Canada Aviation and Space Museum
Canada Aviation and Space Museum
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Located on a former military air base just 5 kilometres from the Prime Minister’s residence in Ottawa, the Museum focuses on aviation in Canada within an international context, from its beginnings in 1909 to the present day. As Canada’s contribution to aviation expanded to include aerospace technology, the Museum’s collection and mandate grew to include space flight. The Collection itself consists of more than 130 aircraft and artifacts (propellers, engines) from both civil and military service. It gives particular, but not exclusive, reference to Canadian achievements. The most extensive aviation collection in Canada, it is also considered one of the finest aviation museums in the world. Museum Highlights: Largest surviving piece of the famous Avro Arrow (its nose section); the original Canadarm used on the Endeavour space shuttle; Lancaster WWII bomber; Life in Orbit: The International Space Station exhibition.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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- Professional-PilgrimAlberta, Canada1,400 contributionsWonderful collection of aircraftThis is a large museum, with a most comprehensive collection of aircraft. I did not see a flight simulator anywhere, which would have been fun to use, but maybe I missed it. The cafeteria is small, but had some tasty items. The day we went, a company (unaffiliated with the museum) was offering helicopter rides over Ottawa and Gatineau. Rides were, as expected, not cheap, but the experience was unforgettable. There are only 3 seats for passengers, and photographers should sit in the front, beside the pilot. Photographing from behind the pilot means for a more restricted perspective.Visited May 2023Written July 4, 2023
- banglabingYellowknife, Canada10 contributionsGreat aviation museum to visit.Decided to ride out by bike from the city. Pleasant trip. The museum was very interesting, it was not too busy on a week day. Spent about 3 hours there. Taking the time to explore as much as possible. Gave lots of information about aviation in Canada.Visited June 2023Traveled soloWritten July 13, 2023
- Mellie2013Port Moody, Canada2,741 contributionsAn Enthusiasts Dream!Are you interested in aircraft from the early years to present? This is the museum to visit. The main Exhibition Hall explores the history of aviation in Canada with a good dose of Canadian contributions. Chocker block full of great airplanes, helicopters and stories. Lots of Canadiana! An airplane enthusiasts dream! Beautifully laid out museum. Very helpful, knowledgeable & friendly volunteer staff members. We added on an extra Reserve Hanger Tour to our visit. Worth the extra $8 to see a Mosquito B XX!!! a de Havilland DH98 and a Bristol Bolingbroke! But please do not bring your children, this tour is definitely for the extremely interested. We spent 4 hours at the museum and didn't cover all the upper level or the space displays. One deterrent...very difficult to reach via public transit. The walk from the bus stop to the museum must be more than 2+km each way and the trip time was approximately 1 hour 20+minutes from downtown. Recommend arriving via car, taxi or Uber! Would I return...definitely!Visited June 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten August 16, 2023
- Robert E169 contributionsThis Flight TonightGreat museum with a very wide array of aircraft on display. Nicely laid out in large hanger-like hall. Need at least 2 hours to get through. All staff friendly and helpful. Museum a bit out of the way, so used the Hop On Hop Off Bus to get there.Visited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 13, 2023
- Helen ELondon, United Kingdom59 contributionsFantastic aviation museumFabulous museum that reviews Canada’s military and civil aviation history. Genuine Lancaster bomber. Also lots of of WW1 aircraft - very educational. Tons of interactive opportunities for kids— climb into the cockpit of a Soviet-era Mig, or a Tutor jet. For toddlers, lots of freedom and fun ride-on bikes. Small cafe. Clean bathrooms. Only downside: you have to pay for parking on top of your admission fee!Visited March 2024Traveled with familyWritten March 11, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
1,455 reviews
Excellent
851
Very good
475
Average
110
Poor
11
Terrible
8
Greenka2014
Toronto, Canada58 contributions
Aug 2020 • Couples
I’m giving this a 3 star rating because it’s not something I’m very interested in, my husband would give it a 5 star for sure. Displays were well done, unfortunately all interactive parts are closed off during the pandemic. History of aviation with many, many planes going back to the Wright brothers and up to the present. You must buy tickets online and show up at your time stamp but you can stay as long as you like, and wear a mask. No food or drink on site. Lots of Canadian content and Canadian perspectives. Depending on the child, might not be great for a kid under 10. Perhaps when the interactive displays open up again this place might be more fun for kids and for people like me who don’t know much about aviation.
