The National Gallery of Canada is the country’s national art museum. It’s located in Ottawa and includes Canadian, European, Indigenous and American art.
The National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa
Established in 1880, the National Gallery of Canada is one of North America’s largest art museums. The gallery is located in a beautifully-designed building that’s mainly made of glass. Louise Bourgeois’ sculpture of a large spider sits in front of the building.
The museum is home to over 90,000 different works. These include photographs, sculptures and paintings. Visitors need to spend an entire day at the gallery if they’d like to get the full experience. There are even indoor water and garden courts with seating that allows people to take a break from walking and viewing all the amazing exhibits.
Hours and Location
The National Gallery of Canada’s address is 380 Sussex Drive in Ottawa. Underground parking is available and there are bus stations nearby as well.
Up until September 7th in 2025, the art museum’s summer hours are from 9:30 am until 5:00 pm each day, except for Thursdays when it stays open until 8:00 pm. Between September 8th in 2025 and March 31st in 2026, the museum is closed on Mondays. Hours on other days remain the same.
Layout of the Gallery
The National Gallery of Canada has three floors: the ground level, level 1 and level 2. The ground floor has a boutique store and auditorium. Scotiabank Great Hall is there too. It’s a large room with glass ceilings. The hall serves as a place for people to congregate and discuss. The Great Hall also leads to the works of art that are on the upper floors.
Level 1 is where most of the gallery’s Canadian and Indigenous works can be found. There are also sections for contemporary and temporary art. The Rideau Chapel is located on this floor too and is a must-see for visitors. Georges Bouillon designed the original chapel in the late 1800s and it was located on Rideau Street in Ottawa. It was then taken down in 1972 and rebuilt in The National Gallery of Canada. Level 1 includes the garden court and a cafeteria as well. Those are good places to visit if you’re hungry or tired.
Level 2 showcases European, American and some more contemporary art. The exhibits on display span from the Renaissance era until the modern-day, so there is a lot to see! This floor also contains the gallery’s library and archives. Its collection includes about 275,000 books. It’s also home to Canada’s largest visual arts collection. In order to have access to the library’s sprawling resources, visitors need to be conducting art-related research.
Other Information
For more information about the museum see the National Gallery of Canada‘s website.
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