Cemetery tours

Cemetery tours

Mounties and ministers, cowboys and cooks, prohibitionists and politicians.

Join volunteer tour guides on a walk through time to learn about the people, personalities and events that shaped the vibrant city Calgary is today. From May through October, The City tells their fascinating stories through free guided walking tours of Calgary's historic Burnsland Cemetery, St Mary's Cemetery, and Union Cemetery.

Note: Cemeteries are not wheelchair or stroller accessible. Pets are not permitted. For more information on our historical cemetery walking tours call the Cemetery office at 403-221-3660 or email CalgaryCemeteries@calgary.ca.

The Calgary Heritage Authority has deemed Union Cemetery, Burnsland Cemetery, Chinese Cemetery and St. Mary's Cemetery to be historically significant cultural landscapes that played an important part in the settlement and establishment of Calgary as a city. If you would like more information about these historic cemeteries; or to discover some of the important people buried there, visit our location pages.

2023 cemetery tour dates, locations, times and registration

To learn about the ordinary folks who did extraordinary things, join a volunteer guide at one of our historic cemeteries in Calgary.

Tours start on Sunday, June 11, 2023 and will run until Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023.

To register, please click on the link with the date you would like to attend below or just drop in. Please note, there is a maximum of 25 participants per tour.

Union Cemetery

Every Sunday, 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. (weather permitting)

Meet at Galloway House near the Union Cemetery gate at Spiller Rd. S.E. and Cemetery Rd S.E.

Virtual tours

  • Union Cemetery Virtual Tour

    Join Shelly, volunteer cemetery tour guide on a virtual tour of the historic Union Cemetery. Featured in this video are the Galloway family, The Yorkshire Giant, John Ware, Reverend Angus Robertson, Davina McElroy and John Sibley.

  • Union Cemetery Virtual Tour

    Join Sheila, volunteer cemetery tour guide on a virtual tour of the historic union Cemetery. Hear stories of officers with the North West Mounted Police, Captain Cecil Denny and Sargeant Major T.J Kempster, the Bentley family, Robert Steen, Dudley Ward, D.R McWilliams, May Swindel and Charles Taves.

  • St. Mary’s Pioneer Cemetery Virtual Tour – Part 1

    Join Amanda, volunteer cemetery tour guide on a virtual tour of the St. Mary’s Pioneer cemetery. Learn about the rich history of some of Calgary’s earliest settlers, John Glenn, Mary Deane – wife of Richard Burton Deane and the McNeil family.

  • St. Mary’s Pioneer Cemetery Virtual Tour – Part 2

    Join Amanda, volunteer cemetery tour guide on a virtual tour of the St. Mary’s Pioneer cemetery. Learn about the rich history of some of Calgary’s earliest settlers, Mother Mary Greene, the Rouleau’s and Peter Prince.

  • Burnsland Cemetery Virtual Tour

    Join Amanda, volunteer cemetery tour guide on a virtual tour of the Burnsland Cemetery. The tour highlights some of Calgary’s earliest citizens who dedicated their lives to the betterment of the community. Euphemia Hill Bagnall, Inspector Carruthers, Ivan Crooks, Henry Jenkins, Rosella Henry and Ernie Starr are all featured in this tour.

Volunteer tour guides

Interested in leading a cemetery tour? Contact us for more information.

Volunteer to be a cemetery tour guide.

Apply to volunteer

Contact

For more information on cemetery tours please email parksvolunteer@calgary.ca. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday.

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