Telus World of Science – Edmonton (Part 1)

Queen Victoria Women’s Centre – Vestige of Old Hospital But Now A Women’s Pride

Another more than century old and historical building that I had a chance to tour during Open House Melbourne event last July 2013 was Queen Victoria Women’s Centre. It was built in 1848 as Melbourne Hospital and undergone different era (different names) which become part of the colorful history.

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Here’s a bit history of the building.

Former “The Melbourne Hospital”

When it was opened in 1848, the building become older than the Victoria state since Victoria just separated from New South Wales in 1851. Even though started on its humble beginnings, the hospital grew and become the famous The Royal Melbourne Hospital.

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Old The Royal Melbourne Hospital
Photo courtesy of The Royal Melbourne Hospital Organization

Former “The Royal Melbourne Hospital” (1912-1944)

Melbourne Hospital has been rebuilt due to demands are growing tremendously as the city of Melbourne became populous. After it was rebuilt, the building changed its name to The Royal Melbourne Hospital. At that time, the hospital occupied the entire city block bound by Swanston, Lonsdale, Russell and Little Lonsdale Streets which shows how the hospital is really huge shown from photo above.

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Entire Block has been occupied

Former “The Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital” (1944-1987)

When The Royal Melbourne Hospital move to another site, the building was occupied by The Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital wherein based in history, the work pioneered were more on women’s and children’s health.

Current “Queen Victoria Women’s Centre” (1986 – present)

The only building left which supposed to be for demolition is Queen Victoria Women’s Centre. The rest of the building has refurbished and become commercial space. The building still standing today because women in Victoria fight and claim the site. And with that I got a chance to see this building that main goal is all for women like me.

The Building Tour

I was walking along Lonsdale Street to see if I can still discover another building before I end my Saturday. And there I found Queen Victoria Women’s Centre. It attracted me as I thought that its another historical building based on its exterior design. I crossed the road and went inside the building.

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Queen Victoria Women’s Centre

I decided to visit the building as I know that I had more than an hour left before the event be over for the day. During the open house event, the building’s ground floor, rooftop and 4th level with balcony had been open to the public.

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At the hallway, I found exhibits in both sides to enjoy. Then, I went straight to the rooftop as I followed other visitors. It still kind of refreshing to be in a rooftop of the building again even though I had been in Council House 2 rooftop, though QVWC (Queen Victoria Women’s Centre) has just 4 floors and not so high, visitors and myself still enjoyed the scenery. At the rooftop I saw the dome of State Library of Victoria not far from the building,  some view of the city from the top and the two cupolas of the building.

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State Library of Victoria Dome

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Cupolas closely visible at the rooftop

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Street View

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At the Rooftop

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4th Level of QVWC – The Original Ward

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Model of the building

After touring the building, I ended my day with lots of learning and discovery. This is one of the reasons I love Melbourne, the city has rich history through its building. The event helped me understand how the city developed to the way it is now.

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Queen Victoria Women’s Centre

Notes:

1. Plan to visit Queen Victoria Women’s Centre ?
Address : 210 Lonsdale St, Melbourne, Australia

Ground Floor with Exhibits are open to public during opening hours 9:00am – 5:00pm / Mon – Fri

If you really wanted to see other parts of the building for free, the right opportunity is during Open House Melbourne which happens in one weekend of July every year, to check if the building is participating in Open House Melbourne event please check here.

2. Public Transportation Ticket – Use Myki (Melbourne Ticketing System), please check here for more details.

3. Directions

Using tram

Use tramTracker Apps or even just Google Maps (use directions) and there are tram routes available
Route: 1, 3/3a, 5, 6, 8, 16, 64, 67, 72 –> get off at Stop 10 Bourke Street Mall/Bourke Street or Stop 8 Melbourne Central Station Route

Using train

Visit the official Public Transport Victoria website to be able to use the Journey Planner for the next train schedule.

Ride from any station and get off at Flinders Street Station or Melbourne Central Station

From Flinders Street Station, get off at St Kilda Road Exit and continue walking along Swanston Street and turned right at Lonsdale Street, walk few more meters and the building can be found.

From Melbourne Central Station, get off at Swantons Street Exit and continue walking along Swanston Street and turned left at Lonsdale Street, walk few more meters and the building can be found.

