Best Tourist Attraction Ottawa Near Me

4worldlovers: Canada is defined by nature. Explore it all in one place.

“This imposing baronial building houses one of the world’s best natural history collections, which the vast museum brings to life with modern and interactive exhibits. There’s an impressive collection of fossils, the full skeleton of a blue whale and an excellent stock of dinosaur skeletons and models. Everyone loves the realistic mammal and bird dioramas depicting Canadian wildlife – the taxidermic creatures are so lifelike, you’ll be glad they’re behind a sheet of glass.”

They’re back! Come face-to-face with live owls in this special outdoor exhibition.

Read stories from the field to the lab, and everywhere in between.

As a scientific leader in species discovery and Arctic research, the Canadian Museum of Nature contributes to a more sustainable future for us all.

Join us in saving the world for future generations with evidence, knowledge and inspiration.

Museum scientists and colleagues from China have described an unusual fossil that shows a dramatic moment in time when a carnivorous mammal attacked a larger plant-eating dinosaur.

Plant-like microbes and algae from the depths of a Canadian lake may help define a new geological slice of time. An international network of scientists has now given further momentum to this project that involves museum biologist Paul Hamilton.

An international group of researchers has selected Crawford Lake in Ontario as the site that could formally define the start of the Anthropocene. The Canadian Museum of Nature is part of this national project.

4worldlovers: Image description: Two young girls wearing black coats walk next to a woman who is carrying flowers and is also wearing a black coat. Behind them, along the road are a series of residential houses.

The museum is developing a new exhibition about the Cold War, and needs your help.

Image description: Several circles containing images of the Canada Aviation and Space Museum. One circle show the front of the museum set against a blue sky. Another circle shows the upside down Tutor aircraft suspended from the ceiling in the museum lobby. Several other blue and black dots are also scattered on the image.

Image description: A view inside the Canada Aviation and Space Museum with a large white airplane in the background. Large tables are set up around the room with white translucent shimmering table cloths and elegant white chairs. Scattered around the room are classical Victorian-style lampposts with round lamp bulbs with geometric patterns on the glass.

Image description: Canadian astronaut Dr. David Saint-Jacques's flight suit is a focal piece in the exhibit Health in Space

4worldlovers: The National War Memorial, also known as “The Response,” is a cenotaph symbolizing the sacrifice of all Canadian Armed Forces personnel who have served Canada in time of war in the cause of peace and freedom--past, present and future. The memorial is the site of the national Remembrance Day Ceremony on November 11.

The National War Memorial was first unveiled in 1939 to commemorate the response of Canadians in the First World War 1914-1918. Over the years, the memorial has come to symbolize the sacrifice of all Canadians who have served Canada in time of war and was rededicated to their honour.

After the First World War, 1914-1918, there was a strong feeling in Canada that a memorial should be built to recognize those who had served their country in that war.

In 1925, a world-wide competition was held to choose a design for a national commemorative war monument to be built in the capital of Canada. It was to be "expressive of the feelings of the Canadian people as a whole, to the memory of those who participated in the Great War and lost their lives in the service of humanity." The competition regulations also stated that the vision which the government wished to keep alive was "the spirit of heroism, the spirit of self-sacrifice, the spirit of all that is noble and great that was exemplified in the lives of those sacrificed in the Great War, and the services rendered by the men and women who went overseas.”

The competition was open to architects, sculptors and artists residing in the British Empire, or who were British subjects by birth but residing elsewhere, or subject of Allied nations. A total of 127 entries were received - 66 from Canada, 24 from England, 21 from France, seven from the United States, five from Belgium, two from Italy, one from Scotland and one from Trinidad. Seven finalists were then chosen to submit scale models of their designs.

In January 1926, the Board of Assessors selected the model submitted by Vernon March of Farnborough, Kent, England. His theme was "the Great Response of Canada," represented by uniformed figures from all services passing through a granite arch. The idea, March wrote, was "to perpetuate in this bronze group the people of Canada who went Overseas to the Great War, and to represent them, as we of today saw them, as a record for future generations..." There was to be no suggestion of glorifying war.

Vernon March was helped by his six brothers and his sister who completed the work after his untimely death in 1930. They molded the full size figures in clay, then cast them in plaster and finally made the bronze figures in their own foundry.

The figures were completed in July 1932, but it was not possible to commence construction of the memorial arch in Ottawa because the site was not yet ready. In 1933, the figures, mounted on a plaster-covered base were displayed in London's Hyde Park for six months. They were then stored in the Marchs’ studio until 1937 when they were shipped to Ottawa.

In December 1937, a contract was awarded to E.G.M. Cape and Company, Montreal contractors, for the construction of the granite pedestal and arch. Work started the following year with Sydney March directing the construction. He was joined later by two of his brothers, Percy and Walter. On Wednesday, October 19, 1938, the memorial was completed, and placed on its permanent site in the Nation's Capital. Two 5.33-metre-high (17.5 ft) allegories of peace and freedom stand at the apex of the arch.

After the completion of the memorial, only the work on the surrounding area was left. Jacques Greber, who had been chosen to make plans for the development of the city of Ottawa, was used as a consultant. A contract was awarded to A.W. Robertson Limited, Toronto contractors, for the terraces, walks and grading of the site for which seven varieties of Canadian granite were used. Everything was finished in time for the Royal visit in the spring of 1939.

4worldlovers:

Our blast doors are open! We look forward to welcoming you underground.



*For the best experience, we suggest at least one hour to explore the Diefenbunker. The admissions desk closes 30 minutes before the museum closes. Tickets cannot be purchased after this time.


*We highly recommend buying your tickets online in advance of your visit to the museum to ensure there are still spots available.


We strongly recommend wearing a mask while visiting the site. Read more about how we’re keeping you safe.


Find out what’s on this summer to celebrate this milestone with us. Learn more.


New permanent exhibition taking you on a journey through Canada’s Cold War story. Learn more.

New permanent exhibition exposing the impacts of the DEW Line on Inuit communities. Learn more.

Now accepting 2023 bookings. Experience Canadian history from an immersive perspective unlike any other. Learn more.

Our informative Audio Guide gives the history of the Diefenbunker through stories, photos, videos, and archival materials. Available in nine languages.

Like what you see? Vote for the Diefenbunker in the 8th Annual Ontario’s Choice Awards, presented by Attractions Ontario. You can vote once per day until September 10, 2023.

The Diefenbunker is a massive four-storey underground bunker, built between 1959 and 1961. During the Cold War, top officials were to take shelter here in the event of a nuclear war. It was active as Canadian Forces Station Carp until 1994.

Today, it operates as a not-for-profit, charitable museum with award-winning tours and programs.

Let’s learn more about the Diefenbunker from home with our collection of online activities and resources. You can explore:

If you have questions, let’s connect on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. We will happily answer any of your questions.

The Cold War is the period between the end of the Second World War in 1945 and ends with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, followed by the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. It was a period of tense conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union and each country’s respective allies.

Learn more in this 2-minute video from Historica Canada explaining the Cold War and Canada’s role.