Hotels near Canadian Museum of Nature

The Victoria Memorial Museum Building is a 1912 Tudor-Gothic pile that housed Parliament itself after the 1916 Centre Block fire, and it now holds the national natural history collection: a full Fossil Gallery, a blue whale skeleton, and a glass lantern tower added in the 2010 restoration. Hours from 15 May to 7 September 2026 are 09:30 to 17:00 with Thursdays to 20:00. From 8 September it closes on Tuesdays and shuts at 16:00, which catches out a lot of winter visitors.

From 9 September 2026 admission is 26 dollars for adults, about 16.15 EUR, and 19 dollars for over-65s, students and also 19 dollars for children aged 3 to 12, which is the least family-friendly pricing in Ottawa given that the four national museums nearby admit under-17s free. Between 19 June and 7 September 2026 the Canada Strong Pass makes all ages 0 to 17 free and halves the 18 to 24 rate. Nature after 5 gives free admission every Thursday 17:00 to 20:00, and an Ottawa Public Library Nature Card admits up to five people free.

Pro Tip: If you are travelling with children outside the summer pass window, come on a Thursday after 17:00 and pay nothing rather than 26 plus 19 plus 19 at the door. Book online for 10 percent off if you cannot make a Thursday, and check the day of the week twice, because Tuesday closures run for eight months of the year.