Museums and Archives - Museum or Archive Details

Did you know that the chance discovery of the Cave and Basin hot springs by three railway workers in 1883 led to the formation of Banff National Park? The interactive displays in the Exhibit Hall and the film in the Bathhouse Theatre explain it all. The Discovery Trail leads to the hole in the rock that was the earliest bathers’ only entrance to the Cave pool, and to the waters believed to hold miraculous curative powers. On the Marsh Trail, you can explore the Cave and Basin wetlands’ rich natural history. Many of the park’s birds and animals can be found nearby. An amazing diversity of plants thrive here, and even some tropical fish swim in the warm waters. Only the Upper Hot Springs are now available for public swimming.

As the “Birthplace of Canada’s National Parks,” the Cave and Basin Hot Springs was designated a National Historic Site in 1981.

Open daily. Admission is charged. West end of Cave Avenue, 1.5 km from the Bow River Bridge, Banff..