Reviews of National Gallery of Canada (Museum)

Tao Chen

Good place to bring kid over for to spend the weekend. Not crowded, and cost is low.

Pierre Bedard

It's so beautiful relaxing & for some reason I was inspired by the painting and art if you are local or not it's a must see remember Thursday night free entry to the museum. ????

Yang L

some nice collections, but would like to see more visitor friendly signs on art education and stronger presentation for local arts.

Sonali Bishwas

Nice place to visit for people having interest in art. Beautiful paintings of some very famous artists. We went on victoria day weekend and the entry cost was free for that day. Loved the place and art.

Matt Zmuda

Lots to see for everyone. Everything from newer art, to very old paintings, photography and sculptures. A few sections were closed which was a bit disappointing. I'd definitely recommend coming in July when these added exhibitions are planned to open.

Matt Zmuda

Lots to see for everyone. Everything from newer art, to very old paintings, photography and sculptures. A few sections were closed which was a bit disappointing. I'd definitely recommend coming in July when these added exhibitions are planned to open.

Eva De Castro

My kids love to visit this gallery almost every year. The arts on display are amazing! Admission fees are reasonable.

Jannethe Morales

Excellent place! Really quiet, to enjoy the different expositions they have. Janvier's exposition is great, a must see!

Jenn Leiker

Incredible gallery! Give yourself a full day for just the floor of Canadian+Indigenous works.

Teacher David de la Peña

A place to admire and enjoy art. They have many thousands of art work from many artists. They have temporary exhibitions like the one called "Rembrandt in Amsterdam" from July 16 to September 6, 2021. The last Rembrandt exhibition in Canada was in 1969 (300 years after Rembrandt passed away) and this is the first exhibition in the National Gallery of Canada. The prices go from 10 to 20 CAD and they also have family packages. Be careful while buying your tickets, because it may or may not include Rembrandt exhibition due to visitors number control. You will enjoy it and in this moment it is a great shot to take advantage right now to visit this amazing place. It is very easy to find, just look for "Mamam," which is a bronze, stainless steel and marble sculpture by Louise Bourgeois. (The marble is used to represent the female spider's eggs). By the way, the big spider was bought by the National Gallery of Canada for 3.2 million CAD in 2005, well this is what some people say. ;) You will love this Gallery.

Nadia Ananá

Wonderful Gallery. I learned a lot about local painters both from European school and aboriginal. People working there are very polite.

Luke L'sk

An art gallery is located in the Canada capital city of Ottawa. it is nearby the byward market area. I will suggest to purchase your ticket online so that you won't be needing to line up to do the purchase when you're there. If you're able to do so, check in your coat so you won't be needing to carry it around when you're enjoying the art in the gallery. it will take some time for you to check out the first and second floor so be prepared to spend about two to three hours inside the gallery. If you want to check out the shop before you leave, make sure you get to the entrance not too close to the closing time since the shop won't let anymore Shoppers in when is about to close the gallery.

Péter Lukács

I will be back for sure. Unique paintings and a well-organized gallery with lovely, friendly staff.

matti mclean

A great collection of works. Wish they'd done more creative works with the building itself but it's a great place to explore

Vladimir Shnayderman

Great museum, wonderful selection of art and great space to wonder about to sore all the art in. Its one of the places to visit while you in Ottawa.

Natarajan Ravikumar

Great place. Located in the center of Ottawa. Place has nice and neat washrooms. Discounts for students. Have to produce ID card. Entrance is through Sussex drive. Audio guides available. Friendly staff. Photography allowed without flash.

Leanne Klimek

This is a must-see in Ottawa. Bring comfy walking shoes and a good few hours to see the whole gallery! If you want to see the gift shop you can pop in without seeing the gallery. It's probably the best gift shop in the city! Lots of local art and design with gifts and products directly related to the current gallery showings.

Blake Quinlan

Had an amazing time at the Rembrandt exhibition, didn't appreciate the security guard following me around or the glares from "members" though :/

Brandon Lee

Great experience. Covid protocols were clear and smooth as well.

Sarah Welton

Great collection of Canadian and international art. It's a great place to spend a day and there are so many spaces inside the gallery that are absolutely gorgeous. Don't miss the fountain area and the chapel.

Adis BK

Modern building and very nice exhibitions inside.

Liam Flanagan

The National Gallery did not disappoint. All the exhibits are fantastic, and the interior architecture is stunning. Highly recommended. A must-see.

Mermer H.

