THANKS IN PART to pop culture parodies like the bumbling Dudley Do-right, the Mountie has become an internationally recognized symbol of Canadian identity, albeit a caricatured one.

The new RCMP Heritage Centre in Regina aims to set the record straight about the force’s legacy. Located on the grounds of the academy where recruits have trained for more than a century, the $40-million museum seeks to reveal how the Mounties’ role—from chasing American bootleggers out of Alberta in the 1930s to their present-day involvement in intelligence, peacekeeping and anti-terrorism efforts—has evolved alongside Canada’s role in global geopolitics.

Celebrated Canadian architect Arthur Erickson, the creative force behind many noteworthy international and Canadian sites (including Vancouver’s Robson Square and Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall), conceived the design. The majestic, sweeping structure, intended to be reminiscent of a prairie snowdrift, also boasts high-efficiency heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and is outfitted with triple-glazed and coated windows for maximum energy conservation.

Inside the Heritage Centre, 22,000 square feet of exhibit and theatre space will chronicle the history and future of the RCMP with interactive and multimedia exhibits showcasing the force’s high-tech police work.

ADMISSION Adults, $12; senior & youth, $10; children (age 6 – 12), $6; children (age 3 – 6), $3. 

rcmpheritagecentre.com