What is the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump

The Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, also known as the Bison Jump, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to a museum dedicated to Blackfoot heritage. 

It is located in southern Alberta, Canada, and is a representation of the Plains people’s communal hunting techniques and way of life. It is the Americas’ oldest and best-preserved site, with undisturbed stratification layer upon layer of bone and cultural deposits, drive lanes, the cliff face, and butchering camps. 

It was utilized for over five millennia and continues to remain an excellent example of wildlife management.

Aboriginal people of the North American plains practiced the custom of killing their prey by chasing them over a precipice and carving them up in a camp below.

The Interpretative Centre and Museum at Head-Smashed-In

The interpretive center at Head-Smashed-In is built naturally into the ancient sandstone cliff. It is divided into five levels that depict the ecosystem, mysticism, way of life, and techniques of the Blackfoot people. Information is also open to the public and educational programs, unique and native cultural events, and a photography exhibition captioned “Lost Identities: A Journey of Rediscovery.” 

In 1990, Le Blond Partnership designed the facility where they earned the “Governor General’s gold medal for architecture.”