© C. Labonté
Photo: Tourisme Outaouais
Enriching visits to local museums
Published on April 1, 2025
/ Updated on February 17, 2026
The National Capital Region is a great place for people with an inquisitive turn of mind who are keen on discovery. With the highest concentration of museums in the country, there’s a museum and an exhibition for every taste. Whether you’re a fan of currency, nature, war, science, aviation, history, fine arts, play or agriculture, you’re sure to learn something new when you visit one of the region’s museums. Explore these national treasures now!
**Several national museums offer free admission on Thursday evenings starting at 5 p.m.!
Royal Canadian Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint is a fascinating place where 400 years of history—marked by technological advances and memorable events—combine with a wealth of stories about money and, above all, a healthy dose of human interest. Take a guided tour and watch coins being made in real time. Learn more about collector coins and the fascinating history of our currency.
Where
320 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON
How much
Children (4 and under): Free | Youths (5 to 17): $8 | Seniors: $10 | Adults: $12 | Special rates are available for families. | The museum offers free admission to active and retired Canadian Armed Forces personnel and to Indigenous peoples, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis.
Good to know
The establishment also offers virtual guided tours. | Service animals are welcome. Each animal must be clearly identified by visual indicators such as a vest or harness.
Bank of Canada Museum
Learn about the Bank’s role in Canada’s economy through entertaining interactive exhibits at the Bank of Canada Museum. Ask yourself questions about your own spending habits and needs, watch a multimedia show and admire the beauty of Canadian banknotes. Dive into the heart of the economic system and learn your way around!
Where
30 Bank Street, Ottawa, ON
How much
Free
Good to know
There’s no public parking on site, but there are several parking lots nearby. | The museum can organize guided tours for people with special needs.
Canadian Museum of Nature
The Canadian Museum of Nature is home to an oasis of natural discovery. The Museum lets you explore interactive exhibits and observe rare specimens through immersive presentations that will capture your attention. High-resolution 4K films, dinosaur fossils, mammal dioramas and more await you. Whether you're a nature enthusiast or simply curious about the wonders that surround us, you're invited to broaden your horizons, awaken your curiosity and nurture your love for our precious planet.
Where
240 McLeod Street, Ottawa, ON
How much
Infants (2 years and under): Free | Children (3 to 12 years): Free | Youth (13 to 17 years): Free | Adults (18 to 24 years): $12 | Seniors (65 and older): $19 | Adults (25 to 64): $24 | Special group rates are available. | Free admission for one person accompanying a person with a disability and for Indigenous peoples, including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.
Good to know
Every visitor needs a ticket, even when tickets are free. | A time-stamped ticket is required to visit special exhibitions.
Canadian Museum of History
Discover 15,000 years of social and human history at the Canadian Museum of History, one of Canada’s most popular museums. One of Canada's most popular museums. Stroll through the Grande Galerie and observe Aboriginal achievements. Discover new cultures through captivating personal stories. Take a seat in the CINÉ+ and let yourself be tempted by a cinematic projection.
Where
100 Laurier Street, Gatineau, QC
How much
Children (17 and under): Free | Youth (18 to 24): $12 | Adults (25 to 64): $24 | Seniors: $22 |Special rates are available for families and groups. | The museum offers free admission to one person accompanying a person with a disability and to Indigenous peoples, including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.
Good to know
The museum offers several facilities and support services for people with disabilities.
Canadian Children’s Museum
Located inside the Canadian Museum of History, the Canadian Children’s Museum invites young visitors to learn new things by travelling around the world (by make-believe!) and discovering different cultures. Learn with them about various means of transportation and help them stamp their passports at each new stop.
Where
100 Laurier Street, Gatineau, QC
How much
Children (17 and under): Free | Youth (18 to 24): $12 | Adults (25 to 64): $24 | Seniors: $22 | Special rates are available for families and groups. | The museum offers free admission to one person accompanying a person with a disability and to Indigenous peoples, including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.
Canadian War Museum
The Canadian War Museum sheds light on the far-reaching effects of armed conflict. Stroll among the rare vehicles and artillery. Examine military uniforms, medals and wartime artwork. Read powerful stories, consult archives and spend a moment of silent reflection in Memorial Hall.
Where
1 Vimy Place, Ottawa, ON
How much
Children (17 and under): Free | Youth (18 to 24): $11 | Adults (25 to 64): $22 | Seniors: $20 | Special rates are available for families and groups. | The museum offers free admission to one person accompanying a person with a disability and to Indigenous peoples, including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.
