Ottawa is rich in museums, the largest of which is the Canadian Historical Museum: it is located in the city of Gatineau, across the river from the capital. The museum is located in the heart of the city and offers tourists fascinating exhibitions touching on various aspects of the country's history. When you visit it, you will learn about the ancient tribes that lived on this land, about the times of colonization, and about modern history. The museum building is unique in its own way - the architects tried to create the appropriate atmosphere: mysterious and fascinating.
History and features of the building
Founded in 1856, the museum is one of the first museums in North America. The museum has been transformed several times, divided into separate buildings, merged back together. In 1986 it was named the Museum of Canadian Civilization, and in late 2013 it was renamed the Canadian Historical Museum.
The museum is divided into several halls, among which there are three main compositions:
- Great Hall.
- Hall of the First People
- Canada Hall.
Great Hall
This architectural splendor attracts from afar: the hall has a window 15 meters high and 112 meters long. In the room opposite the window, a photograph of the same size was printed, which is the largest in the world: it depicts the living nature of Canada. In the background of the photograph, tourists will see six copies of aboriginal houses and dozens of totems: the collection of totems is the largest of those collected in one room. The houses are connected by a sidewalk.
At the other end of the hall, overhead, tourists will see a painted dome with a diameter of 19 meters: it is called "Morning Star" and was made in 1993 - the work took 4 months.
The Hall of the First People
Here tourists learn about the life of Canada's indigenous people: the exhibits are up to 20,000 years old. The hall is divided into three zones:
- "Aboriginal presence". It tells about the culture of the ancient tribes and their diversity: the exhibits show the achievements of the prehistoric population of the territory where present-day Canada is located
- "An Ancient Connection with the Earth" - talks about the tribes' relationship with nature
- "The Arrival of Wanderers" - tells the story of the arrival of Europeans, their relationship with the locals, and information about cultural changes and other innovations.
Stamp Museum
Of the other rooms, the stamp collection deserves special attention - it has more than 3,000 pieces, the first of which was issued in 1851. The images on the stamps detail the history of the state over the last year and a half. of the century.
Canadian Children's Museum
This is a separate museum, open in the same building: there are fascinating collections from around the world for children to explore the clothes, toys and technology of different nations. There's a replica of a Thai wagon, a Pakistani bus, a Bedouin tent, and other items that can captivate children of all ages for hours.
Other exhibits
Tourists can visit other temporary exhibitions on the grounds of the Canadian History Museum:
- A History of Jewish Immigration
- A wildlife exhibit
- A 3D film of "Son of Bigfoot," and others.
Tours are available in French and English, ticket price: CAD 20 for an adult, CAD 12 for a child under 12.
Interesting Facts
- Number of exhibits - more than 1 million
- The number of visitors is more than 1.3 million a year.
- The museum can be visited with a discount on the "Ottawa Museum Weekly Card".
