![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976926.1721883767!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
'Oldest-known fossils' showcased in new Royal Tyrrell Museum exhibit
Thousands of people travel to Drumheller, Alta., each year to explore the prehistoric, now there's an option to better understand the world's first lifeforms.
Royal Tyrrell Museum's newest exhibit First Life explores life from the beginning of the timeline.
"This exhibit will actually feature some of the oldest known fossils on the planet," said the museum's executive director Lisa Making.
Fossils in the exhibit date as far back as 4.6 billion years and the evolution boom that followed around 500 million years ago. Some of them were discovered in Alberta.
"During what we call the Cambrian explosion, you start to see some of the earliest forms of life on earth, and the earliest structures of animal tree," said Making.
"It's the template of evolution of life on Earth."
There are also interactive displays, hand-on opportunities, and models helping tell the story of how tiny aquatic creatures evolved into everything from dinosaurs to humans.
"This helps us fulfill some of that timeline information and give some light and color and context for some of the most important parts of our evolutionary history."
The province put up nearly $400,000 for the project.
"This new First Life exhibit is just going to continue to drive that tourism to our province," said Tanya Fir, Alberta's minister of arts, culture and status of women.
"It's going to be an amazing experience for people that are regulars to the museum or first time visitors."
While guests will see something new in the space, what hasn't changed is the Burgess Shale diorama, dedicated to the famous fossil site in Canada's Rocky Mountains.
"A lot of people have some amazing memories of being able to step onto that clear glass floor. See these remarkable creatures expanded to 12 times their size in front of them," said Making.
"We managed to actually integrate it beautifully, and actually more effectively into the storyline of both the Precambrian and the Cambrian."
In 2023, the Royal Tyrrell Museum had a record 529,000 visitors from over 150 countries.
The opening of First Life comes the same day the museum kicks off its summer season.
The facility is open seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976944.1721898750!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
DEVELOPING Jasper wildfire burns buildings, while poor air quality forces some fire crews out
A fast-moving wildfire has hit Jasper, Alberta, destroying buildings and chasing some wildland firefighters away with dangerously poor air quality.
Jasper mayor says alert system to be reviewed after message 'glitch'
More than 25,000 people have been displaced from Jasper National Park since wildfires started to threaten the picturesque corner of Alberta Rockies on Monday, but the mayor of its namesake municipality says not everyone received an evacuation alert when it was sent out.
Biden explains why he ended re-election bid in Oval Office address
U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday delivered a solemn call to voters to defend the country's democracy as he laid out in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his bid for reelection and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP 'blacked-out' and crashed car into window of child care centre
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
Norad intercepts Russian and Chinese bombers operating together near Alaska in apparent first
The North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) intercepted two Russian and two Chinese bombers flying near Alaska Wednesday in what appears to be the first time the two countries have been intercepted while operating together.
Alberta calls in army to assist with wildfire situation
Alberta has called in the Canadian Armed Forces to help assist with the worsening wildfire situation in the province.
2 Canadians being 'sent home immediately,' removed from Olympic team after drone incident
An analyst and an assistant coach with Canada Soccer are being removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and 'sent home immediately,' according to the Canadian Olympic Committee.
An unwelcome attendee has joined the Paris Olympic Games: COVID-19
After a handful of Australian water polo players tested positive for COVID-19 this week, questions have emerged around how the spread of the disease will be mitigated at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Vacations, meals, booze: Contractor used $100K of charity's money for personal expenses, B.C. court finds
A B.C. man who was hired to help a non-profit build a food hub but instead spent the money on personal expenses – including travel, restaurants, booze and cannabis – has been ordered to pay more than $120,000 in damages.