The Canadian Museum of History is an architectural wonder. Designed by Douglas Cardinal, its fluid,…read morecurved forms mimic the natural erosion of the land--evoking wind, water, and glaciers. The main entrance is designed as a symbolic mask, while the limestone exterior harmonizes perfectly with the riverfront landscape and the Parliament buildings across the Ottawa River. Inside, the Grand Hall's massive windows frame stunning views of the river, which serves as a breathtaking backdrop for the impressive totem pole collection. This museum is a must-see for anyone who values the combination of outstanding design and cultural history.

This place is a gem! So much about it is breathtaking, from the architecture, to the views of…read moreOttawa on the other side of the river, to the totems on display - everything! The layout is well organized, the history is thorough, the exhibits are interesting. One thing I truly appreciated is the total frankness of the documentation. They kept it real. Nothing was sugar-coated, nothing was whitewashed, they didn't attempt to erase or hide any history, and they made a point of trying to learn from past mistakes. Other places could learn from this. I hope the museum will be able to add on, to cover events in Canada's more recent history.

We were able to come here and use our ASTC passport which was awesome. The parking lots have plenty…read moreof space and some EV chargers which is great. The staff was friendly and got us in with our passport. They have a nice little cafe with Beavertails in the back, so we stopped there for a quick breakfast and coffee. The displays here are great, so many interactive displays from bicycles, to trains, to audio and visual displays there is a lot to take in. This is a great spot for families or just adults who can tolerate kids being around. The history of sporting for people with disabilities was really interesting. This place really has something for everyone, whether you are interested in the human body, space, housing, etc you will probably find a section that interests you. The kids specific area was a lot of fun, although one of the displays was a bit broken unfortunately. Being able to race cars you build on a track and climb a rock wall was a ton of fun for our daughter. Being able to go race other kids on the bikes was something she really enjoyed too. We certainly had a good family outing and I think we all learned a few new things.

We visited this museum. Parking is a bit confusing without proper signage. The other thing is…read morethat the parking near the front, the lines are marked with different coloured rocks but it's hard to see so people park very poorly and the spots are quite tight too. The exhibits were pretty interesting. Lots of things to see and read, somewhat interactive. There is a dedicated kids area for kids to play in which is nice for families. The huge train that you can go into was another fun highlight. The demonstrations were really fun, there was one on ice and one on fire that day though the ice one didn't quite work. Overall a pretty enjoyable museum especially if you have kids.

A really neat exhibition that outlines the role of Parliament in Canadian government; the first…read moreroom is like a usual museum space, but the second room contains a 30m-or-so video, projected onto three walls, that identify some of the images of the main parts of Parliament. Though touted as a "360-degree" experience, it wasn't domed or circular, more like four walls, onto which cinematic images were projected. The inner exhibits told the story of various highlights in Canadian laws being passed. This exhibit I believe was produced to help make up for lack of visits to certain areas of Parliament when it's under construction and renovation until 2032.

Amazing exhibit on Parliament as both the Senate and House of Commons meet at temporary locations…read morefor the next several years due to renovations. You can book a tour online and the staff will welcome you in during your time slot. Amazing pictures, texts, and videos that are accessible to all. Loved seeing how Parliament works in Canada compared to the US government and while the tours were great I learned much more here. Hopefully much of the exhibits will be available in the parliament buildings across the street when renovations are over.

The EX has got to be one of the most popular festivals in Ottawa. Even if you're not a fan, if…read moreyou're an Ottawa local, guaranteed you've been to it at least once in your life. It's a long-running outdoor festival that has stayed a family favorite for years. Kids love it, but it can also be a cute little date idea. It's been held at Landsdowne Park every year for as long as I can remember, from mid to end of August. This is actually a really good time to have it since it isn't blazing hot out. It's also pretty inexpensive so you can get in a full day of fun. There's all sorts of entertainment - concerts, stunt demonstrations, circus performances, stand-up comedy, magic shows, and educational shows. There are also petting zoos, exhibits, a ton of rides, and my favorite, the Ferris wheel! Nothing more romantically cliche than grabbing a corn dog, winning a prize, and riding the Ferris wheel ;) I am quite sad though, as I've heard that after 2010, the EX will no longer be held at Landsdowne Park :(

Probably one of the best concerts I have attended was at the Jazz Festival…read more We were lucky enough to see Box Scaggs live on Friday night, and wow! Even at 74 his voice is so unique, and his band is the best. Thanks for bringing him to Ottawa!

