Living History Museum Just two kilometres from Norstead is another living history museum – L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site. Interactive displays in the visitor centre answer questions about Viking life and depict archaeological finds, including spindles and fragments of bone needles used by Norse women. Inside one of the reconstructed sod buildings, we discovered a Viking encampment. Dressed in Norse costumes, Egil andThora sat by the hearth and invited us to relax on sheepskin-covered benches on the other side. After describing how they churned butter, cooked in iron pots and used the tools around them, Egil pulled out a wooden lyre and sang a song as he plucked the strings. For a few minutes, the music and surroundings transported us back 10 centuries. pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/nl/meadows Creepy-Crawlies The living museum concept takes on a whole new perspective at the Bug Gallery in Edmonton’s Royal Alberta Museum. Even squeamish visitors become fascinated when they view and learn about the spiders, insects and other invertebrates that comprise 97% of the animal kingdom. As we safely searched glass cases for camouflaged insects – inches from our noses – and viewed the social behaviour of paper wasps, we learned about warning colours, ambush predators and how invertebrates find mates and capture prey. The beauty, diversity and ecological roles of jungle nymph stick insects, rhinoceros beetles and scorpions soon captivated us. The highlight for intrepid visitors is the opportunity to handle some species, including tarantulas, when staff and volunteers are available. royalalbertamuseum.ca/visit/galleries/bug-gallery CSANews | SUMMER 2022 | 19 Travel
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