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Canadian War Museum
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
16 reviews for Canadian War Museum
Review Highlights
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"On top of all else - they have Hitler's car." In 3 reviews -
"The exhibits blend artifacts, text, interactive exhibits..." In 5 reviews
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"...displays also on WWI and II, and various other conflicts." In 3 reviews
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16 reviews in English
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Review from Ian B.
Fort Erie, ON
4/20/2012
This museum is laid out extremely well, and the information presented is broken up with fascinating exhibits and pieces of real world military artifacts.
The BEST part of my trip however, was the WW2 vet that took the time to not only explain, but demonstrate his area of expertise in the war, relaying stories and his thoughts on the subject. What a brilliant thing to do in a museum. I could have easily talked to him for hours upon hours, and really commend the Canadian War Museum for giving us a chance to actually talk to the people that made such a positive difference in this world. -
Review from Navoda S.
1/6/2012
I have lived in Ottawa for 5 years and never once visited this museum. It was only after I had moved away and came back for a visit that I finally checked it out. Boy am I glad I did! What a fantastic experience. The exhibits were very informative and surprisingly entertaining. There were tons of things to grab a kid's interest and my friend and I did them all. From building our own airplanes to doing the CSIS quiz there was tons to do. FYI: I would not make a particularly good spy.
Overall I think we spend a good 4.5 hours there and didn't even get to finish. The lifelike trench and abandoned buildings in a war zone were a highlight for us. As was Hitler's car. The price was pretty average for big museums, but they do have cheaper days and offer discounts.
Even if you aren't big on museums, you should break your rule for this one. Its really quite something and you leave having learned an incredible amount. -
Review from Chris Y.
5/24/2011 10 photos
It's a very well-presented museum, but it just didn't really "wow" me in any way.
Admission is $12 plus 13% HST. $10 for children, families, students and seniors. Parking meters cost $2.50 per hour. (but it's walking-distance from most of downtown Ottawa). Plan on spending two to four hours to go through the whole place. It's designed rather maze-like, and the exhibits are listed chronologically from Native American battles on up through the Cold War.
The exhibits are all very informative, but somewhat dry and boring. There's not a lot of interactive exhibits or displays that really "wow" someone. It's mostly all the stuff you remember from high school history class, with lots of miniature models of battlefields and a few minor artifacts (mostly little things, like knives and clothing, and handguns here and there). Very few "big" exhibits, like tanks and planes and such, but there were a few, though all were "hands-off."
There are also the requisite gift shop and small cafe. Also, you can get a combo ticket, for the War Museum and the Civilization Museum for $18, (individually, each one costs $12).
I also have to say that it kinda pissed me off that it took 15 minutes to wait in line to buy my admission ticket. (Especially when I was parked at a metered spot!!). They need more than one ticket-seller.Listed in: Canadia! - The Experience
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Review from Seb A.
11/5/2011
This is one of my favourite museums of all time. I have been several times and will probably continue to visit it every couple of years. If you are a fan of history or Canadian culture, you will love this place.
For starters, it attempts to be as unbiased as possible in regards to English Canada/French Canada cultural differences, which is really appreciated. The staff are EXTREMELY friendly and EXTREMELY knowledgeable, and I would recommend speaking with them about anything you're interested in. Even the security guards seem to be into history and seem more than willing to chat about it. Si vous parlez juste le francais, je vous garanti que tout le monde qui travaille au musée va être heureux de vous parler en francais, sans plainte!
A World War 2 veteran working at the "Battle of the Atlantic" exhibit once told me about the Battle of the St. Lawrence, where German U-Boats infiltrated Quebec and attempted to disrupt convoys headed to Europe in the St. Lawrence river. He recommended a book, "The Battle of the St. Lawrence," by Nathan M. Greenfield, which I later bought and proved to be a fascinating read. The veteran explained how Germans in the St. Lawrence river were occasionally desperate for supplies and would dress in civilian clothing, leave their U-Boats and go to small shops in Rimouski, for example, and attempt to barter items for food without using French or English. It always worked. It's scary to think how far Nazis infiltrated Canadian waters/soil; the Canadian government did not want to decrease war morale and thus it is not part of what we talk about in World War 2 now.
