# Museum

We invite you to join us virtually this fall to hear from experts about a variety of relevant Cold War themes and events…

Veterans’ Week at the Diefenbunker 2026

The Diefenbunker was an active military base for 32 years throughout the Cold War. We invite you to learn why we remembe…

#museum#cold-war#halloween

Oct

Fri 30 Oct

seasonal

Toddlers’ Halloween Hunt 2026

Our annual Toddlers’ Halloween Hunt is back! Bring your little ones for a day of fun to get into the Halloween spirit. C…

#museum#cold-war#talk

Thu 22 Oct

conference

Cold War Speaker Series 2026

We invite you to join us virtually this fall to hear from experts about a variety of relevant Cold War themes and events…

#museum#cold-war#talk

Thu 17 Sep

conference

Cold War Speaker Series 2026

We invite you to join us virtually this fall to hear from experts about a variety of relevant Cold War themes and events…

#museum#history#downtown

1 Jul ~ 29 Aug

Free Thursday Evenings

Bytown Museum · Downtown

Visit the Bytown Museum for free on Thursday evenings from 5–8 PM in July and August. Explore Ottawa’s history and enjoy…

Dief the Chief: October ’62

Dief the Chief: October ’62 returns for a 2026 season! Join us for a performance of the acclaimed theatrical production…

Close to Conflict – Canada and the American Civil War

28 May ~ 28 Feb

Canadian War Museum — Lieutenant John Mc… · Downtown

Close to Conflict – Canada and the American Civil War

Explore the ways that the American Civil War (1861-1865) shaped Canadian society, politics and military - and why its le…

#museum#agriculture#farm

Tue 26 May

Canada Agriculture and Food Museum · The Glebe

Tuba tunes in the pasture

Enjoy music at the museum on May 26 as Justin Hickmott serenades the dairy cows on tuba as they head out to pasture. Enj…

#museum#science#family

22 May ~ 13 Jun

Canada Science and Technology Museum · East End

Science for tots

Discover Science for tots: hands-on sessions for babies and toddlers with sensory play, music, and stories. Explore scie…

#museum#aviation#space

16 May ~ 18 May

Canada Aviation and Space Museum · Rockcliffe

Drone dash

Test your skills at Drone Dash, a fast-paced drone race where precision and speed are everything. Ready, set, fly: Drone…

#exhibition#museum#nature

14 May ~ 10 Jan

Wild Colour

Through nearly 200 specimens, audio stories, and immersive colour zones, Wild Colour reveals how living things use colou…

13 May ~ 10 Jan

Canadian Museum of History — Gallery C · Gatineau

Napoleon – The Immersive Saga

Dive into the world of Napoleon. Get swept away into an era that changed the world. Discover the Napoleonic era with Nap…

8 May ~ 31 Aug

Canadian War Museum — Lobby · Downtown

Canada at War Against Japan, 1941–1945

Marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, this exhibition explores different aspects of Canada’s…

8 May ~ 26 Sep

Canadian War Museum — Wall display near… · Downtown

Canada’s Unknown Soldier

Discover the history behind one of Canada’s most powerful symbols of remembrance. Marking 25 years since the repatriatio…

Portraits – Stories of Black Canadian Military Service

8 May ~ 7 Jun

Canadian War Museum — Orientation Hub · Downtown

Portraits – Stories of Black Canadian Military Service

Recognizing a proud tradition through compelling accounts of service and sacrifice. Black Canadians have had an enduring…

Winners of the National Youth Remembrance Contests 2025

8 May ~ 18 Oct

Canadian War Museum — Lobby (near the Gi… · Downtown

Winners of the National Youth Remembrance Contests 2025

Each year, students across the country submit artwork, poetry, essays and videos to the National Youth Remembrance Conte…

7 May ~ 8 Sep

Canadian Museum of History — Gallery A –… · Gatineau

Pizandawatc / The One Who Listens

Pizandawatc / The One Who Listens brings together striking works by Anishinaabe/French artist Caroline Monnet, revealing…

River of Dreams – Impressionism on the St. Lawrence

7 May ~ 30 Aug

Canadian Museum of History — Special Exh… · Gatineau

River of Dreams – Impressionism on the St. Lawrence

River of Dreams – Impressionism on the St. Lawrence presents a dazzling collection of works of art by Quebec Impressioni…

Wi’k+palu’k Sam Glodeo’q ta’n wetapeksitaq: Honouring the Belonging of Sam Glode

7 May ~ 29 Nov

Canadian Museum of History — Special Exh… · Gatineau

Wi’k+palu’k Sam Glodeo’q ta’n wetapeksitaq: Honouring the Be…

Step into the land and waters of Kespukwitk (Southwest Nova Scotia) to experience the Mi’kmaw ways of knowing and being…

What’s in a Frame? 200+ Years of Community Portraits

#museum#history#downtown

31 Mar ~ 1 Apr

Canadian War Museum · Downtown

What’s in a Frame? 200+ Years of Community Portraits

Bytown Museum · Downtown

Our upcoming temporary exhibition, What’s in a Frame? 200+ Years of Community Portraits, officially launches on May 15th…

