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Canadian Museum of History: Cultural Journey
4.5
158 Ratings
Gatineau
Discover the rich and diverse Indigenous cultures at the Canadian Museum of History. Explore galleries, art, and personal stories that have shaped Canada. Fun for all ages!
Discover the rich and diverse Indigenous cultures at the Canadian Museum of History. Explore galleries, art, and personal stories that have shaped Canada. Fun for all ages!
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Canadian Museum of History - An architectural gem crafted by the Canadian architect Douglas Cardinal, this Museum is a mere stone’s throw from Ottawa’s downtown and the Parliament Hill.\n\nDelve into the vast tapestry of Canada’s history and the remarkable contributions of its First Peoples. Be in awe of the largest indoor collection of totem…
- Canadian Museum of History - An architectural gem crafted by the Canadian architect Douglas Cardinal, this Museum is a mere stone’s throw from Ottawa’s downtown and the Parliament Hill.\n\nDelve into the vast tapestry of Canada’s history and the remarkable contributions of its First Peoples. Be in awe of the largest indoor collection of totem poles in the world. The Canadian History Hall, our premier exhibit, invites you to explore the defining moments, influential figures, and powerful forces that have molded Canada from the dawn of time to contemporary days.\n\nExperience a fresh perspective on the continuously unfolding story of Canada through genuine artifacts and captivating narratives. The Hall presents a panoramic view of Canadian history by embracing stories from a variety of viewpoints, celebrating the nation’s triumphs while also confronting its more somber episodes.\nFueled by personal narratives, historical gems, and innovative design, this flagship exhibition is a distinctive space where you can appreciate the breadth and variety of the Canadian narrative.
What's Included
- Admission ticket includes access to special exhibitions
- Access to Canadian Children’s Museum included
- Admission ticket includes access to special exhibitions
- Access to Canadian Children’s Museum included
What's Not Included
- Food and drinks
- Transportation to/from attraction
- Guided Tours
- Food and drinks
- Transportation to/from attraction
- Guided Tours
Additional Information
For an enriching museum experience in the National Capital Region, be sure to visit the Canadian Museum of History. Crafted by Indigenous architect Douglas Cardinal, this museum—one of Canada’s most visited—honors the rich histories, narratives, and cultures of Indigenous Peoples through its galleries, exhibits, and impressive artworks. It also delves…
For an enriching museum experience in the National Capital Region, be sure to visit the Canadian Museum of History. Crafted by Indigenous architect Douglas Cardinal, this museum—one of Canada’s most visited—honors the rich histories, narratives, and cultures of Indigenous Peoples through its galleries, exhibits, and impressive artworks. It also delves into the fascinating personal stories that have shaped Canada from its earliest days to the present. Children and their families will delight in learning through play at the Canadian Children’s Museum, and visitors of all ages will appreciate the breathtaking outdoor grounds and views.
- Children ages 2 and younger are free
Location
Canadian Museum of History
100 Laurier St,
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.5
(158 Ratings)
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Georgeant
Aug 31, 2026
An impressive journey through Canada’s history - We absolutely loved the Canadian Museum of History! The exhibitions are fascinating, beautifully presented, and give you a much deeper understanding of Canada’s past and cultural heritage. We were particularly impressed by the way the museum presents the history and cultures of Indigenous peoples, while also acknowledging the difficult and often painful chapters of Canada’s past. It feels thoughtful, honest, and respectful rather than simply presenting a polished version of history. The totem poles are absolutely spectacular and worth seeing in person! Don’t skip the 45-minute guided tour. Our guide added a lot of interesting context and made the visit even more enjoyable. Highly recommended if you’re visiting Ottawa!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Road01569959768
Aug 16, 2026
Fantastic museums with plenty to see and do! - We stopped at these museums during a day trip to Ottawa, but there is more than a day’s worth of exhibits and activity here. I especially loved the exhibit design, particularly the Canadian history laid out in concentric circles on the upper floors. The kiddos loved the smaller children’s room in the History museum (nice for a little break) and the larger, connecting Children’s Museum which offers so many different activities in a setting designed to give you a little taste of everything from around the world. The location is great (neighboring bagel shop was top notch and has a kid’s space for reading/play) and outside is the Riverwalk, with bike trails, events, and a cool playground. Parking is available in the garage. The kids were free as part of a summer promo. Excellent all around!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Didodidodidodido
Jul 17, 2026
We recommend it - Fascinating museum about the first inhabitants and the history of Canada. Remarkable scenography.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ockerman
Jul 13, 2026
Dive into History, culture and art of Canada - We walked over the bridge to visit this site- worth a stop for the setting and architecture alone! We spent about 3 hours exploring the collections in this comprehensive museum, spending more time on topics that interested us and moving through others. Ended with some seltzers from the panorama cafe - great views but I would eat elsewhere. Uncrowded, well curated and well worth a visit.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brianzj2095hx
Jul 9, 2026
Interested in Canadian history? - Then this museum is for you…explains Canadian history from Indigenous People through today. Does it present the complete, unedited history? Probably not but it was refreshing to see a museum that doesn’t hide all the warts of a country’s history. One suggestion: Allow a lot of time. It’s a big museum with lots to see and read.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Elawson
Jun 22, 2026
A lot of info...spread it out through the day. - Enormous. You definitely need more than one day to do it properly.
