The revitalization of the Edmonton Public Library’s downtown branch has been ongoing since January 2017, and everyone is ready for the grand opening! Nicknamed the Think Tank, the new Stanley A. Milner Library includes a multi-storey interactive simulation wall; hands-on STEM activities for children; Indigenous Gathering Space; dedicated culinary centre; and a Makerspace area suitable for 3D printing, robotics, and other fabrication projects. There will also be over 28,000 square feet of community space, with some overlooking Churchill Square.
Exciting Key Features
– The multi-storey interaction simulation wall, made up of 278 screens, is the biggest digital exhibit in North America. Enjoy hands-on, interactive learning with large-scale multimedia.
– The Shelley Milner Children’s Library includes multiple play areas and a dedicated Children’s Makerspace with hands-on activities like coding, robotics, and digital creation.
– The 10,000-square-foot Makerspace area offers leading-edge technologies like 3D-printing, recording studios, robotics, and fabrication tools.
– The Gamerspace includes the latest gaming consoles and retro video games.
– Thunderbird House, a dedicated Indigenous gathering space, is the first public space in the city to support smudging. White poplar was used for the walls, ceiling, and floor because, according to nehiyawak stories, it was the first tree in our territory.
– Coming in November 2020 will be the artwork of the first provincial artist in residence for Alberta, Lauren Crazybull. The Portrait of Alberta represents her travels from 2019 and tells some of the Indigenous histories in the province many know as Alberta.
Want to be one of the first people to see the new space? Book your free tickets for their Grand Opening Weekend September 17–20.