Panoramic View : Istana Negara

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Panoramic View (Post#19) : Istana Negara

“Istana Negara” means National Palace and when we visited this magnificent structure we learned that there are two existing Istana Negara, the photo above is the new and current Istana Negara located at Jalan Duta in Kuala Lumpur, the other one is now called as Old Istana Negara and named as Royal Museum. This building is the official residence of the head of state of Malaysia. At the time we visited, we can only see the building from the outside of the gate as the inside of the palace is not open for public. Snapshot captured last December 2012.

This post has been updated to add the link of and to participate in the following:
Monday Mellow Yellows – Jun 6, 2016
Through My Lens – Jun 6, 2016
Our World Tuesday – Jun 7, 2016
Travel Tuesday – Jun 7, 2016
Outdoor Wednesday – Jun 8, 2016
Wednesday Around The World – Jun 8, 2016
Skywatch Friday – Jun 10, 2016
Scenic Weekends – Jun 10, 2016
In Heaven – Jun 11, 2016

Royal Alberta Museum – Edmonton (Part 8)

I started to write my story about this place, it’s almost a year that had been passed. But was not able to publish it in my blog immediately.
I visited Royal Alberta Museum same day when I went around Edmonton City, it was Saturday – June 7, 2008 . The tour I had that day started early in the morning, I also visited that day were Muttart Conservatory (just the vicinity area since it still under renovation), West Edmonton Mall, Alberta Aviation Museum, Government House and some historic places in Edmonton such as 24th Street. Well I considered that day as my Edmonton Day Tour.
Captured outside the museum
Captured inside the museum

For this article I will be focusing what I did and what I found in Royal Alberta Museum. Just additional information before I continue telling my story, after I visited two royal museums such as Alberta and British Columbia (in Vancouver), I quite understand that it seems that there might be another province in Canada that have their own royal museums. After checking in internet, I just found out that there is one in Saskatchewan and Ontario province. After I learned that, I felt good that at least I was able to visit two royal museums in Canada.

As far as I remember, it was more than an hour left when we went to Royal Alberta museum and it will be closed (the reason was, we visited other places and I never realized that museum’s will be closing that so soon). Because of tight schedule, we were so aware about the time but honestly, while looking to each exhibit in that museum, how I wish I have more time.

There are two levels in Royal Alberta museum. First level has portion where you can see lots of wild animals that had been preserved in some ways, they call it “Wild Alberta”. And for me, seeing those animals in up close and personal (although they are not moving anymore) was one of my amazing experience in that museum. There are lots of animals I saw in that gallery. I wish I can take pictures of all of them but that is impossible with short period of time that we had. The second level, composed of the gallery of Aboriginal Culture where you can see the earlier history of Canada. While in another room, you can view the Natural History Gallery for their beautiful stones and historic fossils.

Without further ado, lets begin my short journey in one of the beautiful museum I visited in Canada.

Wild Alberta

There are different kinds of zones in Wild Alberta.The following zones are: Borreal Forest Zone, Prairie Zone, Parkland Zone, Mountain Zone and Water Zone.

In Borreal Zone, I was quite exciting because I saw beaver that I felt like they were so real. I saw beaver while traveling in Banff but I am very far from it. Unlike in the exhibit I saw them closely and found how cute they are c”,). I also found some caribou, wolf, moose, pelican and grouse. And even I have less time to see it, I still take my time to take pictures of some animals there.

Beaver

In Prairie Zone, I had fun enjoying the view of eagles. The museum exhibits different kinds of eagles. And eagles are the raptors that I really admire. The other animals I saw were: coyote, mule deer and prong horn. I also post with huge bison, the animal that I can’t believe with an amazing size.

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Bison


Brown Bear

In Parkland Zone, I found birds and swans. This is the zone where the animals you can see in Borreal and Prairie were mixed. In this place, I enjoy the different sounds of birds tweeting in my ears. And most of the sounds soothes my ears. It’s really different in a place like nature, the only difference of the museum to the nature, animals through dioramas are enclosed in glasses and not in motion.

In Mountain Zone, I found the mountain lion which similarly look like a tiger. Honestly without notes at the front of diorama there, I will really think they are tiger. Other animals that I saw were bighorn sheep, grizzly bear and mountain goat.

