Information
Landmark: Canadian Museum of NatureCity: Ottawa
Country: Canada
Continent: North America
Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada, North America
Overview
In Ottawa, the Canadian Museum of Nature buzzes with energy, welcoming families to explore fossils, glittering minerals, and the wonders of Canada’s natural world-and far beyond.Inside a grand heritage building, it brings science to life alongside hands-on learning and breathtaking displays, welcoming everyone-from kids who marvel at towering dinosaur skeletons to nature lovers and the simply curious.You’ll find the Canadian Museum of Nature at 240 McLeod Street in Ottawa, Ontario.Founded in 1856, it moved into its grand Tudor-Gothic building-topped with turrets-in 1912, later accented by sleek glass additions.Also called the “Victoria Memorial Museum Building,” it’s recognized as Canada’s national museum of natural history.Through lively, hands-on exhibits, it brings the country’s sprawling forests, striking rock formations, and ancient history vividly to life.The museum blends its old-world charm with sleek modern touches, like the Queens’ Lantern-a gleaming glass tower that catches the sunlight and pairs effortlessly with the stately historic façade.The Fossil Gallery is one of the museum’s main attractions, with towering dinosaur skeletons, ancient fossils, and the massive jaw of a prehistoric sea creature.It features a Tyrannosaurus rex, a Triceratops, and the towering fossil of a blue whale, its ribcage stretching like an ancient arch overhead.Visitors explore Canada’s story through mass extinctions, the sweep of evolution, and the gritty work of paleontologists brushing dust from ancient fossils.The Earth Gallery showcases Canada’s geology, from ancient granite cliffs to its rich veins of gold and copper.It features dazzling gems, shimmering crystals, and even a meteorite you could almost reach out and touch.Guests can run their fingers over cool, rough stones and get a feel for how tectonic forces shape the earth.The Mammal Gallery features life-sized dioramas of Canada’s wildlife, from a snowy Arctic fox on windswept tundra to deer moving through shady forests and open grasslands.You’ll spot bears, moose, wolves, bison, and even mountain goats, their fur catching the light as they stand on display.The dioramas look so real, you half expect to hear leaves rustling or water trickling in the background.The Bird Gallery showcases over 450 specimens, from the silent sweep of an owl’s wings to the flash of a seabird’s feathers, along with hawks and bright, quick songbirds.It gives you a glimpse into migration and nesting, and even the quiet thrill of spotting birds in Canada’s wide, open skies.The Water Gallery showcases Canada’s freshwater lakes and rushing coastal waters.You’ll find live fish darting through their tanks, shimmering jellyfish drifting in glass displays, hands-on touch stations, and even a giant blue whale heart you can walk around.Dive into the rich variety of aquatic life and discover why it matters, from darting silver minnows to vast kelp forests swaying in the tide.Nature Live Gallery is a hands-on science space where you can watch beetles crawl, snakes coil, and frogs blink in their tanks.Perfect for kids and anyone curious enough to lean in and watch a crab scuttle past.Temporary exhibits bring a fresh mix of wonders-one month you might see Arctic foxes against a backdrop of snow, the next explore the science of color, earthquakes, bugs, or climate change.You’ll often find these exhibits packed with multimedia displays, hands‑on features, and the latest scientific findings.The Queens’ Lantern, a sleek glass tower at the museum’s front entrance, lifts you high enough to see Ottawa spread out in every direction-church spires, tree-lined streets, and the river gleaming in the sun.The museum holds more than 14.6 million specimens-from bright pressed flowers to ancient fossils, shimmering minerals, and rough, weighty rocks.Nature Boutique is a cozy gift shop stocked with nature-themed toys, books, jewelry, and educational kits-think tiny wooden bird whistles and bright field guides.Café: A cozy spot serving snacks and cold drinks, perfect for families stopping by during a day out.Education and Outreach offers school programs, leads guided tours past humming exhibits, runs science camps, and hosts hands-on workshops.Hosts Nature Nocturne, an after-hours gathering where adults enjoy live music, clinking glasses of cocktails, and a lively nighttime atmosphere.You’ll find online resources ranging from virtual exhibits and video lectures to rich digital collections, like scanned manuscripts you can zoom in on.The venue’s fully wheelchair-accessible, with elevators, wide doorways, and washrooms designed for ease of use.Families will find change tables, stroller-friendly paths, and quiet corners to unwind.Coat check and lockers keep bags out of the way, and paid parking’s available on-site or close by.You can also hop on an OC Transpo bus-so getting here’s easy.Why visit?The Canadian Museum of Nature isn’t only for learning-it’s where you can wander through towering fossil displays, touch, question, and leave amazed by the wild beauty of our planet.You might watch jellyfish drift like floating lanterns, stand in the shadow of a massive dinosaur, or run your fingers over a meteorite from space-each moment draws people of every age into the planet’s rich past and vibrant present.It’s ideal for families, school groups, tourists, or even a lone traveler eager to step into Canada’s natural history, from the roar of a waterfall to the quiet curve of a fossil.
