Sight guide · Ottawa · Canada
Visiting Canadian Museum of Nature
Housed in the turreted Victoria Memorial Museum Building — locals call it 'the castle' — the natural history museum has a full blue whale skeleton, a dinosaur gallery, a mineral hall and the Canada Goose Arctic Gallery.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: RealGrouchy, Public domain
Quick answer
Canadian Museum of Nature is a museum in Centretown, Ottawa. Allow 2–3 hours; it is mid-priced. Booking ahead is not usually needed.
Key facts
- Type
- Museum
- Area
- Centretown
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Not usually needed
- Good for
- kids, rainy day, nature and architecture
- Best months
- June–August
About Canadian Museum of Nature
Housed in the turreted Victoria Memorial Museum Building — locals call it 'the castle' — the natural history museum has a full blue whale skeleton, a dinosaur gallery, a mineral hall and the Canada Goose Arctic Gallery. A glass lantern added in the 2000s renovation tops the entrance tower.
Tip: Children love the live-animal gallery and the dinosaur hall; go there first before the school groups.
Plan your visit
- Time needed: 2–3 hours.
- Cost: Mid-priced.
- Book ahead: not usually needed; buy on arrival.
- Where: Centretown, elgin and Bank Street restaurants, Victorian houses and the Village.
Best time to visit Canadian Museum of Nature
Canadian Museum of Nature is outdoors, so weather matters most. The driest, most comfortable months are:
- August: 25°C (77°F) highs, about 11 rainy days, busy crowds.
- June: 24°C (75°F) highs, about 12 rainy days, busy crowds.
- July: 27°C (81°F) highs, about 11 rainy days, very busy crowds.
When to visit Ottawa has the full month-by-month picture.
Fit it into your trip
Our 3-day Ottawa itinerary visits Canadian Museum of Nature on day 3, together with Canadian War Museum and Canada Aviation and Space Museum.
- No. 9 of the 18 sights in our Ottawa things-to-do list.
- One of the picks in museums in Ottawa.
- One of the picks in outdoors in Ottawa.
- A family favourite in Ottawa with kids.
If you like Canadian Museum of Nature
- National Gallery of Canada — ByWard Market and Lowertown, 2–3 hours
- Canadian Museum of History — Old Hull, Gatineau, 3 hours
- Canadian War Museum — LeBreton Flats, 2–3 hours
- Canada Aviation and Space Museum — Rockcliffe, 2 hours
Staying near Canadian Museum of Nature
Stay in Centretown ($$) to walk here: elgin and Bank Street restaurants, Victorian houses and the Village. All areas to stay in Ottawa.
Questions travellers ask
+How long do you need at Canadian Museum of Nature?
Plan 2–3 hours.
+Is Canadian Museum of Nature free?
No, it is mid-priced. Tickets are usually available on the day.
+When is the best time to visit Canadian Museum of Nature?
June–August for the most comfortable weather. Children love the live-animal gallery and the dinosaur hall; go there first before the school groups.
+Do I need to book Canadian Museum of Nature in advance?
Usually not: you can decide on the day.
+Is Canadian Museum of Nature 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.