Written August 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
James
Manitoba, Canada34 contributions
Nov 2019
We had a couple hours of free time while visiting Ottawa and decided to visit the Canadian Aviation Museum. The location is very convenient if you are driving as there is plenty of parking. The down side is you pay to park as well as the admission to the museum. Overall the building is newer and bright with lots of natural light, The building itself is not an attraction but does its job for the contents. As an aviation novice, I found the content very interesting with more than I expected. I suspect I could have spent a bit more time, but the 1.5 - 2 hours seemed enough to all the content. I would say the one downside was that you are mostly on your own as you move through the museum. It seems there may have been volunteers but no one obvious to approach or ask questions about content. Pamphlets are provided. Overall a worthwhile experience.
Written January 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Debbie K
20 contributions
Sep 2020
Wow! So, first off coming in to the museum we got to see one of the old planes just flying around, because there is an airport right behind it. The museum itself is enormous with so much to see. With Covid, we had a limited window, so very few people allowed in, and only an hour to view everything. We really liked the information on the machines themselves that were in the museum and what their history was and how they came to the museum.
Written September 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hazel
5 contributions
Mar 2020
We had a great visit at this museum, the kids loved the exhibits, they loved riding on the little wooden aeroplanes and watching the videos that explained the history of the planes. They also loved the space area, and the windows which look like they are in space looking out at the earth. The simulators were good, we just wish we visited in summer so we could have taken advantage of the look out for the planes. The gift shop was nice with some interesting books, mugs, trinkets.
Written March 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MrsBee711
Guelph, Canada415 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
We loved the hands-on experiences that were open (some were not likely due to COVID protocols - like not being able to sanitize after each use). Our kids loved checking out the various planes and space exhibits. For children 6 and younger they had out small wooden biplanes they could ride and roll around on the floor and a big space for them to do it.
We briefly considered taking the kids up in a plane but we were told the $40 per person plane was out of service for all of August (although a sandwich board at the front of the museum still advertised it). The biplane was $100 each and only two people could go up at a time.
The day we went the gift shop was also closed. Oh, and you have to pay for parking.
We spent about two hours at this museum, but our kids are pretty into planes.
We briefly considered taking the kids up in a plane but we were told the $40 per person plane was out of service for all of August (although a sandwich board at the front of the museum still advertised it). The biplane was $100 each and only two people could go up at a time.
The day we went the gift shop was also closed. Oh, and you have to pay for parking.
We spent about two hours at this museum, but our kids are pretty into planes.
Written August 19, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lisa D
Toronto, Canada385 contributions
Dec 2021 • Couples
You need to REALLY love airplanes to enjoy this place. They have an excellent collection here. I preferred the space part of the museum which was very good but the second floor was closed off so the space exhibit was limited. Any of the truly interactive activities were closed due to covid but for sure worth a visit if you are into aviation.
Written December 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John R
Toronto, Canada91 contributions
Mar 2023
We attended the museum in March 2023 with our 9-year-old son. The museum was well organized with many examples of aircraft. It was especially interesting to see the last surviving Word War One German planes (the rest were destroyed following the war). The curation humanizes the machines and their contributions to our world today and I recommend a visit. Plan for 2-3 hours. They also have family rates.
Written March 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
robso
Vevey, Switzerland76 contributions
Oct 2021 • Family
Absolutely awful system for entering. Everything is prebooked online which is great however we had to queue for 30 mins to get in as only 1 person at the counter is able to process each party. Absolutely ridiculous. Some great displays and aircraft but almost every interactive display was off limits so was not great for young kids... a shame as it has so much potential.
Written October 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mellie2013
Port Moody, Canada2,741 contributions
Jun 2023 • Couples
Are you interested in aircraft from the early years to present? This is the museum to visit. The main Exhibition Hall explores the history of aviation in Canada with a good dose of Canadian contributions. Chocker block full of great airplanes, helicopters and stories. Lots of Canadiana! An airplane enthusiasts dream!
Beautifully laid out museum. Very helpful, knowledgeable & friendly volunteer staff members. We added on an extra Reserve Hanger Tour to our visit. Worth the extra $8 to see a Mosquito B XX!!! a de Havilland DH98 and a Bristol Bolingbroke! But please do not bring your children, this tour is definitely for the extremely interested. We spent 4 hours at the museum and didn't cover all the upper level or the space displays.