This is probably one of the prettiest art museum I’ve ever been to. The building itself is really a piece of art ???? You can see the river and parliament directly from the museum. Highly recommend!

Doug Bailey

The gallery is a great example of all the amazing canadian art. I especially love all the Tom Thomson paintings since he is my favourite artist. There are landscape paintings of many different areas of Canada by many different artists. On Thursday evenings, the museum is free between 5-8pm. There is a great view of parliament from the foyer.

andrew cecchetto

Very nice architecture and nice layout for exhibits. Did not ask for proof of vaccination.

Edwina Chenplus

You need more than a day The entire photography canon, all the important pieces Impressive contemporary wing Canadian Art and artist

James Purchase

A magical structure with many wonderful art exhibits. I’ve been here countless times with my father when he was alive. I also came here for workshops with my special needs classes. My daughter has also performed here with the Ottawa School of Dance.

Olinto Mendez

A museum with a modern structure, with large exhibition halls, on the day I was there I found artistic samples of different tendencies, some focused on the ethnic and others on the social, I think it is a must if you come to the capital of Canada, enjoy the tour and the museum shop is a real treasure.

Murat Uyar

Glad to see. Couldnt finish all exhibitions. I am so sad that Rembrandt is sold out. But you can find some paints of Klimt, Van Gogh, Rembrandt and Picasso on the second floor, Europeen American Part. You must see the spider in front of the gallery.

Betty

Very beautiful gallery! I really liked the water feature they had that you could see from the 2nd floor. There was also a beautiful garden and many skylights that gave such beautiful lighting.

sponze esponja

Great for art lovers. Lots different genre and amazing works of art.

SH

Stopped by when I went to Canada for a business trip. Very nice building with the famous spider at the front. The interior was also nice. A lot of artwork that a day is not enough to take a look of all that. Balanced btw classic and modern pieces. staffs were nice. Fairly quiet and and small number of people for the size of the museum.

Fred Sherman

Simply amazing. So much to see, and so little time. Definitely a treasure hidden in plain sight in our capital city.

Shelley Lean Shusterman

Rembrandt in Amsterdam was very good exhibit.

Linda Fraser

This structure is stunning! Just walking through the building you are awed by the space. The collections are diverse, well displayed and interesting. They have a few talks each day, causal and interesting so ask for this information if you like that sort of thing. It is a huge space so there is a lot of walking. The audio guild was easy and worth while for $5. If you plan to eat or drink at the cafe it is small so avoid peak lunch hour when there could be a line up. Parking (underground and very clean and well lite) is $14 for the day and worth it if you don’t want to walk far. we spent the better part of the day here.

Domy

Great adventure!!! Lots of interesting artworks!! Worth to spend the whole day in there!

Sharon Rozario

Fellow dilettantes, the front desk tells you that you could view the collection in two or three hours........ only if you wish to run a marathon through this gallery. I personally could have spent four+ hours, I highly recommend taking a visit to this beautiful space. This is not your typical art gallery. The spaces are so large and just let the light in. We got lucky to visit on such a beautiful sunny day as the sun did the work of special museum lighting.

Jean-Paul Audouy

So much to see! From Canadian art to Rembrandt and Van Gogh. With a great choice of the Group of Seven painters. One walks a lot and the architecture is not it’s forte. But worth every minute you spend there.

Melissa Black

I love coming here. Beautiful gallery with lots of interesting special exhibits. The permanent collection is great as well!

azin asgarian

Loved it! Especially the contemporary art section!

L. Buhr

Really enjoyed the Canadian Art Collection for Canada's 150 celebration! My favorite was the 40 voice motet by Janet Cardiff in the Rideau Chapel. I also liked the courtyard garden and reflective pool. I felt like I was in an Escher print. Beautiful building. Also, I appreciated the volunteers who are present in the gallery to ask questions to freely. Gained more insight into work as they used tablets to make connections with other artists and history.

Ivan Awesome

Pretty cool stuff there’s some neat paintings there is also a lot of weird art

Brian Kurzius

This is a real gem. Amazing pieces from Rembrandt, Picasso, Van Gogh, Klimt, Matisse, Monet, Cezanne and so many more -- and the native and indigenous gallery is also a must see. Just a gem of a museum!

Manveer Singh

Very good Museum, must visit when you are in Ottawa. Hopefully they will expand more as there is lots of space still left vacant.

Arina White

Beautiful museum! So much interesting things. Modern, contemporary, classic...

Louise Morfitt Hall

Fabulous exhibits but get the floor plan map. Guards are very helpful and friendly.

