Ottawa museums guide: Where to go and what to see in 2024
A look at six museums to visit and the travelling exhibitions you shouldn't miss
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The nation’s capital is home to many of the country’s major cultural institutions. Whether you’re visiting for the first time or grew up in the area, the museums in Ottawa-Gatineau are always worth a visit.
You’ll find an ever-changing array of temporary exhibitions, plus perennial favourites such as the dinosaur gallery at the Canadian Museum of Nature and the Grand Hall of the Canadian Museum of History, not to mention the distinctive architecture of each building.
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Here’s a guide to what’s happening at Ottawa museums right now:
Canadian Museum of History
100 Laurier St., Gatineau; historymuseum.ca
Designed by architect Douglas Cardinal and completed in 1989, the exterior of the 93,000 square-metre institution is distinguished by undulating curves that hug the shores of the Ottawa River across from Parliament Hill.
Retro – Popular Music in Canada From the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s
This temporary exhibition salutes the explosive growth of pop music in Canada over three decades, from the 1960s to the ’80s. Explore the careers of superstars like Leonard Cohen, Rush and Celine Dion, and see some iconic artifacts, from the wedding dress worn by k.d. lang at the 1985 JUNO Awards to lyrics handwritten by Ottawa-born folk music legend, Bruce Cockburn. It’s included in regular admission and runs until Jan. 18, 2026.
Permanent features to explore: The Canadian Children’s Museum; Canadian Stamp Collection; Canadian History Hall; First Peoples Hall; Grand Hall.
Also: The Indian Residential School Monument, an 18-foot non-traditional totem pole carved from the truck of a red cedar tree that features the unsmiling faces of 130 children. Located in the Four Seasons Salon on Level 1.
Plus: Screenings of family-friendly films at CINÉ+, a 295-seat movie theatre equipped with a huge, dome-shaped 3D screen.
Canadian Museum of Nature
240 McLeod St.; nature.ca
Canada’s natural history museum is housed in the Victoria Memorial Museum Building, an historic castle-like structure made of local sandstone that opened in 1912. It was designed by David Ewart as a counterpart to the Centre Block of the original Parliament Buildings.
What’s on:
The Man Who Planted Trees: An Immersive Tale
This temporary exhibition was inspired by a haunting, made-in-Canada animated short that won an Oscar in 1988. Now it’s been expanded and reimagined as an immersive experience that focuses on the biodiversity of a forest. It features an audio guide to each of the 20 science-based zones created by museum staff – plus a life-size, interactive “tree” that responds to hand motions. Art installations and stories of inspiring tree planters are also included, along with screenings of the original film in French and English. To Oct. 13.
Rewilding: Nature meets art in this exhibition of works by 13 Canadian artists from across the country who were selected by the David Suzuki Foundation as winners of its inaugural Rewilding Arts Prize. The artists give a new perspective to biodiversity with pieces that interpret the concept of rewilding, defined as restoring a natural environment to its original, self-sustaining state. Among the projects you’ll see are Cole Swanson’s 24-carat-gilded insect specimens, Janice Wright Cheney’s crocheted representation of a polar bear, and Angela Marsh’s tapestries of plant fragments and bubble wrap. To Oct. 20.
The Minerals of Mont Saint-Hilaire: The latest addition to the Earth gallery showcases more than 70 specimens from Mont Saint-Hilaire, just east of Montreal, plus a selection of recent acquisitions from the world-class Haineault collection. You will also find out why this small mountain in Quebec has such a high concentration of rare minerals. (Permanent exhibition, included in museum admission).
Butterflies in Flight is back by popular demand until Jan. 4, 2026, showcasing a diverse array of live butterflies soaring freely in the Solarium.
Symbiosis: A forest-inspired installation led by artist cj fleury that features a grove of trees created from strips of mulberry paper, which are covered in hand-drawn images of woodland fauna and flora. Projected onto the drawings are videos of the Outaouais forest, with an original score from the Juno-winning chamber ensemble Esmerine. To Oct. 13.
Our Land, Our Art: Created to shine a spotlight on the northern part of Quebec known as Nunavik, this exhibition juxtaposes digital images with ancient cultural artifacts. Runs to Oct. 14.
Permanent galleries to explore: Fossils, Earth, Birds, Arctic, Bugs Alive, Mammals, Water and the Pacific Discovery Tank.
