National Gallery of Canada

National Gallery of Canada

The National Gallery of Canada is one of the largest of its kind not only in Canada, but in America.

It exhibits over 100,000 art objects of many kinds, but especially paintings, pictures, but also photographs and sculptures.

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The gallery is located in the heart of the city opposite the Notre-Dame Basilica.

The Gallery's collections

The Canadian Gallery's collections are quite diverse and include works from the 15th century to contemporary modern art.

This is one of the reasons why the building is so vast and a visit will definitely take you over 2 hours if you want to see everything.

The largest and most visited collections are those of Canadian artists and mainly Aboriginal people. For example, you will see faithfully reconstructed rock paintings or original totems.

A significant section is devoted to European and Asian artists and paintings.

The section dedicated to contemporary art hosts frequent temporary exhibitions.

For a complete list of collections and temporary events, visit the official website: gallery.ca.

The gallery's distinctive building

The National Gallery building itself, which is one of Ottawa's most distinctive structures and visible from many locations, will not escape attention.

While the base is a simple concrete structure, a massive glass dome juts out from it.

The building was designed by architect Moshe Safdie and opened in 1988.

Admission and opening hours

The museum is open daily from 9:30am-5pm, and always until 8pm on Thursdays.

It remains closed every Monday from September to May.

Ticket prices are as follows:

  • Adults - 22 cad
  • Students under 30 years old - 15 cad
  • Seniors over 65 - 20 cad

Official website and online ticket purchase: gallery.ca/visit/admission.

Tickets can also be purchased at the door for the same price and long lines do not usually form.

What to see around

Discover all the places to see in Ottawa.

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