Canadian Museum of Nature

Canadian Museum of Nature

The Canadian Museum of Nature is located in Ottawa, the capital of Canada. Its collections have been gathered by the Geological Survey of Canada since 1856, and the museum opened in 1912. The building itself is designed in the Gothic Revival architectural style and has been designated a national landmark.

The Canadian Museum of Nature showcases Canada’s natural environment from ancient times to the present. With over 150 years of collecting, the museum houses a collection of 10 million specimens, making it one of Canada’s richest and most scientifically valuable museums. Its collections can be divided into botany, vertebrate zoology, invertebrate zoology, and earth sciences. They span from the extinct world of dinosaurs to the evolution of modern birds, mammals, and plants, featuring fossils, models, and even living plants. Through vivid explanatory texts, diagrams, and interactive digital tools, the museum offers visitors an engaging way to explore Canada’s natural history. Children find this museum especially captivating — not only can they conduct fun experiments in the lab, but they can also dive deep into the ocean to uncover marine mysteries, providing significant educational value for young learners.

The museum also includes a library with 43,000 books and 10 periodical volumes, offering detailed resources for those wishing to learn more about Canada’s natural history.

Canadian Museum of Nature

Reason to visit: One of Canada’s most scientifically valuable museums

Continent: North America

Country/Region: Canada

Province/State: Ontario

City: Ottawa