Canadian War Museum
1 Vimy Place; warmuseum.ca
Situated at LeBreton Flats, the institution dedicated to Canada’s military history was designed by architect Raymond Moriyama to reflect environmental sustainability. Opened in 2005, one of its most striking exterior features is the 10,684 square-metre “green” roof, which consists of a self-sustaining ecosystem of tall grasses native to the area.
Exhibitions at the Canadian War Museum
Last Voices of the Second World War, to Jan. 18. Hear powerful new interviews with some of the last surviving veterans of the war, and their family members, on the 80th anniversary of the end of the conflict.
Canada at War Against Japan, 1941–1945, to Aug. 31, 2026. T his exhibition explores Canada’s involvement in the war against Japan, including the Battle of Hong Kong, the experiences of prisoners of war, and the forced relocation of Japanese Canadians.
Canada’s Unknown Soldier. To May 24, 2026. To mark 25 years since the repatriation of Canada’s Unknown Soldier, this 18-panel wall display explores the history, legacy and significance of his tomb at the National War Memorial.
Invasion! – Canadians and the Battle of Normandy, 1944, to Nov. 17. This panel exhibition marks the 80th anniversary of the epic campaign.
Legion National Foundation’s Annual Poster and Literary Contest Winners: See the winning entries created by students from across the country. Runs to Oct. 13.
Canadian Experience galleries to explore: Early Wars in Canada; The South African and First World Wars; The Second World War; From the Cold War to the Present.
Also: The Royal Canadian Legion Hall of Honour; LeBreton Gallery of Military Technology; Memorial Hall; Moriyama Regeneration Hall.
Canada Aviation and Space Museum
11 Aviation Parkway;ingeniumcanada.org/aviation
Canada’s museum of aviation history moved to its current location on a former military air base in 1988. The 8,200 square-metre Reserve Hangar was a later addition, built for storage in 2005 and lending a distinctive flair with its angular shape and reflective metal shell.
Permanent exhibitions: Engines: The Power to Fly!; Life in Orbit: The International Space Station; The Story of Human Flight; Canada in Space; Health in Space: Daring to Explore; Eyes on the Skies: Managing Air Traffic Control in Canada; The Cold War.
Plus: Book a tour of the Reserve Hangar, where the planes not on display are stored, including a de Havilland D.H. 98 Mosquito B XX and the wing tips of the Avro CF-105 Arrow 2. (Note: The tour is not recommended for children)
Canada Agriculture and Food Museum
901 Prince of Wales Dr.; ingeniumcanada.org/agriculture
This working farm-turned-museum is located at the Central Experimental Farm, a national heritage site in the heart of Ottawa, complete with a horse barn, dairy barn, sheep field, poultry house, soil lab, demonstration kitchen and more.
Temporary exhibitions:
Lii Buflo: A Métis Way of Life: Learn about the history of the Métis and the bison through storytelling and artwork from the Métis community.
The Island In the Middle of Everywhere, To Oct. 6, 2025. Take a remarkable journey to Xwe’etay (pronounced hwe-e-tay), also known as Lasqueti Island, which is part of the Northern Gulf Islands in British Columbia.
Permanent exhibitions: Memories are Made in the Kitchen; Discovery Park (outdoor exhibition); Aquaculture: Farming the Waters; Farming for the Future; Sustainable Agricultural Gallery.
Canada Museum of Science and Technology
1867 St. Laurent Blvd.; ingeniumcanada.org/scitech
The former bakery on St. Laurent Boulevard, which became a museum in the 1960s, was fully revamped in 2017, alongside a state-of-the-art storage facility constructed to protect and showcase Canada’s national science and technology collection.
What’s on:
Steam: A World in Motion. Learn how steam power helped shape this country via the museum’s collection of locomotive cars and scale models.
Other permanent exhibitions to explore: Artifact Alley; Crazy Kitchen+; From Earth to Us; Hidden Worlds; Medical Sensations; Sound by Design; Technology in Our Lives; Wearable Tech; ZOOOM: Children’s Innovation Zone; Into the Great Outdoors
Join us! The Ottawa Citizen is hosting an exclusive food and beverage tasting event where you can try bites from some of the city’s best restaurants and sample beverages from breweries and wineries. Meet the chefs and try their signature dishes with members of the Citizen news team. Learn more about Ottawa Citizen Best Restaurants and buy a ticket here.
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