We parked at the museum and did the bottom floor (the First Nations floor). It is very well done...though overrun with school groups. The totem poles are amazing, I love the fake house fronts. Very well done.
We then took a break, walked across the river to check out Rideau Canal + Parliament Hill and get lunch. Then walked back and did the 2nd floor.
Kind of weird that the 2nd floor starts again with pre-European cultures. I thought that was pretty well-covered on the 1st floor. So it felt repetitive and the information was related in a more boring way.
We never made it to the 3rd or 4th floors because our brains were full.
Parking is very easy. So convenient that we could also walk across the bridge to see some of Ottawa.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Smoltman
May 19, 2026
An amazing museum - We arrived just after 10 am and found out there was a special virtual reality event about Napoleon. You put on your headset and for approximately 30 minutes you are imbedded into his world! It was fantastic.
After that we started to explore all the floors and at 4:30pm we were done - 6.5 hours and we enjoyed every minute.
The Panorama Cafe was okay but I believe it could have been better.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Smallworld7354
May 18, 2026
Important museum of history - We had what turned out to be a personal guided tour with Ralph after some confusion about our booking that we had made in January from UK. It turned out to be a very full and frank overview of the museum. We then went around on our own.
The Residential Schools section on the third floor was extremely harrowing but important to remember and learn from.
We needed a break so went for a coffee in the cafe, a mistake! Big queues, noisy with school parties and the coffee was awful. There’s a bagel place across the road, we should have gone there instead.
Overall an excellent museum, beautifully designed and a very thought provoking experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cecesimms
Aug 22, 2026
Impressive but could be better. - We all enjoyed our time but I think the overall experience could be improved. The good: The Grand Hall with the totem poles is stunning and I loved discovering the various rooms of the various Pacific Northwest tribes. I also loved the gallery dedicated to Early Canada and was stunned by some of the artifacts and appreciated the reproductions you could touch. The Children’s Museum was amazing in its depth of experiences. Improvements: signage. While it’s nice to know what an item is, like a pipe or a dress, the signage doesn’t always give enough context. While the history, particularly in galleries 2 and 3, is impressive, I wish the children’s experience was incorporated into the main exhibits more instead of off in its own area. We were dragging our child through and werenot alone. The winding exhibit hallways don’t give you a clear line of sight to the rest of your party so you could get separated. The Canadian history is also presented with an assumption of knowledge. But for visitors from elsewhere (or newer Canadians), I think more context could be given. Some items were not suitable for younger viewers. The cafe is overpriced for what you get. The parking is strange, not sure the architect took that into account.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
571dominiquep
Aug 20, 2026
Simple and very interesting discovery of Canada's history - The visit requires a good half-day. We chose to visit level 1, which is dedicated to the First Peoples.
Very comprehensive exhibition, mixing ancient elements with recent information and creations, demonstrating the life of these ancient populations.
It is an excellent museum to discover the complex history of Canada.
Review provided by Tripadvisor