Canadian War Museum - Free Thursday Evenings

Free museum admission every Thursday evening with special exhibitions on Canadian military history. Reservations require…

Bank of Canada Museum · Downtown

Bank of Canada Museum - March Break Activities

#free#family#March Break

2 Mar ~ 20 Mar

educational

Bank of Canada Museum - March Break Activities

Free family activities and crafts about counterfeiting and bank note design during both Quebec and Ontario March Breaks.…

#exhibition#museum#nature

18 Dec ~ 12 Oct

Life onto Land: The Devonian

Find out how life took its first steps onto land. Discover Tiktaalik, an iconic fossil that helps us understand how fins…

#exhibition#museum#nature

25 Sep ~ 6 Sep

Qikiqtait ᕿᑭᖅᑕᐃᑦ

The Qikiqtait exhibition in the Polar Knowledge Canada Northern Voices Gallery celebrates Inuit knowledge and innovation…

#family#nature#educational

6 Dec ~ 30 Mar

educational

Butterflies in Flight

Over 100 live butterflies from 20+ species flutter in the museum solarium. New pupae arrive weekly from Costa Rica and P…

Places (11)

#free#museum#indoor

AttractionFree

Bank of Canada Museum

A free, interactive museum exploring economics and monetary history. Home to the National Currency Collection with over 110,000 artifacts, plus hands-on exhibits including a rocket ship inflation simulator and a design-your-own banknote station.

#museum#indoor#history

Attraction$3-$10

Bytown Museum

Ottawa's oldest history museum, housed in the 1827 Commissariat Building at the foot of the Ottawa Locks. Tells the story of how Bytown became Canada's capital, from the construction of the Rideau Canal through the city's transformation into Ottawa.

#museum#family#outdoor

Attraction$12.25-$14.50

Canada Agriculture and Food Museum

The Glebe

A working farm in the heart of Ottawa, part of the Central Experimental Farm. Home to cows, horses, sheep, pigs, chickens, and rabbits. Especially popular in spring when baby animals are born. Free daily admission 4-5 PM.

Attraction$11.50-$16.75

Canada Aviation and Space Museum

Rockcliffe

Canada's largest aviation collection with over 130 aircraft, the original Canadarm from Space Shuttle Endeavour, and the largest surviving piece of the Avro Arrow. Free admission daily from 4-5 PM.

Attraction$12.25-$19

Canada Science and Technology Museum

East End

Canada's national science and technology museum, part of the Ingenium network. Features interactive galleries, a children's innovation zone, transportation exhibits, and hands-on demonstrations. Free daily admission 4-5 PM.

Attraction$17-$24

Canadian Museum of History

Gatineau

Canada's national museum of human history, located across the river in Gatineau with sweeping views of Parliament Hill. Features the Canadian History Hall, an immersive Canadian Children's Museum, and the Grand Hall with the world's largest indoor collection of totem poles. Free Thursday evenings 5-7 PM.

Attraction$12-$24

Canadian Museum of Nature

Canada's national natural history museum, housed in a landmark Victorian sandstone building. Features dinosaur fossils, a blue whale skeleton, the world's largest display of Canadian birds, and an Arctic gallery. Free Thursday evenings 5-8 PM for all.

Attraction$15-$22

Canadian War Museum

Canada's national museum of military history, featuring four chronological galleries, a massive vehicle hall, and the architecturally striking Memorial Hall. Free admission every Thursday 5-7 PM.

#museum#indoor#history

Attraction$13-$19.50

Diefenbunker: Canada's Cold War Museum

Kanata

A four-storey underground bunker built in 1959 as Canada's emergency government headquarters during the Cold War. Now a National Historic Site, it offers self-guided tours, guided tours, and an escape room experience 75 feet below ground.

#art#museum#family

Attraction$7.50-$22

National Gallery of Canada

Canada's premier art museum, housed in a landmark Moshe Safdie glass-and-granite building on Sussex Drive. Home to the world's most comprehensive collection of Canadian and Indigenous art, plus European masterworks and contemporary pieces — over 93,000 works in total. Free every Thursday evening 5–8 PM.

#art#museum#free

Attraction

Ottawa Art Gallery

Ottawa's municipal art gallery, always free to visit. Features rotating exhibitions of Canadian, local, and international contemporary art. Open late Wednesday through Saturday until 9 PM. Located downtown near the Rideau Centre.

Things to Do (5)

Ottawa Guide

March 5, 2026

Rainy Day Activities in Ottawa

A guide to the best indoor activities in Ottawa for rainy days, from world-class museums and a free art gallery to a Cold War bunker and indoor markets. No weather required.

#indoor#museum#free

Family Fun

March 5, 2026

Best Things to Do with Kids in Ottawa

A guide to the best kid-friendly activities in Ottawa, from dinosaur museums and working farms to hands-on science exhibits and free outdoor spaces. Includes ages, prices, and tips for families.

#family#kids#museum

Ottawa Guide

March 4, 2026

Best Museums in Ottawa

A guide to the best museums in Ottawa, from national institutions with world-class collections to hidden gems like a Cold War bunker and a working farm. Includes admission prices, free hours, and tips for visiting.