Indoor Attractions in Ottawa
I just went on my first international business trip! I had a training in Gatineau, which is just across the river from Ottawa. Gatineau is part of the Quebec province, while Ottawa is part of Ontario. Despite one side being francophone and the other side being anglophone, you will find both French and English speakers on either side!
November is not the most ideal time to visit this area, because all the summer/fall attractions have closed but the winter attractions like skating in the canal don’t begin until December. Already in the first week of November, the weather was FRIGID! It’s nice to walk around and explore Ottawa, however, I was quickly looking for excuses to go indoors to warm up. This meant stopping for food/drinks, shopping in the Rideau Center, or visiting local attractions. Here are my three favorite indoor attractions in Ottawa.
Parliament Hill
Ottawa is the capital of Canada and therefore home to the gorgeous Parliament Hill! The Parliament is currently undergoing extensive rehabilitation. However, the temporary sites for the Senate and House of Commons have free tours! If booking tours at both locations, ensure you allow enough time in between the tours – they are a significant distance if traveling by foot!
I toured the House of Commons and it was fascinating! The House of Commons is temporarily housed in a former outdoor courtyard. They built a beautiful glass roof over the courtyard to enclose it. There is a drastic contrast between modern and traditional architecture. The tour guide explained that you can also visit while Parliament is in session!
Musée des Beaux-Arts
The Musée des Beaux-Arts or the National Gallery of Canada is an absolute must-visit! I happened to visit on the opening night of their new exhibit Àbadakone. The museum celebrated opening night with music and performances from the contemporary indigenous artists that are featured in this exhibit. The exhibit is available until April, and I highly recommend it!
In addition to the amazing exhibits, the museum has a huge permanent collection with over 93,000 works!!! The museum has the largest collection of Canadian art, but they also feature artists from Europe and Asia.
Canadian Museum of History
The Canadian Museum of History is in Gatineau, across the Ottawa River from Parliament Hill! This is the national museum of human history. The building has a really interesting style of architecture, and features huge windows looking right over the river to Parliament.
Until January, there is a really interesting exhibit about Neanderthals and the misconceptions of this human species.
One of my favorite sections of this museum was the First People’s Hall which celebrates the history of the Métis and Inuit peoples. This hall features over 2,000 historical and contemporary objects depicting Aboriginal culture.
I look forward to coming back to Ottawa during summer months so I can enjoy the Gatineau Park and take a boat tour through Ottawa River!
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23 Comments
Sue Denym
Amazing! I have a sister in Ottawa and I’ve never visited her there, shame on me. Thanks for the photos…looks like there will be plenty to do when I go!
ansh997x
Wow, Parliament hill is so gorgeous. Looks like a fairy land. I will sure explore Ottawa and enjoy sightseeing here.
Mary Traveler
Your pictures looked amazing, the place is stunning! I would like to Ottawa someday!
Renee Theresa
I never knew Ottawa had so many amazing indoor attractions
Lorita
Great post. There’s also the museum of nature which is pretty cool to kill time indoor
Luna S
WOW! Parliament Hill and the Museum are absolutely stunning on the inside. If I am ever in the area I will be sure to check out both, thanks for sharing these,
Lulu
I’ve been to Ottawa and skated along the river and admired all the amazing ice sculptures. It’s been a long time, I need to revisit Ottawa.
Nuwan
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Marjie Mare
I have been in Ottawa for a while. After reading this post, I want to go back and enjoy this beautiful place.
Edwin
Beautiful Post .. Keep sharing wonderful posts like this one
Play2WinApps
these are fun and exciting places to visit especially on days where the weather is not so good
momelite2
Wow! So many wonderful museums! It’s so nice to have places to visits indoors.
Renee Theresa
Absolutely gorgeous! Thank you for sharing! Wow!
Jamie Tutson
Looks like such a wonderful place to visit. I’ve never flown internationally. Definitely something I want to accomplish next year.