Sight guide · Ottawa · Canada
Visiting Canada Aviation and Space Museum
On the old Rockcliffe airfield east of downtown, a huge hangar displays one of the world's largest collections of civil and military aircraft, from bush planes to a Lancaster bomber and surviving pieces of the cancelled Avro Arrow jet.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Arctic.gnome assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY 2.5
Quick answer
Canada Aviation and Space Museum is a museum in Rockcliffe, Ottawa. Allow 2 hours; it is mid-priced. Booking ahead is not usually needed.
Key facts
- Type
- Museum
- Area
- Rockcliffe
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Not usually needed
- Good for
- history, kids and rainy day
- Best months
- May and December–January
About Canada Aviation and Space Museum
On the old Rockcliffe airfield east of downtown, a huge hangar displays one of the world's largest collections of civil and military aircraft, from bush planes to a Lancaster bomber and surviving pieces of the cancelled Avro Arrow jet.
Tip: Drive or take a rideshare; it is about 15 minutes from downtown and awkward by bus.
Plan your visit
- Time needed: 2 hours.
- Cost: Mid-priced.
- Book ahead: not usually needed; buy on arrival.
- Where: Rockcliffe.
Best time to visit Canada Aviation and Space Museum
Canada Aviation and Space Museum is indoors, which makes it a good plan for the wettest months:
- December: -3°C (27°F) highs, about 13 rainy days, quiet crowds.
- May: 19°C (66°F) highs, about 13 rainy days, busy crowds.
- January: -6°C (21°F) highs, about 12 rainy days, quiet crowds.
When to visit Ottawa has the full month-by-month picture.
Fit it into your trip
Our 3-day Ottawa itinerary visits Canada Aviation and Space Museum on day 3, together with Canadian War Museum and Canadian Museum of Nature.
- No. 10 of the 18 sights in our Ottawa things-to-do list.
- One of the picks in museums in Ottawa.
- One of the picks in historic sites in Ottawa.
- A family favourite in Ottawa with kids.
If you like Canada Aviation and Space Museum
- Canadian Museum of History — Old Hull, Gatineau, 3 hours
- Canadian War Museum — LeBreton Flats, 2–3 hours
- Canadian Museum of Nature — Centretown, 2–3 hours
- Ingenium – Canada Science and Technology Museum — Alta Vista, 2–3 hours
Staying near Canada Aviation and Space Museum
Where to stay in Ottawa compares every area by price and who it suits.
Questions travellers ask
+How long do you need at Canada Aviation and Space Museum?
Plan 2 hours.
+Is Canada Aviation and Space Museum free?
No, it is mid-priced. Tickets are usually available on the day.
+When is the best time to visit Canada Aviation and Space Museum?
May and December–January, the wettest months, when an indoor sight is most welcome. Drive or take a rideshare; it is about 15 minutes from downtown and awkward by bus.
+Do I need to book Canada Aviation and Space Museum in advance?
Usually not: you can decide on the day.
+Is Canada Aviation and Space Museum good for kids?
Yes, it is one of our family picks in Ottawa. Ottawa is excellent for families: hands-on national museums, a Children's Museum inside the Museum of History, canal skating and Winterlude snow slides, and big parks.