Good to know
The Canadian War Museum is one of the world’s most respected museums for the study and understanding of armed conflict. It also offers several options and services for people with disabilities.
Canada Science and Technology Museum
Discover Canadian technological advances at the Canada Science and Technology Museum and enter a playful universe that encourages experimentation! Browse through a dozen interactive exhibits highlighting themes such as medicine, sound, and transportation, and let the kids let off steam in the ZOOOM innovation zone.
Where
1867 Saint-Laurent Blvd., Ottawa, ON
How much
Child (2 years old and under): Free | Youth (3 to 17 years old): $12.25 | Young adult (18 to 24 years old): $19 | Adult: $19 | Senior (60 years old and over): $14.50 | Special rates are available for families and groups. | The museum offers free admission to one person accompanying a person with a disability and to Indigenous peoples, including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.
Good to know
The museum offers scheduled sessions that provide a calm, low-sensory environment for young visitors with various disabilities. As well, sensory guides are available on the museum’s website to prepare visitors with autism spectrum disorders or disabilities for things they might see and do during their visit.
Canada Aviation and Space Museum
Take a journey through Canada’s aviation and space history at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, which houses the country’s largest aviation collection. While you’re there, take a tour of the aircraft and learn how engines allow planes to fly through the sky. View satellites and learn about Canadian achievements in space.
Where
11 Aviation Parkway, Ottawa, ON
How much
Child (2 years and under): Free | Youth (3 to 17 years): $11.50 | Youth (18 to 24 years): $16.75 | Adult: $16.75 | Senior (60 years and over): $14.50 | Special rates are available for families and groups. | The museum offers free admission to one person accompanying a person with a disability and to Indigenous peoples, including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.
Good to know
The Canada Aviation and Space Museum is considered one of the finest aviation museums in the world. | The museum has prepared self-guided tours for several of its exhibitions. Visitors can download Braille Ready Files (.brf) for use on their personal braille reading device, or Portable Document Format files (.pdf) for use with text reading software. Braille binders (physical copies of the museum’s braille self-guided tours) are also available at the museum’s Information Desk.
National Gallery of Canada
Admire the National Gallery of Canada‘s distinctive architecture and wander among the multidisciplinary works in its many exhibitions. View one of the world’s largest collections of Indigenous and Canadian art. Relax in one of the indoor gardens or take a seat in the Water Court atrium and immerse yourself in the beauty of the works.
Where
380 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON
How much
Child (11 years old and under): Free | Youth (12 to 17 years old): $12 | Young adult (18 to 30 years old): $15 | Adult: $22 | Senior (65 years old and over): $20 | Special rates are available for families and groups. | The museum offers free admission to one person accompanying a person with a disability and to Indigenous peoples, including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.
Good to know
Guide dogs and other assistance animals are welcome. | The museum organizes SPARK! tours, guided tours designed especially for people with dementia, which take place once or twice a month. | The museum organizes Art InSight tours, guided tours designed especially for people who are blind or have partial vision, which take place every other month.
Canada Agriculture and Food Museum
The Canada Agriculture and Food Museum is the only working farm in the world located in the heart of a capital city. Its programs and exhibitions highlight agricultural culture and heritage. Take a guided tour of the barns and meet the animals. Don’t miss the open-air exhibits!
Where
901 Prince of Wales Drive, Ottawa, ON
How much
Child (2 years and under): Free | Youth (3 to 17 years): $12.25 | Young adult (18 to 24 years): $14.50 | Adult: $14.50 | Senior (60 years and over): $12.25 | Special rates are available for families and groups. | The museum offers free admission to one person accompanying a person with a disability and to Indigenous peoples, including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.
Good to know
The Canada Agriculture and Food Museum is a working farm, and some areas have limited accessibility. However, the museum is committed to providing an excellent visitor experience, and staff will do their best to accommodate visitor needs. If you have questions or concerns about your visit, please contact the museum directly. | Service animals are welcome everywhere in the museum.
These museums present an ever-changing program of temporary exhibitions, so find out about the special exhibitions that will be on when you plan to visit. On your own, as a couple or with family or friends, you’re sure to find an institution that will match your interests and meet your needs. Some museums even offer free admission a few times a month or on special occasions. Plan an outing to one of the region’s museums—you won’t be disappointed! + Are you a culture vulture? Check out our suggestions of art galleries to visit while you’re in the area.
Élodie Beauvais
I’m a nature lover and a food lover. My happiness is found in breathtaking landscapes, mouth-watering dishes and all the new colourful experiences. I travelled the world before coming back to my hometown: I missed the Outaouais so much. What if we rediscovered it together?