Sri Julio

The place to be if you love paintings. I found the exhibitions to be wonderful and the collection extensive. I visited the permanent gallery, 2017 Canadian Biennial and James Wilson Morrice. The A.K. Prakash Collection in Trust to the Nation.

Aditi Bakshi

Free entry on Thursday evening after 5 pm(?). Loved the Rembrandt exhibit.

Alexandro Ruelas

It's a big and beautiful museum, you can visit this place in around 2-4 hrs depending how many details you want to read. Take advantage that sometimes they have special exhibitions which are included in the price. It's better to reserve your tickets so you can include those special exhibits.

DI SUNG

Beyond my expectations, world class gallery and great presentation in density and artworks.

DI SUNG

Beyond my expectations, world class gallery and great presentation in density and artworks.

Onur Kurtiç

Gorgeous building that would make any Canadian proud. It’s located conveniently in downtown Ottawa and full of beautiful artwork. Beware that you will need a full day to see everything, it is quite big and the layout is a bit of a maze. My only complaint was the stuffy air inside the building that makes you tired.

Kitty Funk

A great place to be inspired, a great place to discover all kinds of art. I love the contemporary gallery. The giftshop is amazing too. Some really great exhibits come here as well. lots of walking be comfortable.

Kendra Morley

So lucky to have a National Gallery with great special exhibits and events in our capital city!

Brian Redmond

Wonderful place and space. Membership allows you to visit any time.

Shanthal Perera

It's an incredible experience that definitely requires alot of quiet time. It's tough with kids or groups that have to go at the same pace... You need your own time and space to take in the variety of experiences and exhibits on display.

Emma Kadri

Apart from the exhibitions, it is a beautiful building and you will have gorgeous views from it. A must see in Ottawa,

Rovin

Quite the experience! Every Canadian should explore and be proud.

Loreto Lamb

We love coming here to read. It's the perfect place to do homework, read a book and get to see the exhibits with a beautiful view to boot. Membership, well worth it.

Oleg A

Fantastic place ????????

Bill McKnight

Once more exhibits are open I will give a six out of five rating. One of the most beautiful buildings in our country. A must visit for all Canadians.

Bill McKnight

Once more exhibits are open I will give a six out of five rating. One of the most beautiful buildings in our country. A must visit for all Canadians.

jvs kiran kumar

Awesome place! Mesmerizing paintings'.

Gertrude Wilkes

A peaceful and serene building of grand architectural design, inhabited by artistic treasures, what's not to like? Clean restrooms, unobtrusive staff, COVID protocols are in place and adhered to. There is an excellent book and gift store and a little independent coffee shop. We missed the light, view and sculpture from the restaurant in the larger cafe which is currently closed.

Wayne Rogers

Nice wife open space. Covid measures are well managed. Rembrandt van Rijn exhibition was fantastic.

JeninCanada

We loved the time we spent at the Gallery! An amazing assortment of art from Canada and Europe spanning hundreds of years.

Brian Eng doing his Theng!

Really fun place to go. Great date spot. Tons of interesting pieces. Free Thursday evenings! How can it get any better?

ROSE ABEDI

I enjoyed. It was fantastic!

Kelsey B

A great selection of Paintings and selected artworks from all over the world. I really enjoyed the Inuit & Renaissance sections. The museum also has a cafe if you care to dine or grab a drink.

tom a

Great collection. The architecture is also cool.

Mario Fasce

A must see in Ottawa, and one of the best art galleries I have es ver been to. It's huge, so book a lot of hours to navigate it.

Yung Yung

Amazing architecture design. Stunning for the exterior as well as the interior. Must go for architecture fans.The museum divided the art pieces in terms of continents. The downside is fewer exhibis than I expected in such huge building.

Caleb Friesen

Go after 5 on a Thursday and you get in free! I checked out their temporary Canadian Photography exhibit and really enjoyed it. I also walked around and looked at some of the more traditional paintings and also some contemporary sculptures. The gift shop was full of interesting stuff too, and I spent about half an hour in there alone. The park space behind the gallery is also incredible, especially at sunset. Check out the streetlight sculpture and the lightning bolt sculpture if you have the time - very cool.

John Gooding

Interesting works of arts. They have multiple restaurants if you feel like snacking. They keep the gallery quite warm. It was difficult to tolerate at times. Gift shop was moderately priced, which was surprising.

Rafik Nassif

Huge collection if Canadian art by Native artists, Group of Seven in addition to modern artists. The building architecture is also very impressive with inner courtyards and glass atrium. The building has also a coffee shop, gift shop and some areas for kids activities.

