Calgary Journal Online

Both creationism and evolutionism have their say in museums in Drumheller and Big Valley

In the struggle to answer the age-old question of how we got here and where we came from, there are, like so many other debates, two sides to the story.

And while Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution appears to have won out when it comes to the public education system and countless dinosaur museums around the world, the theory of creationism – the belief that we are here thanks to a singular and almighty Creator – has found countless supporters throughout history thanks to organized religion, and even has its own scientific community.

The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology in Drumheller is noted for its extensive collection of more than 120,000 fossils.

Photo: Sean-Paul Boynton/Calgary Journal

To effectively pull off this day of scientific discovery, it’s recommended you set your sights on Big Valley first. This is especially true if you have children along for the ride, as the small eastern Alberta town offers fewer amenities to kids than the more youth-friendly Drumheller, which is also closer to Calgary and will provide an easy drive home after a long day.

Plus, the two-hour drive from Calgary to Big Valley (complete with a pit stop in Innisfail, which you’ll hit after an hour on Highway 2 north) is quite remarkable once you start heading east on Highway 590, especially the long, steep descent into the badlands 20 minutes before entering town.

The museum itself is a small one; blink and you might miss it. Keep your eyes peeled once you turn off the highway into town for a small house on your left with a dinosaur jutting outwards above the door. A small front garden welcomes you to the museum, which boasts an inexpensive $5 admission and is open until 5 p.m. every day (although the website urges visitors to call ahead and make sure it’s open).

Be prepared to do a lot of reading once you venture inside the museum, as most of the displays come complete with detailed explanations about the follies of evolutionism, and why it simply makes more sense that we were put on Earth by a Creator.

The museum’s various displays and arguments include insight on fossilization, which creationists argue takes much less time than evolutionary scientists would have us believe, presenting a fossilized teddy bear and cowboy boot as evidence.

There are also several examples of drawings done by ancient tribes and Native Americans of dinosaur-like creatures, suggesting that humans and dinosaurs co-existed.

The stance the museum takes against evolutionism can be viewed as somewhat hostile, but museum co-creator Harry Nibourg says it’s simply a matter of introducing an alternative narrative.

“It’s important to remember that evolutionism is still a theory,” says Nibourg, who is more than happy to take you on a tour of the exhibit. “It’s called the theory of evolution for a reason. We (creationists) have our own theory that is supported by the Bible, and runs in opposition of evolutionism. We just want to see to it that both sides are being heard.”

Nibourg is also eager to point out that many scientists who started out believing in evolutionism were eventually persuaded by their findings and beliefs to cross that great divide, and are now staunch creationists.

Whatever you believe, it’s hard to leave the Creation Science Museum without allowing that Nibourg and the rest of the exhibit’s creators make some interesting points, and raise intriguing questions about the modern world’s eagerness to adopt evolutionism.

It surely makes for interesting driving conversation amongst you and your fellow travellers as you make your way south on Highway 56 to Drumheller, and to the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology.

Big Valley may raise more interesting philosophical discussions, but Tyrrell ultimately boasts the better spectacle. Nestled right in the heart of Midland Provincial Park, the renowned museum takes you on a journey through the earth’s history according to the theory of evolution, and brings many long-extinct creatures to awe-inspiring life.

Even though you’ll most likely be arriving later in the day thanks to your time in Big Valley, the museum doesn’t close until 9 p.m. every day this summer, which will give you plenty of time to experience every nook and cranny for a tidy $10 admission fee.

In regards to being so close to an institution that presents an opposing theological view, the Royal Tyrrell researchers and directors don’t seem to be worried about changing attitudes.

“We’ve proven that our scientific research work here is renowned throughout the world, and that’s what we focus on,” says Kathryn Valentine, director of exhibits and communications at Tyrrell. “There are several different theories about why we’re here, but we’re focused on presenting our scientific discoveries as a story about the earth that can be understood by all of our visitors. This is what we’ve found to be true, and people’s response has been extremely positive right out of the gate.”

While you’re in the neighbourhood, stop in Drumheller for dinner. Chances are fairly high that you’ll be afforded the opportunity to order a dish that boasts a dinosaur pun for a name. Who doesn’t love a brontosaurus burger?

Distance from Calgary: 200 kilometres northeast to Big Valley; 71 km from Big Valley to Drumheller
Population: Big Valley - 351; Drumheller - 7,930
Description of drives: Views of badlands and hoodoos

As you drive west on Highway 9 back to Calgary, remember how lucky you are as an Albertan to be able to get both sides of the oldest debate in human history.

As Harry Nibourg says: “If evolutionism is right, let it stand. If creationism is right, let it stand. If either theory can be proven wrong, we must be able to let either one fall based on the evidence.”