The Canadian Museum of Nature is an architectural masterpiece, blending Beaux-Arts symmetry with a…read morehistoric exterior and a striking glass tower. The Earth Gallery's gem collection and the Bird Gallery are exceptional, and the gift shop is high-quality. However, my visit was heavily disrupted by large school groups monopolizing the interactive displays. To avoid these groups, try visiting after noon, as morning hours are peak time for field trip arrivals.

It was as much fun touring this museum as it was watching the smaller kids get excited looking at…read morethe dinosaur fossils and the live insects. There was so much content even limiting it to just Canadian flora and fauna. The building itself is impressive, and everything is nicely organized inside. Parking would be my one peeve. You can walk to it from the light rail if you're okay with that and it's night weather, but we found that for a group, it was actually cheaper to take a Lyft, ironically. While this museum is designed to be a great source of information for kids, adults will like it too.

I had no idea that the Ottawa International Animation Festival was so huge. This year was its 40th…read moreanniversary. I won a pass to the festival this year and really enjoyed it. The screenings were at The Arts Court, Bytowne Cinema, National Gallery and St. Brigid's. I went to see a few shorts and a few longer feature films. I loved seeing the different animation styles. All screenings are about 70-90 minutes long. Many shows have more than 1 screening during the festival, so if you missed it the first time, you can catch it on the second screening. The shows really run the gamut from having traditional story lines to really out there stuff that was too artsy for this science major! LOL. They have screenings particularly for kids and workshops for kids too (to encourage them to get into animation), which I thought was cool. They also offered a special pass for free for teens. I also attended the picnic that was at 50 Sussex Drive. It was mostly people in the industry; they were very friendly and I had a good time. They served pulled pork sandwiches (including a vegetarian version - not sure what it was made of), macaroni and cheese, and a green salad. There was also a pumpkin carving contest, but I left before that took place. Overall, it's a really cool festival!

I was fortunate enough to be awarded a festival pass this year for the Ottawa International…read moreAnimation Festival. What can I say, except that it was amazing. Although I wasn't able to attend all of the various functions during the week, I managed to still spend a huge amount of time watching the screenings plating at the ByTowne cinema. Whether dark and moody, abstract and impressionistic, or bright and optimistic, the variety of short films I saw showed the broad and expressive range of talent currently out there in the animation market. The finale of the festival culminated in a best of viewing for those of us who managed to miss a few events and showings. The OIAF has a variety of other things going on during the five day bonanza. Virtual Reality displays and shorts were available throughout the week, special times were set out for younger audiences, an industry networking conference was underway, and there were daily late nighter celebrations into the wee hours of the evening. I'd recommend this festival both for animation and film aficionados as well as the regular newbie consumer such as myself. I know I've managed to make a few new acquaintances during my time here in addition to having the privilege of the exposure to new art in the hours spent here.

It was really beautiful the river side was nice you should try bringing a grill to the parks do not…read morelite up fire on the ground the area is wildfire prone. Enjoy the view of yachts and people kayaking collect nice looking rocks and shells from shore, i climbed the tree. Explore the trails they really take you to a beautiful end. Its better if you are able to take bicycle with you. Perfect for weekend, bring your pet for a nice fetch session and a walk no poop bags for dogs so bring your own bring a blanket to sit on it is really important bring water to drink a as well bring picnic stuff enjoy your trip!

The park opened May 13 and is open Wednesdays to Sundays until September. Looks like the Ontario…read moreGovernment is doing a lot of work to open more parts of the house for show, and they offered more information, generally. The guided tour is very informative. I love seeing more of this Heritage Home, and learning about the Pinheys in general. The site is a great place for a picnic, or as a rest stop on a boat journey - there's showers!!! Bring your camera - there are plenty of photo ops here! And it will be wonderful to see in its fall colours. We will be back! They have special events all summer long, including concerts, I do know that in the Civic Holiday weekend, they offer a 1 day event for craftspeople, including a knitting display. If you've always wanted to know how to knit, perhaps this will be the time and place to learn how? For more information about the park, visit their website at http://www.pinheyspoint.ca/. Edited June 17 2013 to add that Pinhey's Point is now running an event in Mid-August, called Riverfest - another wonderful and well run event. This year it is August 11, 2013. Riverfest 2015 will be happening on Sunday August 9th. They've added an aboriginal storey teller (he's really good!), and canoe rides (for which there is a small fee). There are other demonstrators too. It's a great family event, and so worth the outing!