A Real Life Canadian Crafted Castle!
The Canadian Museum of Nature is Canada's national natural history museum. Fondly referred to as the "castle," Ottawa's Museum of Nature was opened to the public in 1912 and is widely regarded as a wonderful example of early 20th century Canadian architecture. Originally designed by architect David Ewart to mirror the Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings located only a few blocks away, the museum featured a tower until 1915, when the tower was removed for structural reasons. With the current renovations taking place on the historic 93 year-old Victoria Memorial Museum Building, the tower will be replaced by a lantern that will evoke the building’s early tower over the main entrance. Come explore millions of years of Canada's natural history.

Fun for the Whole Family
The Canadian Museum of Nature is a great learning experience for guests of all ages. Every year the museum offers a variety of temporary exhibits and programs, usually timed to coincide with seasonal holidays when children and their parents have the opportunity to explore special topics. Families or school groups can spend the day at the museum, with great hands-on educational activities, and a break at the boutique, where fun souvenirs and gifts are available. Preschoolers can take part in six-week programs and learn about nature through crafts, stories and other activities.

Watch the Wonders of the World in High Definition!
The museum shows exciting movies about the wonders of the natural world in its high-definition cinema screening room! These movies are three times the quality of DVDs - so it's just like being there. Or take the time to chat with educators in the Discovery Zone, and attend scheduled presentations in the Talisman Energy Fossil Gallery and Mammal Gallery.