Must Visit Museums in Canada
One of the best ways to explore Canadian culture, art, and history is by paying a visit to the famous museums present in the country. It is indeed the best way to get to know the location’s culture.
Taking a stroll through the halls of the magnificent museums, where you are surrounded by art and artifacts that are thousand years old, will be one memorable experience in your life.
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Though there are over 2,000 museums in Canada, we are presenting you the top 18 best Canadian museums which attract millions of visitors each and every year. These places are known for their impressive exhibits and precious collections.
Royal Alberta Museum, Edmonton, Alberta
Royal Alberta Museum is the largest museum in western Canada, located in Edmonton. In this museum, you will be able to find over 2 million Albertan stories neatly displayed with passion for history, culture, as well as nature.
The museum has over 75,000 sq. ft. of galleries and exhibitions. The museum, in short, displays millions of years of Albertan history, highlighting the natural and cultural aspects in two 30,000 sq. ft. history halls. It also has a 12,000 sq. ft. gallery that displays touring exhibits from all around the world. The museum also presents a Children’s Gallery to entertain minor visitors. The Bug Gallery in this museum provides a wide range of collections of spiders, insects, and many invertebrates from all around the world.
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In nearly the middle of the province, Edmonton, the capital of Alberta, is located along both sides of the North Saskatchewan River. It is assumed that the city has a long-standing rivalry with Calgary, which is located just over two hours south and says Edmonton is a dull government town. Learn more at Tourist Guide to Must Visit Places in Edmonton, Canada.
Royal Tyrrell Museum, Drumheller, Alberta
A must-visit for all Jurassic Park lovers. The town of Drumheller in Alberta used to be the hotbed of dinosaur activities. The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology presents over 160,000 cataloged specimens and showcases one of the world’s largest collections of dinosaurs. Also, it displays one of the huge dinosaur skeletons in the world.
There are many numbers of museums in Ontario. Make sure to visit the following famous museums in Ontario to witness magnificent collections in the world.
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario
A trip to the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) is a must if you are planning to explore Toronto. Royal Ontario Museum is Canada’s largest and most visited museum of world cultures. The alluring architecture of the museum itself attracts visitors throughout the year.
The place is dedicated to art, culture, and, most importantly natural world from all around the world. This museum is known for its 13 million pieces of art, historical objects, and specimens on display. It has over 40 galleries and exhibition spaces that magnificently showcase art, history, archaeology, mineralogy, paleontology, natural science etc.
The Royal Ontario Museum presents collections from various species of dinosaurs to thousands of years old mummies. They have a wide range of collections exploring the indigenous culture and human civilizations.
Canadian War Museum, Ottawa, Ontario
Another magnificent award-winning structure can be witnessed from the shores of the Ottawa River. Canadian War Museum is uniquely constructed and is known for its challenging architectural design. The place is filled with inspiring and heartfelt stories and is one of the world’s most renowned museums. It traces its origin back to the 1880s, and since its opening in 2005, the museum has attracted millions of visitors every year.
The Museum exhibits a rich military history and is showcased through personal stories, artwork, and photographs. It is the best place to get to know the conflicts around the world and Canada’s involvement in wars. They provide a huge exhibition of military vehicles and the various equipment used by many generations of Canadian soldiers.
Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Ontario
It is important to explore the natural history of Canada. Make sure to visit the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa to get a glimpse of the country’s natural history displayed at the seven remarkable world-class galleries. The Fossil Gallery, the Mammal Gallery, Canada Artic Gallery are some of the best galleries in the museum, which exhibit life-sized models of many carnivores, including Daspletosaurs and magnificent models of Canadian wildlife.
One can find all the Canadian fauna in this museum, starting from dinosaurs to birds and bugs. It is the best place to observe and learn about the rapidly changing Arctic.
Canada Agriculture and Food Museum, Ottawa, Ontario
The Canada Agriculture and Food Museum traces its origin to the year 1886 and is considered the world’s only ‘working farm’ (Central Experimental Farm). This is the best place to see exhibitions on agricultural science, agricultural heritage, and food literacy and learn about the history of agriculture in Canada. The visitors can witness a huge collection of diverse breeds of farm animals that plays an important role in the Canadian agriculture sector.
Canada Science and Technology Museum, Ottawa, Ontario
The best place to have an enhanced digital experience of the latest developments in the field of science and technology. Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa is a family-friendly museum which provides a huge collection to learn about steam locomotives, telescopes, cameras, gold miners, recent climate change, and many more through many exhibits.
Canadian Aviation and Space Museum, Ottawa, Ontario
One of the world’s finest museums in the world in the field of aviation and space history is the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum. The museum focuses on Canada’s aviation in an international context since its establishment in 1909. The museum collection consists of more than 130 civil and military aircraft and artifacts like propellers and engines. One of the best places to learn about Canada’s contribution to aviation and aerospace technology.
If the weather is good, you can fly over the Ottawa region in a real vintage biplane or helicopter or in a Cessna from the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum.
Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Winnipeg, Manitoba
One of the most renowned museums in the world that strives hard to create awareness regarding human rights. To be very clear, Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Manitoba is the only museum in the world that is solely devoted to the purpose of promoting human rights and creating awareness about education. It is also known for its style of construction with curved glass and steel.
