The Life and Legacy of the Athabasca Glacier Exhibit

The Life and Legacy of the Athabasca Glacier is an interactive exhibit that tells the story of one of Canada’s most iconic and rapidly disappearing glaciers. A bellwether of the accelerating effects of climate change, the Athabasca Glacier in Jasper National Park is projected to disappear within one generation. This series of art installations invites the audience to experience and reflect on the glacier’s fragile beauty and its role in our shared future.

Incorporating award-winning photography by Guardians of the Ice, the three-chapter immersive experience allows visitors to journey through different phases of the glacier’s life. Contrasting the stark timescales of glacial growth (millennia) and disappearance (decades), the exhibit invites participants to leave a message in honour of the glacier’s legacy.

The Life and Legacy of the Athabasca Glacier is created by Maryia Markhvida, Michelle Rutty, Jayden Hsiao, Kathy Zhang, Dror Margalit (Artful), John Luo, Mave Rubiano, Elaheh Sanoubari, and Hewan Amare, in collaboration with Guardians of the Ice.

With generous support from the Waterloo Climate Institute, Canadian Foundation for Innovation, Cornfield Co-op Fellowship, Bob Harding & Lois Claxton Humanities and Social Sciences Endowment Fund, Parks Canada, UWaterloo Fine Arts Department.

Exhibit dates: May 14-16, 2026 at 12-5pm