National Gallery of Canada

The National Gallery of Canada is an art museum in Ottawa with four levels displaying paintings and sculptures from multiple continents. The glass and granite structure stands on Sussex Drive and offers rooms for rotating and permanent presentations.

The museum began in 1880 with a single painting and moved to its current site in 1988. Architect Moshe Safdie designed the new building to house the growing collection.

The building's Great Hall rises with Gothic Revival arches brought from the demolished Centre Block of Parliament, offering a meeting point for visitors. People pause here to admire the natural light streaming through before moving into the exhibition rooms.

The museum opens Tuesday through Sunday, with late hours on Thursdays until 20:00. A cloakroom with free storage is available for personal belongings.

The interior courtyard holds the Taiga Garden, which recreates the landscape from a painting by A.Y. Jackson. The original hangs in the museum's collection rooms.

Location: Ottawa

Location: Ontario

Inception: 1880

Founders: John Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll

Architects: Moshe Safdie

Official opening: May 21, 1988

Floors above the ground: 3

Floors below the ground: 1

Elevation above the sea: 70 m

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible

Address: 380 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1N 9N4

Opening Hours: May-September: Friday-Wednesday 09:30-18:00; May-September: Thursday 09:30-20:00; October-April: Tuesday,Wednesday,Friday-Sunday 10:00-17:00; October-April: Thursday 10:00-20:00

Phone: +16139901985

Website: https://beaux-arts.ca

GPS coordinates: 45.42943,-75.69839

Latest update: December 14, 2025 19:28