BLACKFOOT CROSSING HISTORICAL PARK

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

PROJECT SUMMARY

A bold tourism development plan to transform Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park into a living, year-round cultural experience. Anchored by the Chief Crowfoot Tipi Village, the project invites visitors to engage with Blackfoot traditions through immersive, Elder- and youth-led programming. Developed through deep community engagement, the plan supports cultural revitalization, cross-cultural understanding, and meaningful reconnection to Siksika heritage.

APPROACH

• Secondary research

• Economic analysis

• Elder consultation

• Tipi rights holder and Knowledge keeper consultation

• Community engagement

• Board strategic planning

Cultural Experience Park

In our experience with Indigenous communities, tourism is really culture. And when we build tourism, we must, in fact, build culture. This is what we did for Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park. The Blackfoot Cultural Experience Park is a bold initiative by the Siksika Nation to expand the role of Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park (BCHP) from a traditional museum into a dynamic, immersive cultural destination. Despite its cultural significance, BCHP’s awareness and visitation remains limited.

Stormy Lake addressed this gap by designing an outdoor, year-round “living museum” that invites visitors to connect directly with Blackfoot culture. At the heart of the expansion is the Chief Crowfoot Tipi Village. It offers multiple levels of accommodation, from rustic to full-service experiences, and is animated by cultural hosts, Elders, and youth. Each tipi represents a different aspect of Blackfoot life, including cooking, arts, and seasonal practices.

Community engagement was central to the planning process, with ongoing input from Elders, Tipi Rights Holders, and Knowledge Keepers. The project reflects their vision of a space where visitors learn respectfully, relationships are built, and youth are reconnected to their culture.

This project is not only an investment in tourism infrastructure — it is a step toward cultural revitalization, reconciliation, and lasting cross-cultural understanding.

This Tipi Camp provides a deeply experiential and cultural experience to complement the amazing stories and artifacts kept in the museum next door.