Ottawa-Gatineau is home to 25 museums, galleries, and cultural institutions listed on canada.museum. 12 offer free admission options. 8 participate in the Canada Strong Pass 2026. Explore hours, contact details, and access programs below.
Explore Canada's monetary history at the Bank of Canada Museum. Interactive exhibits trace the evolution of money, banking, and the economy. / Explorez l'histoire monétaire du Canada. Des expositions interactives retracent l'évolution de la monnaie et de l'économie canadienne.
The Bank of Canada Museum is here to help you understand the economy, the Bank of Canada’s role in it, and how it matters to you.
Special Exhibition: Montréal 1976: The legacy of the Olympic coins
🕐 Mo-Su 10:00-17:00 "Until August 31, 2026"
Billings Estate National Historic Site traces one of Ottawa’s founding families. Settled in 1812, the Billings shaped early farming, trade, and the ByWard Market. Explore the historic home, gardens, and one of the city’s oldest community cemeteries.
Ottawa historic site showcasing the Billings family legacy, early farming, and one of the city’s oldest cemeteries.
🕐 We-Su 10:00-17:00
Ottawa's oldest stone building explores the city's evolution from First Peoples through the lumber industry era to present day. Located on unceded Anishinàbe Algonquin territory, the museum features permanent galleries, rotating exhibitions, and a digitized collection.
Ottawa's community museum in the city's oldest stone building. Explores Ottawa's history from First Peoples to Bytown and now present day.
Celebrate Colonel By Day at the Bytown Museum on Monday, August 3rd from 11:00 AM – 5:30 PM
🕐 Mo-We 11:00-17:30; Th 11:00-19:00; Fr-Su 11:00-17:30
Discover engaging exhibitions, food demonstrations, multi-sensory spaces and memorable animal interactions. Visitors to the museum experience Canadian innovations in agricultural science and technology through the lens of a working farm.
Ottawa working farm museum with animals, exhibits, and hands-on experiences exploring food, agriculture, and sustainability.
🕐 Mo-Su 09:00-17:00
One of the world’s finest aviation museums, showcasing Canada’s aerospace history through 130+ aircraft, as well as artifacts and exhibitions. Explore civil and military aviation, space achievements, and the history of flight from 1909 to today.
Ottawa museum featuring 130+ aircraft and exhibits on Canada’s aviation and space history from 1909 to today.
We are open Monday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until after Labour Day
🕐 Mo 09:00-17:00; Tu off; We-Su 09:00-17:00
Discover science and technology through immersive play and hands-on learning. Whether you’re looking for a fun family activity, a mind-bending science experiment, or a thought-provoking exhibition, the Canada Museum of Science and Technology is the place to be!
Experience Canada’s story of science and technology innovation/ Découvrez l’histoire de l’innovation scientifique et technologique du Canada
🕐 May-Aug Mo-Su 9:00-17:00; Sep-Apr Mo off; Sep-Apr Tu-Su 9:00-17:00
The Diefenbunker is a four-storey underground Cold War bunker, now a museum and national historic site. Explore immersive exhibitions, guided tours, educational programs, special events, and escape rooms that bring Canada’s Cold War history to life near Ottawa.
Underground Cold War bunker museum near Ottawa with exhibits, tours, and immersive experiences.
🕐 Mo-Fr 10:00-16:00; Sa-Su 10:00-15:00
Fairfields Heritage House is a 19th-century Gothic Revival farmhouse that tells the Bell family’s story and nearly 200 years of local history. Surrounded by gardens, lawns, and a gazebo, it’s a welcoming place for picnics, exploration, and family-friendly visits.
Historic Gothic farmhouse sharing local history, with gardens and green space for picnics and family visits
🕐 Fr-Su 10:00-17:00
G101 exhibits contemporary visual, media, and performance arts that explore self-representations of decolonizing, feminist, intersectional counter-narratives.
Wheelchair accessible: powered front door at grade, accessible gender-neutral washroom, and 2 story lift
🕐 closed
The Âjagemô Exhibition Space at the Canada Council for the Arts features events and exhibitions of contemporary Canadian art, including works from the Canada Council Art Bank collection.
Free gallery provided by the Canada Council for the Arts. Open daily.
🕐 Mo-Su 07:00-21:00
Our Museum provides a unique educational experience, broadening children’s horizons by inviting them to explore diverse cultures.Notre Musée offre une expérience éducative unique, élargissant les horizons des enfants qui pourront découvrir des cultures diverses.
