pro Tips:
For people who want to learn more about their family’s military history, visit on a Saturday and ask the volunteers for assistance with the files!
Click here for the museum map so you won’t get lost and can plan your day ahead.
Nickle Galleries
Location: Taylor Family Digital Library Floor 1 – 410 University Ct NW
Contact: (403) 210-6201
Operating Hours:
- Monday – Wednesday: 9 am – 4 pm
- Thursday: 9 am – 8 pm
- Friday: 9 am – 4 pm
- Saturday: 11 am – 4 pm
- Sunday: Closed
A creative hub for students and non-students, Nickel Galleries is a must-visit located inside the University of Calgary. It features exhibitions by established and emerging artists—it has displayed over 739 exhibitions since opening in 1979.
If you want to see thought-provoking and historical exhibits, you’ll find them here! Its collections focus on three areas: contemporary and modern art that concentrates on Western Canada, numismatics, and textiles with a focus on Asian carpets.
There’s a continuous list of temporary exhibits by important personalities in the community. Explore the grounds to personally see intricate sculptures, paintings, old coins and currencies, and weekly talks with artists, curators, and historians.
Pro Tip:
If there’s an exhibit you missed, go to the MUSEO, which is the gift shop, where you can find the catalogue for previous events.
Newzones Gallery Of Contemporary Art
Media credit: newzones
Location: 730 11 Ave SW
Contact: (403) 266-1972, [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Sunday – Monday: Closed
- Tuesday – Friday: 10:30 am – 5 pm
- Saturday: 12 pm – 4 pm
One of those museums that feels modern and contemporary from top to bottom is the Newzones Gallery Of Contemporary Art. It started out small when it opened in 1992, but has now expanded and, in 1997, finally moved to its own facility!
The museum has three art galleries you can visit, where you can witness temporary curated exhibitions by Canadian and international artists. You can see different types of artwork here, such as paintings, sculptures, and photographs.
Some of the artists whose works you can find in the galleries are Sophie DeFrancesca, Emily Filler, Philippe Pallafray, and David Robinson. Artwork by international artists, like Deborah Kass and Alex Katz, is also displayed here.
Pro Tip:
For art collectors, you can book an in-person consultation to talk about budget, space, and artwork.
Esker Foundation
Media credit: eskerfoundation
Location: 1011 9 Ave SE 4th Floor
Contact: (403) 930 2490, [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday – Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday – Friday: 11 am – 6 pm
- Saturday – Sunday: 12 pm – 5 pm
Esker Foundation is one of the free art galleries you can visit in Calgary. All programs don’t require tickets as well—you just need to register to reserve your spot.
It hosts thought-provoking temporary exhibitions, like Project Space – Taiessa: variegata, which features a plant collection inside a greenhouse.
Some of the permanent collections are Heme ♦ Stand Healing by Parmela Attariwala, a Calgary-born violinist, and WE ARE ALL SUPERNATURAL NOW: KEYWORDS by Billy-Ray Belcourt, a writer and assistant professor from the Driftpile Cree Nation.
This art gallery is accessible to individuals with mobility issues. There’s an elevator on all levels, accessible and gender-inclusive washrooms, and accessible parking spaces. If you need to borrow a wheelchair, there’s one available you can book in advance.
Pro Tips:
Remember to email the staff if you need to book the wheelchair. It’s on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you’re driving, you can park for free for 90 minutes. Then, head straight to the front desk of the art gallery to register your license plate.
Loch Gallery
Media credit: loch_gallery
Location: Park Point – 314 12 Ave SW
Contact: (403) 209-8542
Operating Hours:
- Sunday – Monday: Closed
- Tuesday – Saturday: 10 am – 5:30 pm
If you love Canadian and European historical art, head over to Loch Gallery on Park Point. It has provided home to significant collections since 1972 and is the place for artists, collectors, and dealers.
You can find contemporary and historical artworks here, like paintings, photographs, drawings, and sculptures. That’s not all it offers because you can sell or consign your artwork here, and if you have a collection of art, you can have it appraised.
It hosts various temporary exhibitions, such as the Historical Collection Featuring Maud Lewis, who is a Canadian folk artist, and A Collection of Historical Canadian Fine Art, which is composed of paintings from various artists.
If you happen to pass by Winnipeg or Toronto, you can also visit other Loch Galleries there to see other art collections. Do note that the Winnipeg location is open by appointment only.
Pro Tip:
Check out the online shop to see if there’s something that interests you. The virtual tours of the exhibits in Toronto and Winnipeg are also worth checking out if you cannot visit.
Wallace Galleries
Media credit: wallacegalleries
Location: Chevron Plaza – 500 5th Ave SW
Contact: (403) 262-8050, [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday – Sunday: Closed
- Tuesday – Friday: 10 am – 5:30 pm
- Saturday: 11 am – 5 pm
Located in the heart of Calgary, Wallace Galleries is the place where you can support and admire the works of Canadian artists. It welcomes prominent names, established artists, and up-and-comers.
With 3,000 sq ft of space, you can find a wide range of art styles, like contemporary and abstract. Plus, there are different kinds of media, like sculptures, paintings, prints, and drawings—and lots of works come in daily, so there’s something new to see.
Watch out for various exhibitions, including seasonal ones that celebrate the holidays. One example of past exhibitions they’ve hosted is Wendy Toogood: Narratives, which has three different collections of work inspired by Toogood’s travels.
Pro Tip:
Visit the catalogue section of the website to see previous exhibitions. You can mark the pages with artwork you’re interested in and they might still be available for purchase.