Anyway, this goes to show to what lengths the staff of this museum were willing to help me learn more about our history. The Le Breton gallery is spectacular, and there are thousands of artifacts that any history buff will enjoy. Everyone always gushes over one of Hitler's cars that is on display, but I personally feel like the War of 1812 exhibit is much more fascinating.
The First Peoples Warfare also deserves a mention - Canadian history often omits this important part of our heritage. The first time I went, I was looking at a picture of a Cree Warrior and an old man came up to me and said, "You look so similar to him, he probably would have accepted you as a brother." (I had large stretched piercings at the time, similar to the Cree Warrior's.) Barring the fact that I am part Cree and that his comment was totally racist and inappropriate, I feel this situation highlighted the fact that most visitors at this museum overlook First Nations' history and even disregard it as irrelevant - I would encourage all visitors not to skip this important part of our history in the museum as it is not only supremely interesting, but shaped history and Canadian culture into the world we are living in today, whether it be good or bad. How all Canadians - be they First Nations people, "Canadiens", English-Canadians, or naturalized citizens - have treated each other and ultimately accepted (more or less) each other under one flag is made salient in this museum. Of course, there is still a lot of social progress to be made, but it is a beautiful journey to witness nonetheless.
I could talk about this museum forever - I love it with all my heart. If you're visiting Ottawa, I insist that you visit this museum. It will help you understand the momentous complexity of what it means to be Canadian. -
Review from Courtney W.
Kingston, NS
4/10/2011 1 photo
This is my personal favourite! It's so amazing here.
It's also one of the most interactive museums I've been too.
There was so much to do and see! Unfortunately, the day we went, we were rushed. We still saw a lot though!
I thought it was very interesting that they had Hitler's car (even though he's a terrible, evil man).
Walking through the museum is fun in itself. They have some areas set up like a war zone. The coolest has to be the trench! Very awesome.
There's so many good things I could say about this museums, but I don't have all day. So, I'll leave it at it's an awesome museum!! -
Review from Joe P.
Toronto, ON
5/23/2011
It's very well laid out and I found most everything interesting!!
Spent 4.5 hours of here and didn't even get part way through the museum. Next time I'm in Ottawa and I will have to visit it again.
I think admission is around $13. -
Review from Kenny B.
7/16/2009
This is one of the museums I was interested in visiting, since I've been to various museums akin to this in the US and the UK. So I wanted to get the Canadian perspective since the three countries have been intertwined for hundreds of years.
It didn't disappoint. (And I've been fortunate enough to visit some of the most well known museums in the Western Hemisphere).
The architecture of the building both outside was linear, felt a bit cold, and militaristic with the sharp points and angles throughout. There were displays here going from the beginnings of Canada up through the War on Terror.
It was interesting to see how the War of 1812 is spun depending on what country you are in. Canada depicts is as "you Yanks came across our borders and then we burned down your White House, and we kicked your butt!" Learning about it in school, I had a bit of a different perspective. ;-)
Lots of great displays also on WWI and II, and various other conflicts. The equipment displayed, the various video throughout, and the organization of the museum itself were all superb.
One of my favorite displays (and I am KICKING MYSELF over NOT taking a picture of it), was talking about famous wartime Canadians in popular culture. And it specifically mentioned Wolverine. Yes, that Wolverine, from the comics. Flipping awesome! Ha ha ha ha ha!
But just as horrifyingly exciting was seeing one of Hitler's cars. It is on display in such a way that feels like you are transported back to that time, and it freaked me out a bit.
There is a gigantic room filled with old tanks, transport vehicles, etc. from decades ago, which was a very nice finishing touch to my trip here. Would visit again and highly recommend. -
Review from John F.
North York, ON
4/9/2009
Of the three big downtown museums (Art, War and Civilization) I think this one is the best. It's exhibits are presented in a logical historical progression with separate room for special exhibits.
The collection of war vehicles and artillery downstairs is a real highlight.
