Visit our museums this summer!
There’s something wonderful about families that are curious and have a thirst for knowledge. With access to the country’s largest museum offering, they have plenty of ways to satisfy their love of learning. Here’s what they have planned this summer.
Did you know that Canada’s National Museums offer a Museum Passport that gives access to three national museums for three days for only $35? The Passport can be purchased at all participating museums.
CANADIAN MUSEUM OF HISTORY and the Franklin Expedition
Visit or revisit the Canadian History Hall, where there’s always something new to discover. As for the Canadian Children’s Museum, it’s a perennial favourite! In a different vein, this summer and until September 30, the museum is showing the exhibition Death in the Ice, which retraces Sir John Franklin’s tragic expedition. Discover the full story of this dark historical event, in which all 129 crew members perished. Fans of horror TV series will be especially intrigued by this exhibition, since the story inspired the new American series “The Terror.”
Canadian Museum of History, 100 Laurier Street, Gatineau
Until September 30
Included in Museum admission fees.
CANADIAN WAR MUSEUM
Even if conflicts are not your favourite subject, I strongly recommend visiting the Canadian War Museum. Why? Because it speaks to everyone. Whether you’re young or old, inside these striking walls, you will discover an aspect of history that will move you.
Canadian War Museum, 1 Vimy Place, Ottawa
All year!
Brains at the CANADIAN MUSEUM OF NATURE
The Canadian Museum of Nature is a classic beauty, like the museum in A Night at the Museum movie. In this castle, you will see dinosaurs, minerals, large mammals and birds. Your children will be wide-eyed and too enthralled to whine about how long it’s taking to visit all the floors. And from May 18 to September 3, you can explore the human body’s most enigmatic organ: the brain. Complex and fascinating, the headquarters of your thoughts and ideas deserves a lot of attention. The exhibition invites visitors to stimulate their senses, discover the brain’s incredible capacities, and participate in several interactive activities. Attend Brain Bonanza, a festival devoted entirely to grey matter. You’ll come out with a few more neurons! How about that?
Canadian Museum of Nature, 240 McLeod Street, Ottawa
May 18 to September 3
$ 10, in addition to admission to the Museum
LEGO bricks at the CANADA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY MUSEUM
Newly reopened, the Canada Science and Technology Museum is now more fascinating than ever. Don’t worry, Crazy Kitchen and the locomotives are still there, but there’s also more artefacts, more interactive games and more digital tools for you to discover. And this summer, from May 16 to September 3, visitors can enjoy one of CNN’s Top Ten “Global Must-See Exhibitions”: The Art of the Brick, by artist Nathan Sawaya. This collection of inspiring artworks is made exclusively from LEGO® bricks!
Canada Science and Technology Museum,1867 St-Laurent Blvd. Ottawa
from May 16 to September 3
17 $ (adult rate)
Impressionist Treasures at the NATIONAL GALLERY OF CANADA
There’s always something new to see at the National Gallery of Canada. And the best thing is that every visit will be different, depending on your mood. What I like to do when I go with my kids is to have zero expectations. If we go for just 30 minutes, that’s fine. Often, we end up staying for two hours! On weekends, the Artissimo workshops help families create their own works of art. Among the many exhibitions appearing this summer, from May 18 to September 9 you can view one of the most beautiful collections in Europe, featuring the works of the great Impressionist masters.
National Gallery of Canada, 380 Sussex Drive, Ottawa
From May 18 to September 9
$ 20 for the exhibition including admission to the Museum
