The Banff Springs and Chateau Lake Louise Hotels both have a nice shopping arcade, but be ready for…read moresticker shock and a questioning eye. A recent example in point was my visit to Images of the North. It's located just down the hall from the Glacier Saloon and specializes in jade carvings, jewelry, and other Canadian (and other parts of the world?) art. Images of the North is a handsome shop and with various price points ranging from reasonable to well exceeding my monthly mortgage. I had two issues with this place - Authenticity and the Hard Sell. The former involved a nice jade bear on top of of a piece of petrified wood of which neither me or the shop workers knew where it was made. Instead of trying to find out a little bit more information for me, the shop workers "advised" that this piece would probably sell between present time and the end of my upcoming hike, and that I should commit now rather than later. I smiled, politely made my exit, and decided not to return.

Fabulous authentic art! Many pieces from While vacationing in Canada, we fell in love with the…read moreunique creations by Canadian First Nation artists. In this beautifully appointed gallery you will find stone carvings, metal works, paintings, charcoal, stunning handmade jewelry and much more. We love our carving of two nestling polar bears sculpted by an Inuit. So gorgeous and the pose of the bears together is wonderful. Paola Perez, Gallery Assistant, provided information on the artist and packed the bears securely for shipping. They arrived quickly and look beautiful in our living area.

From the owner: Established in 1974 Canada House Gallery is one of Canada's most vibrant and unique commercial art…read moregalleries. The distinctive collection focuses on contemporary paintings, sculpture and jewellery by renowned and respected Canadian artists. Recognized in 2002 by our peers, we were accepted into the Art Dealers Association of Canada. Over the years, Canada House Gallery has earned a reputation for excellence in the Canadian art community. We have become a destination for art lovers throughout Alberta, Canada and abroad. Open 7 days a week, we strive to keep the gallery accessible, interesting and diverse. The comprehensive and continually updated website has much to do with the reach of Canada House Gallery. Collectors from around the world can roam freely, view the collection that we have on hand and trust the accuracy of what they see on our website. Our motto is "Always fresh, new and individual".

We were visiting Canada on a motorhome trip from California and walked into this gallery. The art…read moreis exceptional and the prices are reasonable for the quality. Beautiful paintings, glasswork, and stone and wood carvings. Andy, the owner, and Curtis were very friendly and helped us purchase a fabulous painting on aluminum. Definitely worth a look if you are in Canmore.

Fallen Leaf Gallery is a must-experience! We were exploring…read moreCanmore when we stumbled upon The Fallen Leaf Gallery. I was pleasantly surprised by the variety in art available & how reasonably priced everything was! The thing I enjoyed the most of the gallery is how they took pride in displaying local and Canadian talent. I was expecting it to be largely local, but they really brought in such unique work from all across our country! The gallery is a very relaxed, enjoyable atmosphere that I found very inspiring for my own creativity. We enjoyed the artwork until the gallery closed & then enjoyed taking in the gorgeous exterior - they really upkeep their storefront, it's stunning! A lovely experience, I look forward to returning on my next trip to Canmore.

Due to the fact that I live in Quebec and Art Country Canada is in Alberta I was lucky enough to…read morepurchase 2 Robert Bateman prints that I am absolutely in love with. I could not say enough about the personal attention and packing detail I received from Art Country Canada. The communication was incredible and extremely courteous. And WOW, they packaged up the prints so well a semi-truck could not push through it. Excellent experience all around.

Amazing manager. The art is some of the most beautiful I've seen, surpassing most of the artwork…read moreI've seen in museums. Come here to get your mind blown!

This is amazing nature photographic art gallery. Prices are not for the faint of heart but the…read moreworks are well worth it. It's a beautiful gallery inside and no high pressure. Staff are very knowledgeable and professional. The gallery itself is clean and very inviting. The photographs are very large and create quite an impact. The appeal to the eye and other senses is profound. I am considering one piece as a gift for a friend in Paris who just bought a new home just outside of Paris. This is one of the best nature photo galleries in the Bow Valley and Jeff is definitely a very gifted photographer. Check out his website but you really have to see his works in real life.

I have bought some prints from this gallery in the past and had great service. Last week, during a…read moretrip to Banff I stopped in to possibly buy another, however I left without buying anything. The gentleman working that day did not greet me, nor did he bother to inquire if he could be of assistance. Instead, what I got was a look of suspicion, as if I was someone to be watched to make sure I didn't steal anything. I was the only person in the store at the time. Needless to say, I'll go elsewhere in the future.

In heart of tourist trap but if looking closely some quality Canadian only wares are here for…read moreunique gifts for others.

Years ago we had stopped in here and purchased a photo print. We couldn't remember exactly where…read morethey were located in Banff but found them again during our latest visit and bought another print. The photographs are fun, the staff is very helpful, and you can get a unique souvenir of your visit. Nice art store to explore.

Love this gallery, just happened that the day we went in the gallery. The photographer Jason was…read morethere. His photos are amazing. He greeted us , and as we wandered around he told us the story behind each photo. So , when in Banff wander in take a look . My favorite is "The Boss."

This is a free contemporary art museum located in Banff Centre in Banff National Guard…read more So while the hours are limited, you really can't complain since it's free! Check out their website to see current features and exhibitions: https://www.banffcentre.ca/walter-phillips-gallery The gallery is "Exclusively committed to the production, presentation, collection and analysis of contemporary art and curatorial practice."

From the owner: Walter Phillips Gallery is exclusively committed to the production, presentation, collection and…read moreanalysis of contemporary art and curatorial practice. For contemporary artists, particularly those engaged in alternative forms of practice, Walter Phillips Gallery remains an essential and principle site where art is presented to an audience for critical reception. In an effort to ensure a broad and balanced representation of the different areas of research at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, the Gallery displays and collects painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, photography, and new media-based works.

The Whyte museum was named after Peter and Catherine Robb Whyte, local artists and philanthropists,…read more who created a museum where visitors could see the culture and landscape of the Canadian Rockies. Paintings of the original settlers, the Indians, and their clashes with the white men explorers in the 19th century. Building of the railway, including an interactive tunnel view. How the railroad tracks were laid through mountainous areas, and the effect of frequent avalanches. Picture of the golden spike where the trans Canadian railway was joined. No Chinese workers, who did all the hard work, in the picture, just business men in formal clothing, gathering around the railroad track. Early women tourists in their long ankle length skirts exploring the glaciers in pictures. Men and women of wealth in pictures showing their fancy dress for crossing the Rockies by rail. Cutaway view of a automobile from the 1920s, with a film of automobiles in the Canadian Rockies at that time. The Canadian Rockies contribution to the war effort in the world wars, including descriptions and pictures of heroic actions by locals fighting the enemy. The Canadian Rockies in the movies, including posters of 'Saskatchewan', and 'River of No Return'. Helicopter skiing in the late 20th century, where helicopters would ferry skiers to the top of mountains, to ski down. Mountain climbers going up mountains, with display showing how they slept in tents anchored off the cliffs. Great way to spend time indoors when Banff was suffocating under forest fire smoke. $10 per adult, $9 for seniors, and AAA discount. Wife had no objection when I paid for 2 senior tickets, even though she was not yet 65. You know you are getting old when the museum cashier doesn't ask to see identification with dob!

Small but well designed museum, worth a short visit! It was a perfect rainy afternoon activity…read more Learned lots of history about Banff, and we enjoyed the temporary art exhibit Canoe. Would recommend!