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Alberta’s Gopher Hole Museum Closes Over Climate Control Issues

By Drooid · Oct 7, 2026, 8:12 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Alberta museum director Laural Kurta announced the World Famous Gopher Hole Museum is closed.
The two historic buildings cannot maintain required heat and humidity, prompting full replacement.
The museum, opened in 1996, houses over 77 costumed taxidermied gophers and attracts about 5,000 visitors annually.
It sits roughly 120 km north of Calgary in a century-old schoolhouse and grain-elevator office, funded by admissions and donations.

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Story summary

Alberta museum director Laural Kurta announced the World Famous Gopher Hole Museum is closed.
The two historic buildings cannot maintain required heat and humidity, prompting full replacement.
The museum, opened in 1996, houses over 77 costumed taxidermied gophers and attracts about 5,000 visitors annually.
It sits roughly 120 km north of Calgary in a century-old schoolhouse and grain-elevator office, funded by admissions and donations.