Ottawa isn’t Canada’s most famous city—but it’s definitely one of the country’s sleeper-hit destinations.
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I’m a bit partial to the capital because one of my friends dated a guy from Ottawa. He let me in on a few cool secrets about the city, like the fact that French and English are spoken because Ottawa straddles Ontario and Quebec, and that its architecture is some of the coolest in North America.
Plus, you can find gorgeous hikes outside of town, along with nature-centric events like the annual Tulip Festival. Spring saturnalias aside, winter is a great time to visit, as the city comes alive for its coldest months.
As the nation’s capital, it’s also home to a handful of top-notch museums, just like Washington DC. Though they aren’t universally free like many in Washington DC, most establishments lift their fees during a short window every week.
These aren’t just a great way to explore the city while saving a few Canadian dollars—they’re also the perfect chance to dig into Ottawa’s unique, lesser-known identity.
Want to explore Ottawa’s culture and heritage without overspending? Head to these free museums in Ottawa.
Coolest free museums in Ottawa—plus, tips on how to enjoy them
National Gallery
Free every Thursday from 5-8 pm
Before you make it inside, you’re going to notice that the National Gallery is guarded by a massive 30-foot-tall spider. Its name is ‘Maman’, which is doubly upsetting given that Maman is French for ‘mommy. (I say this as someone who loves spiders.)
But go see Maman for yourself—this iconic work is from a highly acclaimed artist and is one of only six spiders that reside in museums around the world.
Inside, you’ll find a gargantuan gallery (one of the largest artistic exhibition areas on the continent, in fact) that houses over 90,000 unique works from European, Indigenous, African, Asian, and Canadian artists. You can find works as old as 200 CE century, along with contemporary pieces.
Even the building itself is a bit of an artistic display. The grounds were designed by world-famous architect Moshe Safdie, the great mind behind projects like the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.
Ottawa Art Gallery
Pay-what-you-can admission
The Ottaway Art Gallery houses some of the most powerful works from the region. Its exhibitions bring on modern projects, from huge murals from digital artists to artisanal crafts from Canada’s coasts.
The Ottawa Art Gallery also curates its social calendar. Along with workshops and summer camps, you can also join the community to ring in brand-new exhibitions. There’s even a new fellowship program to help educate and empower new curators.
Canada Aviation and Space Museum
Free from 4-5 pm daily
Want to get a little closer to the cosmos while you’re in Ottawa? The Canada Aviation and Space Museum includes engaging exhibits and a wide range of artifacts that showcase the evolution of air travel. In fact, there are over 130 aircraft dotting the grounds, including civil and military crafts.
Take a closer look at the museum’s list of events before you plan your visit. They offer awesome hands-on workshops and classes. In April, for example, they’ll be hosting a Drone Zone event that lets you learn the basics of how to man a drone—and even a chance to fly one yourself.
Canadian Museum of History
Free every Thursday from 4-8 pm
This museum is a site to behold. Though the National Gallery of Canada was designed by Safdie, I have to say I prefer the organic and grand scale of Douglas Cardinal’s Canadian Museum of History.
It’s a larger-than-life building that spans over 800,000 square feet. Not only is the museum used for exhibitions, but also for anthropological research.
I’d probably head to the Inuit, First Nations, and Métis exhibitions first. These showcase the history and culture of Canada’s indigenous groups. (Métis people are descended from both European settlers and indigenous tribes from the prairies.) There, you can learn about topics like Ways of Knowing and the Arrival of Strangers.
When you’re ready, you can catch up with more modern Canadian history. Aside from its First Nations exhibit, I’d likely delve into the history between French-speaking Quebec and Canada’s English-speaking provinces.
Bytown Museum
Free every Thursday after 5 pm
Located inside Ottawa’s oldest remaining stone building, the Commissariat Building, the Bytown Museum takes you deep into the city’s history through the lens of one of its most famous neighborhoods.
Apparently, Ottawa has a ‘rowdy lumberjack past’—which makes me suddenly very interested in local history. In fact, when it comes to free museums in Ottawa, the Bytown Museum would probably be my first stop.
At the Bytown Museum, you can explore more than 7,000 artifacts that showcase the city’s history, identity, and evolution. You’ll also learn plenty about the Rideau Canal which cuts through the city, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
