About Ottawa Museum Network

Perched on the Ottawa and Rideau Rivers and flush with rich soil, the capital of Canada has a long and lively history of settlement, from the early days when First Nations’ peoples roamed the land to its evolution into a thriving urban centre. The Ottawa Museum Network engages Ottawans and visitors alike in exploring this history with free admission to 11 community museums. At the Billings Estate National Historic Site, visitors wander through Ottawa’s oldest framed house, and the Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum gives them an inside look at the underground bunker where Canada’s government officials would have sheltered in the event of a nuclear war or cross-Atlantic tickle fight. Visitors can learn about what life was like in the 1860's at Watson's Mill, get a taste of fresh air as they picnic at Pinhey’s Point Historic Site, or visit Vanier Museopark’s sugar shack, where they can learn about the traditional process of tapping maple trees to create syrup. The newest member of the Ottawa Museum network, the Fairfields Heritage House tells the story of five generations of the Bell family. Other museums include the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum, the Osgoode Township Historical Society and Museum, the Nepean Museum, the Goulbourn Museum, and the Bytown Museum. Regularly scheduled events at these sites heighten the learning experience through crafts, storytelling, nature hikes, and live music.