🕐 Mo-We 09:00-17:00; Th 09:00-19:00; Fr-Su 09:00-17:00
Explorez l'histoire du Canada à travers des collections exceptionnelles, dont le Canadian History Hall, une impressionnante collection de timbres canadiens et des expositions temporaires captivantes. Sur le territoire traditionnel algonquin, le musée offre une expérience riche.
Canada's history: collections, stamps, exhibits, immersive experiences. | Histoire du Canada : collections, timbres, expositions, immersion.
River of Dreams – Impressionism on the St. Lawrence Le Fleuve des rêves – L’impressionnisme et le Saint-Laurent 2026.04.13- 2026.08.31
🕐 Apr-Jun Mo-We 09:00-17:00; Apr-Jun Th 09:00-19:00; Apr-Jun Fr-Su 09:00-17:00 "July 1, 2026: 09:00-19:00"
The Canadian Museum of Nature is Canada’s national natural history museum, housed in a historic castle in downtown Ottawa. Explore engaging exhibits and discover how research, collections, and science have advanced understanding of the natural world since 1912.
Natural history museum in a historic Ottawa castle. | Musée d'histoire naturelle dans un château historique d'Ottawa.
🕐 Mo 09:30-16:00; Tu off; We 09:30-16:00; Th 09:30-20:00; Fr-Su 09:30-16:00
The Canadian War Museum is located on the traditional, unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabeg.
The Museum is located on the scenic Ottawa River Pathway. Le Musée est situé sur le sentier de la rivière des Outaouais.
🕐 Mo-We 09:00-17:00; Th 09:00-19:00; Fr-Su 09:00-17:00
Carleton University Art Gallery (CUAG) is a dynamic cultural hub in Ottawa, fostering dialogue through art, learning, and experimentation. Founded in 1992, it grew from the Barwick collection and gift, and continues to present exhibitions that engage communities.
Ottawa university gallery showcasing art and ideas, founded on the Barwick collection and dedicated to community engagement.
🕐 Mo off; Tu-Fr 10:00-17:00; Sa-Su 12:00-17:00
Située au premier étage de la Maison du Citoyen (hôtel de ville de Gatineau), la Galerie Montcalm est une institution muséale reconnue par le ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec. Ouverte depuis 1980, elle est membre de la Société des musées québécois et de l'A
Galerie d’art à Gatineau offrant expositions variées, accès gratuit et activités éducatives toute l’année.
🕐 Mo-We 09:00-16:00; Th 09:00-20:00; Fr 09:00-16:00; Sa-Su 12:00-16:00
🕐 Tu 19:00-21:00
Historic home of two Canadian Prime Ministers, this National Historic Site showcases early 20th-century political life and domestic architecture. Explore period furnishings, personal artifacts, and the intellectual legacy of Canada's influential leaders through guided tours.
Historic home of Canadian Prime Ministers featuring period furnishings and political artifacts from early 20th century.
🕐 Th-Mo 10:00-17:00 "May 7 to June 30"; Mo-Su 10:00-17:00 "July 1-Sept 7"; "Limited hours Sept 8-25, 2026 for Tea on the Veranda reservations"
🕐 Mo: off; Tu-Su: 12:00-18:00 "7 juin au 30 août 2026"
Au cœur du vibrant quartier de Vanier, le Muséoparc vous invite à plonger dans l’histoire fascinante de la francophonie ontarienne et de ses habitants.
Un musée rénové sur l’histoire de Vanier et la francophonie ontarienne, avec un parcours numérique ludique.
🕐 Mo off; Tu-Su 10:00-16:00
An inspiring destination where art and culture thrive within a stunning architectural space in Ottawa.
Explore world-class art in a striking Ottawa landmark | Découvrez un art de classe mondiale dans un lieu emblématique d’Ottawa.
Helen McNicoll: An Impressionist Journey until/jusqu'à 2026-10-12
🕐 Mo off; Tu-Su 09:30-17:00
The OAG is home to the Art and Artists of the Ottawa-Gatineau region and is situated on traditional Anishinābe Aki. La Galerie d’art d’Ottawa est le foyer des arts et des artistes de la région d’ Ottawa-Gatineau et sur le territoire traditionnel Anishinābe Aki.
Admission to the OAG is always free! L’entrée à la GAO est toujours gratuit!
Faith Fyles: In Full Bloom + 2026.03.07 - 2026.09.27
🕐 Mo off; Tu 10:00-18:00; We-Su 10:00-21:00
Vintage Wings of Canada is a volunteer-run charity preserving and flying historic aircraft. Focused on WWII-era planes, it restores and operates classic aircraft to inspire and educate through living aviation history in the skies over Canada.
Volunteer-run aviation charity restoring and flying historic WWII aircraft to share Canada’s aviation heritage.
Programs / Programmes
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