The exhibits blend artifacts, text, interactive exhibits and media in an excellent way. It is a contrast to the Museum of Civilization, whose upper floors are really dumbed down IMHO. This one balances the information so that kids and adults both have something to see at each display.
On top of all else - they have Hitler's car.
I would say this and the Houses of Parliament tie for top attraction in Ottawa, though I still need to see the Aviation Museum and Rideau Hall yet.Listed in: Fun Museums
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Review from Darren M.
Ottawa, ON
12/4/2010 1 photo
When they created this museum they did everything just right.
The building itself is extremely fitting for a war museum. It feels like a bunker and although not literally it does feel very cold and plain.
The staff are fluently bilingual and when you're purchasing your admission there are options for discounts with the Museum of Civilization and for people who work in certain sectors (I believe teachers get a discount).
The last temporary exhibit I saw here was showcasing camouflage and it provided a lot of insight about something I've never given much thought to in the past. The museum itself is really great.
Every time I've left here I've found myself reflecting on our country and war. It's very moving and powerful. I think seeing the Nazi flag that Canadians captured and Hitler's car was perhaps the most moving experience.
If you have extra time I'd recommend touring the lower area of the museum that houses all of the tanks and trucks from early conflicts to modern wars. -
Review from Azim A.
Ottawa, ON
10/8/2008
The War Museum of Canada is a fascinating place, covering Canada's military past, from before its inception to today.
In addition to some impressive permanent exhibitions, there are seasonal speciai exhibits that are usually extraordinary. The staff and guides are very friendly, and I would probably suggest to go on a guided tour as the configuration can be a bit confusing, and because there are always different programmes going on from day-to-day.
There are a lot of historic collections that any history buff would appreciate. Even my staunchly pacifist friend found this place intriguing! -
Review from Marie B.
Gatineau, QC
8/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Long visit with young children...
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Review from James F.
Oakville, ON
4/30/2011
Best museum in Ottawa. You need a minimum of half a day to take everything in. Whoever designed the lighting should also get a medal lol.
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Review from Mel A.
12/27/2011
This is a fascinating museum! I had read the reviews before I came here and I couldn't imagine how a place could be so interesting, but it really is. We stayed for four hours, and the only reason we left is because the museum closed. I would recommend setting aside a whole day and going through the galleries in order. We actually did the reverse-- we started with the temporary exhibit (New Brunswickers in Wartime), then we spent a lot of time in the LeBreton Gallery (with all the military vehicles) and then we went to Gallery 4 (A Violent Peace). As soon as we stepped into Gallery 4 we were totally enthralled. I wish we had left the LeBreton Gallery until last. It's interesting, but for me the other galleries were much more educational and completely captivating. Some of the videos were so moving, I cried. It's a brilliant museum and I would recommend it to anybody of any age.
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Review from Karen R.
7/18/2010
I visited here 2009 with my military platoon during basic training. Omg is this a cool way to spend a day, touching, climbing, reading, reliving. The gift shop also offers a wide selection of interesting books which can inexpensively be sent to anyone should you wish to gift it.
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Review from Jason D.
Ottawa, ON
10/15/2008 3 photos
I found myself in Ottawa with two children and a need to take them someplace that was educational, reasonably priced and fun. At first I thought the Canadian War Museum would be over the heads of my kids, but surprisingly we had a memorable day. The museum has exhibits reflecting Canada's participation in all of the major global conflicts as well as the early days of the nation. Each installation is made up of artifacts, first-person narrative accounts of events and a tiny model showing how the battles played out. My son really loved the models and they made the history a little more interesting to him. Unlike most museums, the War Museum did not exit through a gift shop. Instead, the tour finished up in a large chamber that was FILLED with Canadian and international weapons and war machines. My kids loved running around checking out ancient cannons, Imperial Japanese mini-subs, tanks and helicopters. The highlight of the day for me was Hitler's limo. I think he used it for his junior prom.
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Review from Erik G.
3/24/2009
This place rocks. Make sure to go downstairs and see all the tanks and stuff. There is a wealth of information available, including tons of artifacts, displays, and even videos. Spend a few hours there for sure.