One deterrent...very difficult to reach via public transit. The walk from the bus stop to the museum must be more than 2+km each way and the trip time was approximately 1 hour 20+minutes from downtown. Recommend arriving via car, taxi or Uber!
Would I return...definitely!
Beautifully laid out museum. Very helpful, knowledgeable & friendly volunteer staff members. We added on an extra Reserve Hanger Tour to our visit. Worth the extra $8 to see a Mosquito B XX!!! a de Havilland DH98 and a Bristol Bolingbroke! But please do not bring your children, this tour is definitely for the extremely interested. We spent 4 hours at the museum and didn't cover all the upper level or the space displays.
One deterrent...very difficult to reach via public transit. The walk from the bus stop to the museum must be more than 2+km each way and the trip time was approximately 1 hour 20+minutes from downtown. Recommend arriving via car, taxi or Uber!
Would I return...definitely!
Written August 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rolipop
Saint-Hubert, Canada115 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
We knew this was going to be impressive, but still, we were impressed.
It is a marvel that they were able to bring all these aircrafts into one place.
It was very interesting and both the kids and the parents were amazed.
To quote my son: “best museum he’s ever visited!”
Tip: bring a sweater or vest, it’s quite chilly inside.
It is a marvel that they were able to bring all these aircrafts into one place.
It was very interesting and both the kids and the parents were amazed.
To quote my son: “best museum he’s ever visited!”
Tip: bring a sweater or vest, it’s quite chilly inside.
Written August 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Harvey White
Barrie, Canada
Pet friendly?
IngeniumCanada
Ottawa, Canada
Hello, our museum does not welcome pets unless they are service animals (we require the presentation of certification)
andreamcd13
6 contributions
I can't find this info on the website, but apologize in advance if it is there and have missed it. How much is parking? Thanks!
IngeniumCanada
Ottawa, Canada
Hello, Parking is $3.00 per hour, up to a maximum off $8.00 per day. We are not allowed to post website addresses in TripAdvisor answers, so please Google the Canada Aviation and Space Museum and you will find our website URL. You can find more information on parking under the "Visit the Museum" tab.
Swetha
Markham, Canada
Planning a visit to Ottawa in April 2nd week with 4 yrs old kid. Are there any special problems for kids? Do we have book in advance for helicopter rides?
mitchd117
Oakville, Canada268 contributions
No there is no problem bringing kids of any age to the museum there are many things to do and see, the helicopter rides I believe you can book in advance but it all comes down to weather. Call the museum and they can give specifics on rides. Another thing you may look into is the discovery pass which allows you into a few museums and a discounted family rate museumspassport
Bruce S
1 contribution
Is this museum mobility accessible? Do you have wheelchairs to loan?
IngeniumCanada
Ottawa, Canada
Hello,
Sorry for the delayed response.
The Museum is fully accessible and barrier-free. Regular and motorized wheelchairs are available at no extra cost. Designated accessible spaces are also available in the Museum parking lot.
Hello, I'm having my 7 year old niece over for the weekend. Would this be some thing for kid's or are there things for kids? I'm not far at all and we went to the river and she loved the planes landing. Maybe the is some thing special going on. Any info would be much appreciated, costs "regular", things to do.......so um ya so for tomorrow and or Sunday. Thanks :)
IngeniumCanada
Ottawa, Canada
Hello,
Thank you for interest in the Canada Aviation and Space Museum.
Yes, we offer activities for children, one in particular is called "Zoom to the Moon" for children ages 3 to 7, this is offered on Sunday, at 11 a.m. in our theatre.
Feel free to explore our website, this will give you information on all activities and exhibitions to visit.
We are not allowed to post website addresses in TripAdvisor answers, so please Google the Canada Aviation and Space Museum and you will find our website URL. This will provide all information you seek, especially under the "What to see and do" tab.
If you have any further questions, it would be best to contact our customer service number at 613-991-3044.
We are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily.
Thanks again and we hope you enjoy your visit!
Arelis B
9 contributions
How much time I need to spend at the museum??
Robert M
Ottawa, Canada59 contributions
I am a volunteer at the Museum. You should spend at least two hours there to see the aircraft in the main hangar. If you have an interest in aviation and want to learn more from the Museum staff and volunteers, as well as tour the Reserve Hangar, you should plan on a minimum of 4 hours to visit.
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