Do you picture a Mountie in red serge on a horse when you think of Canada? Well, if you find yourself in the middle of the prairies, take the opportunity to investigate the RCMP Heritage Centre in Regina, Saskatchewan, the home of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for more than 125 years. Your visit to the centre can start with a movie about the history of the RCMP in the main theatre then you can wander through the exhibits. Learn about the first trek across the frozen north, try on the various uniforms over the years, try your hand at solving a crime, and check out a replica of the RCMP training barracks where the recruits are housed.
We did all this and more. There was a very interesting exhibit about Sam Steele and the work of the RCMP in WWII and South Africa. We had been to the depot a number of years ago but in 2007 a new exhibition building was built showcasing the history of this world-renowned police force. We broke up our visit to watch the drill parade at 12:45 pm (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays). If you are lucky enough to be there on graduation day, you will see the recruits in their red serge. We were not, but the parade is still a great site to see with the Cadet Band and the troops going through their drills. The only drawback with the depot is that there is nowhere for lunch so we went across the road for something to eat then went back to check out the rest of the exhibits. The last point of call is always the Central Trading Post for all sorts of RCMP related gifts.
Tuesday evenings in July and August you can take in the Sunset Retreat Ceremonies where there is no end of red serge on display. This year I am definitely going to make it to one! From July to September there are also daily walking tours of the Depot.
Admission for adults was $10 with concessions for seniors. Veterans receive free admittance.
www.rcmpheritagecentre.com