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Bighorn Sheep
Mountain Goat Kid

And in Water Zone, I saw different fishes that was enjoyable to watch but since I have limited time, I was not able to capture some photos from this area.

Syncrude Gallery of Aboriginal Culture

When I visited this part of the museum, I totally understand who were the first people lived in Canada. They call them “First People” or “First Nation”. While in this gallery it reminds me that this huge country of Canada has similarities in my own country Philippines when it comes to the first people. The way they live their life, like hunting is amazing. And the way they survive in the winter season. I saw a lot of unique stuff of Canada history.

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Husky during winter season

I saw the old snow shoe and that was awesome. Then I saw the clothes that the “First Nation are wearing during winter. I was able to see the ancient tools they used for living like rocks. The life that first people did to survive during ancient times such as Bison hunting. Even the kind of shelter that they live in. I remember when I visited Fort Edmonton Park, and thinking the Fur Trading Era. It connects everything. Seeing a very old and unique stuff were wonderful. The gallery showcased the artifacts of history from Ice Age up to the modern times of Canada specially in Alberta. It’s really worth to know the Alberta history and of Canada as a whole.

Natural History Gallery


Since we just have few minutes left before the museum close, we tried to visit this gallery as much as we can. But even I tried to view all those stuff displayed, I still amazed and I can’t stop admiring the things I saw in this gallery. I took a lot of time, viewing the wonderful stones displayed. Every stones displayed there, struck me and I can’t believe I am seeing it.






Photos above are snapshot of different stones from a video since
I don’t have good photos of these magnificent rocks

Then, I saw the fossils display in the gallery where you can find the dinosaur bones located at the side of the room.




Dinosaurs bones and fossils

Photo snapshot from video
to see inside the gallery

For me everything I saw in the museums are made of artwork and passion for history. I hope you enjoy the little story I had when I visited Royal Alberta Museum last June 2008.

Telus World of Science – Edmonton (Part 1)

Maybe the people who read this might say “Are you a kid?”. And one thing that I will respond to is a smile. Telus World of Science is a museum where most of the kids and children go. The word science itself is enough to say that it’s a museum to educate children most of the time but adult like me will also benefit to this kind of place. For me, any museum is fascinating, because I know that I will be learning something or I will be discovering something in this place.

Inside the EPCOR Environment Gallery

I visited Telus World of Science last May 30 2008, Friday. I came from the office, then I went home to the condo unit where I stayed and I took a bus to go there. Since I was never been there before, I used my Edmonton Map (it was actually an ETS – Edmonton Transit System map). I found that there was a mall before the museum – its Westmount Centre. I took a bus from downtown to Westmount station and I rode another bus to Telus World of Science. Well, discovering a way to go to somewhere around Edmonton was one of the exciting experiences I had in this city.Since I visited the place during the weekday, there were few visitors inside the museum. And most of the visitors I saw were children together with their parents. I went to the counter and inquired how I will be able to get a tour inside the museum. The officer explained to me, then, I paid a ticket and one of the crew did a brief orientation. I have a map and it helps me to find myself where I am. First, I went to EPCOR Environment Gallery where I discovered where Edmonton is getting the source of their electricity. Next was Allard Family Gallery where I found the “Body Fantastic”. Then, the next thing I did was watched an IMAX movie “MUMMIES – Secrets of the Pharaohs”. Last but not the least I did was, I went inside the Margaret Zeidler Star Theatre (Canada’s largest planetarium dome theatre) where I experienced a 3D star and laser light shows. I am a frustrated dreamer of being astronaut, and when I was able to see the show, all my dreams of being astronaut are all coming back to me.

Main Entrance
Telus World of Science

Before I leave Telus World of Science premises. I also found observatory with lots of telescopes RASC (Royal Astronomical Society of Canada) Edmonton Centre. And I was lucky because I was able to view one of the star named Acturus using one of the huge telescope and I saw a wonderful star that looks like a planet.

One of the Telescope from Observatory

All I can say was I really had a great time visiting Telus World of Science. If I will have children someday and I will be given a chance to go back in Edmonton, I will definitely bring my kids in this place.