Modern and contemporary art inside the saucer-shaped Centennial Planetarium dome — Calgary's most distinctive mid-century building, now a working art museum.
Contemporary Calgary opened in 2019 inside the renovated Centennial Planetarium, a 1967 dome by Calgary architect Jack Long that was originally home to the city's planetarium and Calgary Science Centre until that institution moved to Bridgeland in 2011. The dome and its concrete plinth sit on a small park bounded by 9 Avenue and 11 Street SW, and they are among Calgary's most photographed pieces of architecture: a heroic-era space-age building that the city very nearly demolished before three small art organizations (Institute of Modern and Contemporary Art, Museum of Contemporary Art Calgary, and Art Gallery of Calgary) merged and took it over.
The institution programs three to five major exhibitions a year across multiple galleries, with the dome itself reserved for large-scale installations and immersive work that the geometry of the building can support. Past shows have included Yoko Ono, KAWS, Marc Quinn, and major Canadian retrospectives; the rotation of international names is one of the few things in Calgary's art scene that consistently competes with the bigger Canadian cities. The exhibition halls on the lower levels stretch into smaller and more experimental shows, and the building has a strong family-programming arm with drop-in art-making sessions most weekends.
Contemporary Calgary still considers itself a relatively young institution — five years of operation in the dome as of 2026 — and the building is a work in progress. Parts of the lower levels and the planetarium itself are at various stages of renovation, and the rooftop and patio program has expanded each summer. The shop in the lobby stocks an unusually good selection of art books and small-edition prints.
anyone following international contemporary art, architecture fans, and downtown locals looking for an indoor weekend afternoon.
you came hoping for a comprehensive historical art collection — Contemporary Calgary doesn't do permanent collection display.
60-120 min depending on what's up.
Family-friendly weekend drop-ins, accessible building, and big visual work that holds kid attention. Some exhibitions have mature content — check before going if you're sensitive to that.
Limited paid surface parking on site and metered street parking on 11 Street SW; large pay lots and parkades within two blocks. The C-Train 7 Street SW station is a three-minute walk and is the easier option for downtown visits.
Fully accessible, with elevators between all gallery levels and accessible washrooms. The dome's curved geometry is unusual but step-free.
Contemporary Calgary occupies Calgary's iconic Centennial Planetarium — a brutalist concrete structure on 11 Street SW. Exhibitions rotate every few months and lean toward major international names. The space is half the experience.
An hour is enough for the main dome installation plus one of the lower-level galleries. Skip the bookstore if you can't trust yourself.
Ninety minutes lets you do all current exhibitions properly. Pair with a walk over to the Bow river path or a coffee at one of the cafes along 9 Avenue SW.
Inside the former Centennial Planetarium dome at 701 11 Street SW, on a small block bounded by 9 Avenue SW. The C-Train 7 Street SW station is the closest stop, about a three-minute walk.
Adult general admission is around $15, with discounts for students and seniors; members are free. Major touring exhibitions may carry a separate ticket. Confirm current pricing on contemporarycalgary.com.
The building is the former Centennial Planetarium, designed by Calgary architect Jack Long and opened in 1967. It served as Calgary's planetarium and science centre until 2011. Contemporary Calgary renovated and reopened it as an art museum in 2019.
Yes — the building is fully accessible, family drop-in programming runs most weekends, and large-scale dome installations are visually engaging for kids. Some exhibition content may include mature themes; check what's currently on if that matters to you.
Contemporary Calgary programs primarily temporary exhibitions and does not display a substantial permanent collection. Three or four major exhibitions a year rotate through the dome and lower-level galleries.
Limited paid surface parking on site, metered street parking on 11 Street SW, and large pay lots and parkades within two blocks. The C-Train 7 Street SW station is the easier option for most visitors.
Both are contemporary art galleries with no permanent collection. Esker is smaller, fully free, in Inglewood, and tightly curated. Contemporary Calgary is larger, downtown, in the iconic dome, and brings in bigger international names but charges admission. They complement each other and are worth visiting in the same week.
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