Canada’s capital, Ottawa is a place to learn and explore the history of Canada, but there’s also room for some world-renowned urban and outdoor fun.

Explore and discover the Ottawa attractions, as Parliament Hill, with grand Victorian architecture and museums such as the National Gallery of Canada, with noted collections of indigenous and other Canadian art.

 

Parliament Hill

Historic building in Canada built in 1859–1876, Parliament Hill is home to Canada’s federal government, where representatives from across Canada gather to make laws that affect the lives of every Canadian. Its Gothic revival suite of buildings, and their architectural elements of national symbolic importance, is the home of the Parliament of Canada. 

Parliament Hill isn’t just home to the country’s government; it’s also a cultural and community hub whose activities are hosted in an incredible setting. Visit the historic Peace Tower for a 360-degree view of the city and take in the Changing of the Guard, before heading inside for a building tour.

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Rideau Canal

The Rideau Canal, also known unofficially as the Rideau Waterway, is 202 kilometres long and connects Canada’s capital city of Ottawa, to Lake Ontario and the Saint Lawrence River at Kingston. The name Rideau, French for « curtain », is derived from the curtain-like appearance of the Rideau River’s twin waterfalls where they join the Ottawa River. The canal system uses sections of two rivers, the Rideau and the Cataraqui, as well as several lakes. Parks Canada operates the Rideau Canal.

The canal was opened in 1832 as a precaution in case of war with the United States. The locks on the system open for navigation in mid-May and close in mid-October. It is the oldest continuously operated canal system in North America. In 2007, it was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Canadian Museum of Nature

National natural history museum, discover the museum’s exhibitions and public programs are housed in the Victoria Memorial Museum Building, a 18,910 square metres structure in Ottawa. 

Spend an afternoon looking at dinosaur fossils, or take a few hours to learn about the diversity of life in our oceans and lakes ! An enthusiastic yes to any of these questions should put the Canadian Museum of Nature on your radar. The museum takes on the entire natural world in a handful of exhibits that will leave you wondering where the time went.

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Canadian War Museum

Sitting on the shore of the Ottawa River, the museum’s distinct building is largely flat, but shoots up 25m into the air along one side, like a waving hand calling you over. Once inside, you’ll walk through exhibitions that cover Canada’s involvement in conflicts throughout history. A vast collection allowing you to see and explore the equipment used by generations of brave men and women on the battlefield. More than 330 works of art and a number of unique touches—like a tall window that frames the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill—round out the experience. 

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The National Arts Center

The National Arts Centre is one of the largest and most popular performing arts venues in Canada, hosting an impressive 600 performances each year. The four stages are regularly home to popular touring shows, international talents, and many of the best performers that Canada has to offer. Whether you’re into dance, theatre or music, you’ll be able to find a show that you’re interested in no matter when you’re visiting. So come, take in a touring ballet, enjoy the house orchestra, or get a taste of home and watch a world-class English theatre performance.

 

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City Sightseeing Tour

Imagine being able to see all the major must-see attractions in Ottawa on a single day.

Discover the beautiful Canada’s capital on this 4-hour, guided land and river tour of Canada’s capital city, you will be immersed in the culture and beauty of Ottawa.

Ottawa has so much to see and do that it is hard to pack it all in one day. This tour is a half-day tour that will allow you to visit some of the city’s most popular attractions including various Parliament buildings. After exploring these landmarks, take part in a river cruise giving you the opportunity to catch a glimpse of over 55 must-see sites throughout the capital city.

Available on GetYourGuide, enjoy a visit to Parliament Hill, get to know your personal guide who will help you maximize your tour experience by recommending things to do or providing interesting facts.

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Confederation Park

Public park and National Historic Site, located in the downtown core of Ottawa. It is bordered on the south by Laurier Avenue and Ottawa City Hall; on the east by the Rideau Canal and National Defence Headquarters; on the north by the Mackenzie King Bridge, the Rideau Centre, and the National Arts Centre; and, to the west, by Elgin Street and ord Elgin Hotel. 

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National Gallery of Canada

Canada’s national art museum, The National Gallery of Canada seems to get a lot of attention thanks to a 10m spider statue that sits in front of the magnificent glass building. The museum’s building takes up 46,621 square metres, with 12,400 square metres of space used for exhibiting art. It is one of the largest art museums in North America by exhibition space. Comprising works from antiquity to the present day, the Gallery has one of the finest collections of Indigenous and Canadian art in the world, as well as masterworks from numerous other artistic traditions. Whether you’re a curious soul with minimal art knowledge or you have a doctorate in art history hanging on your wall, the National Gallery of Canada has work you’ll recognise, appreciate, and enjoy.

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Canada Aviation and Space Museum

Located on a former military air base just five kilometers from the Prime Minister’s residence at 24 Sussex Drive in Ottawa, the museum focuses on aviation in Canada within an international context – from its beginnings in 1909 to today and it’s Canada’s national aviation history museum.

Discover what life is like aboard the International Space Station from the astronauts who’ve lived there, and see what it’s like to wear a space helmet and climb inside the station.

The collection itself consists of more than 130 aircraft and artifacts (propellers, engines) from both civil and military service.The most extensive aviation collection in Canada, it is also considered one of the finest aviation museums in the world.

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Canada Museum of History

Technically not in Ottawa, the Canadian Museum of History is minutes away, across the river in Gatineau. One of the country’s oldest museums, dating back to 1856, it also happens to be the most-visited in Canada, with 1.2 million annual visitors. The museum’s four million items trace the history of Canada, and the world, starting 20,000 years ago. In the Grand Hall, discover the story, culture, and beliefs of Canada’s Pacific First Nations, in a beautiful setting overlooking the Ottawa River and Parliament Hill. Look up at spectacular totem poles alongside Native houses, before moving into the First People’s Hall for more insights into Canada’s Aboriginal roots. 

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Sleep in Ottawa