Museum of Nature

The Museum of Nature is housed in a beautiful building that looks like a castle.  The building was built between 1905 and 1911 and as a result, over time, it became in need of renovations.  Those renovations are now ongoing, resulting in about half of the museum being closed.  Despite this, the museum is well worth a visit.

Likely the most exciting gallery is the fossil gallery, which displays fossils of early animals.  There is an emphasis on the extinction of the dinosaurs and the subsequent rise of the mammals.  See several fully built skeletons of dinosaurs!

There is also a gallery about mammals and another about birds.  There are constantly new temporary exhibits as well.

Kids will love the discovery zone, which normally has ongoing organized craft or other activities.  Most galleries also have small theatres, in which brief 5 to 10 minute movies are shown (alternating in English and French), which help give a better understanding to what is being shown in the gallery.

The museum is located exactly one mile south of Parliament Hill at end of Metcalfe Street (at the corner of McLeod).  It’s an easy walk from anywhere downtown, or take the Queensway to the Metcalfe street exit. 

Admission is a modest $5 per person, with free admission Saturday up until noon.  From May 1 until September 1, the museum is open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily, except on Wednesdays and Thursdays when the museum stays open late until 8:00 p.m.

To learn more about the Museum of Nature, visit them at their official website.