The museum is known for its powerful and inspiring 11 collections and exhibitions that explain the universal struggle for human equality. The exhibition includes diverse collections consisting of art, movie, stories, media, etc., to recreate the struggle of the human community.
The Manitoba Museum, Winnipeg, Manitoba
The largest museum in the region of Winnipeg is The Manitoba Museum, and it is unique for many reasons. It is the largest non-profit center for heritage and science learning. It combines natural and human history and presents a huge collection to make learning interesting. The Manitoba Museum proudly presents the Museum Galleries, the Planetarium, and the Science Gallery for public access.
The Museum collection will take you back to millions of years. The planetarium provides a memorable panoramic view of the night sky. The Science Gallery offers many numbers of hands-on exhibits to analyze and understand the contemporary technological world.
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Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, Halifax, Nova Scotia
If you are in Halifax, make sure that you visit the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, located at the National historic site at the Halifax seaport.
It is said that nearly one million immigrants landed in Canada between the years 1928 to 1971 for a home. The place will provide visitors with an intimate and powerful picture of the immigration experience. The place shares the story of immigration to Canada from the past to the present through many collections, including personal stories, artifacts, and many photos. This museum will help people to understand the lives of immigrants in Canada and how they helped to shape the country – Canada.
Royal Saskatchewan Museum, Regina, Saskatchewan
The Royal Saskatchewan Museum was formed in the year 1906 to secure and preserve specimens and natural history. The museum presents three major exhibitions. The Life Sciences Gallery briefs on the biological diversity and the role of humans in it; the First Nations Gallery displays the region’s indigenous history; and the Earth Sciences Gallery presents the history of the region, in particular the dinosaurs and other extinct species.
This museum attracts more than 180,000 visitors each and every year.
It is said that the Museum of Anthropology (MOA) at the University of British Columbia is one of the best places to explore traditional and contemporary artworks. It is the best place to explore and learn about British Columbia’s indigenous culture. The place attracts visitors for its stunning structure, and the museum offers breathtaking views of the surroundings.
Museum of Anthropology, University of BC
This museum is home to the famous Haida artist Bill Reid’s cedar sculpture The Raven and The First Men. In the Multiversity Galleries, over 10,000 objects from around the world are showcased for the exhibition. The finest carvings, artifacts, totems, and many other magnificent works are displayed as part of the finest collections from all around the world.
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Many of the activities to do in Halifax, from its wild entertainment scene, laced with maritime music, to its museums and tourist attractions, relate in some way to its strong association with the sea. The port and the city's maritime history still have an impact on Halifax's daily life. Learn more at Tourist Guide to Must Visit Places in Halifax, Canada.
Royal BC Museum, Victoria, British Columbia
Royal BC Museum is a world-class museum that is considered one of the greatest cultural treasures of Canada. It displays the entire BC by emphasizing natural and human history.
The place displays a wide range of totems, masks, and cultural treasures in the First Peoples Gallery. Make sure you check out the ‘language forest’ where you can hear greetings in one of the 34 BC indigenous languages. You can experience a realistic setting created with 7 million authentic artifacts. Make sure to click a picture with the real-looking Mammoth.
Canadian Wildlife Museum, Vernon, British Columbia
Canadian Wildlife Museum is a kid-friendly spot in the city of Vernon where the whole family will enjoy. This place has many collections of Canadian wildlife in action.
The museum showcases over 350 wildlife species, including 125 birds of prey and over 115 different specimens of Canadian wildlife, in many different collections. Enjoy the wildlife scenes through 44 viewing stations. This museum is the perfect educational spot to learn and experience Canadian wildlife. This place offers many fun, kid-friendly activities too.
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Whitehorse, which is home to 25,000 people, or more than half of Yukon's entire population, has developed recently into a significant hub for the arts and culture. With this list of the top tourist attractions in Whitehorse, you can discover the greatest things to do in this small but intriguing city. Learn more at Tourist Guide to Whitehorse, Canada.
The Canadian Museum of History, Gatineau, Quebec
The most visited Canadian museum, with over 1.2 million annual visitors, is the Canadian Museum of History in Quebec. This place was established in the year 1856 and is one of the oldest museums in the country. The place used to be called The Canadian Museum of Civilization until 2013. This uniquely constructed museum is beautifully set across the Ottawa River from Canada’s Parliament Buildings.
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Montreal, Quebec
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, popularly known as MMFA, is one of the oldest world-class art museums, with over 45,000 items in its collection on display. It showcases paintings, sculptures, graphic artworks, and photos of traditional fine arts, music, film, fashion, etc., from past to present. It showcases the heritage of Quebec and Canada and international art in over 80 exhibition galleries.
Dawson City Museum, Dawson City, Yukon
A must-visit museum to get to know more about Dawson City and the Gold Rush era is the Dawson City Museum in Yukon. The story suggests that the Klondike Gold Rush converted this Dawson City into the biggest settlement of the West. They have a vast array of artifacts on the past and present of Dawson City. Make sure to check out the gold mining activities.
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