The newly-opened Sam Centre has been designed to share the story of Alberta’s famous Calgary Stampede festival.
Located on the Stampede Grounds in Calgary, the centre will be open to visitors year-round.
The new centre provides an immersive experience for visitors of all ages to explore the rich history of the 10-day rodeo festival, which welcomes over one million visitors annually.
Visitors can expect to browse artifacts and unique items which have been collected over the past 112 years, with multi-medium exhibits layered with digital augmentation including video and audio components, and tactile experiences.
The space also features the Stampede Sensations, a digital installation highlighting real stories from people who have had a connection with the Stampede for decades. This 15-minute 270° multimedia show explains why they call Calgary Stampede the ‘Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth’.
The team will be hosting a wide range of events and programming that will attract visitors and locals alike. This includes a rotating gallery that will feature partnerships with local creators and organisations from the community.
Jennifer Holm, Manager of Sales and Guest Experience, said: “The Sam Centre [allows] visitors to get a deeper sense of knowledge about the Stampede, everyone who created the Stampede and how we all belong.”
“We firmly believe that we, as an industry, are all better when we can get more people coming more regularly to these sites,” explains Christine Leppard, Manager of Exhibits & Experience. “It’s important for cultural organisations, but most importantly, it’s important for the vibrancy of the local community and allows us to provide an enriching experience to guests from around the world, who are welcome to our region with some really spectacular sites to visit.”
