Ottawa’s National Gallery of Canada is one of the country’s finest art museums
Home to one of the world’s most comprehensive collections of Canadian art – including Inuit art – the National Gallery of Canada is located near the historic ByWard Market neighborhood of Ottawa. In addition to its impressive artwork, visitors can marvel at the museum’s award-winning architecture, designed by famed architect Moshe Safdie, featuring the Great Hall, spacious galleries, and interior gardens and courtyards.
The museum is home to a number of iconic pieces of outdoor artwork, including the impressive Maman spider sculpture created by Louise Bourgeois, complete with 26 white marble eggs. In addition, visitors can see Roxy Paine’s stainless steel sculpture of the One Hundred Food Line as well as Running Horses, a laser-cut steel and bronze sculpture by Canadian artists Joe Fafard.
Among the highlights of the Gallery’s more than 36,000 works of art is a large number by the Group of Seven and strong collections of indigenous, Asian and international works. The Gallery also hosts special exhibitions throughout the year revolving around special topics, specific disciplines, or spotlighted artists. Contemporary art displays are also changed every three to six months in order to vary the artistic experience.
In addition, the museum houses European and American Galleries that display paintings, sculpture, and decorative arts from the early 14th to the late 20th century. The Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography is also hosted on grounds of the National Gallery.