Tarek Abunar

They have 4 Van Gogh's, a Degas, a klimt, and beautiful Indigenous art!!!!

Vivek Sharma

A beautiful place to visit with family show ur kids history and art of canada at one time one place.

Sh Agha

Great experience , walking through well designed areas in whole building. Fully recommended for Ottawa visitors and amazing chance to see Japanese photographer's works this time

Caleb Simoneau

Personally haven't been inside, but looks like a very interesting place for artists.

Christian Riquelme

Definite must see if you like arts. Great exhibits to wander around for hours. And architectural masterpiece on its own. There's a small gift shop and caffe inside and outside

Michael Fredrickson

Any trip to Ottawa involves a visit to The National Gallery. Always something new to see. The Canadian First Peoples art collection is excellent.

Alice

Amazing art, it can take a couple of hours to go through the whole collection, absolutely worth it though. I didn't know they had some of Claude Monet's paintings so it was a nice surprise for me (spoiler alert sorry)

Nelly W

It is definitely a must visit! Something for everyone and gift shop has beautiful stuff weather you like books about art or photography, gorgeous jewelry and just funny gifts.

Leanne Nguyen

As a local resident, we visit the gallery about twice a year and it never disappoints. It’s a must see for tourists (I highly recommend) as the architecture in and outside the building is stunning. There are always beautiful and interesting exhibits or collections on display. Happy Goat coffee shop also a great addition to the space for those needing a place to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee and snacks.

Samantha Eluck

Always an inspirational and peaceful place to spend some time. Highly recommend spending some time viewing the incredible More Sweetly Play the Dance by William Kentridge. Very powerful audiovisual installation based on life (and death) in South Africa.

Katia S

I enjoy this museum. Nice collection. However modern art was horrible. I'm not against modern art at all, but this is a disgrace.

Nicole

It is very big gallery and has nice collection.

Samuel Babjak

Awesome. Really worth visiting. Huge space, full of wonderful pictures and paintings

Nataly Kais

The national gallery of Canada has some of the most iconic works within it. I thoroughly enjoyed their contemporary work, more specifically the fourty part motet by Janet Cardiff was absolutely amazing. Not the mention the architecture of the gallery is beautifully designed for the city is it in. Would recommend this for everyone!!! The gallery has a small cafe/restaurant inside which had a variety of dishes to select from, we ordered the duck and the beet salad and to be honest it was one of the best dishes I have ever had.

Py Px

It is the most attractive place to explore in Ottawa. i am so exciting to see those art works including Munch, van Gogh...

Marilyn Bonnett

Beautiful museum, lots of wasted space where you can hang paintings. The exhibition on Rembrandt was fantastic. The boutique is well stocked with objects with other artists also. All in all its a great outing.

Richard Viau

A must visit in Ottawa. Many remarkable tableaux. Beautiful grandiose building, a lot of Native Arts on display too. Brighten your day, stop at the Gallery!

José Ángel Rufino Meza

Favorite museum in Canada so far it has a lot of things to see. You may need to visit 2 times if you want to see everything

Izzy BG

Amazing artworks! Artwork changes every so often so there's always something new to see. Gift shop has great selection although a bit steep in price.

Abner King

It is very large, very clean, and social distancing is well done. You must wear a mask to enter, and the management is good. Entry is free from 5 to 8 pm every Thursday in summer.

Jason V.

Excellent collection of art. Wonderful building and architecture.

Felipe Munoz

Finally got the opportunity to visit this museum and it was totally extraordinary. From Indigenous pieces to contemporary art, there is so much to discover in this beautiful gallery. Allow at least 4 hours to be able to truly explore and enjoy this stunning place - a must-visit spot for art lovers and families.

Charlotte Charlie

Visiting from Vermont and we really enjoyed our time at the National Gallery of Canada! I really liked the architecture of the building and the contemporary art. Great way to spend the afternoon in Ottawa especially on a rainy day.

Edgard Rodriguez

Barely anyone. Guides & staff are super polite, helpful & creative. It is also FREE now. Come to check it out.

Monica

Free admissions every Thursday from 5pm-8pm for the national collection. Loved roaming the gallery, especially with a strong focus on contemporary art. Staff is very friendly and security is pretty respectful. Lol I always hate feeling like I'm being scrutinized and watched closely but I didn't feel that way here. Regular admissions price unknown .. you'll have to check their website as I always come in on Thursday evenings. It's always such a treat coming here.

R. Desmond

I spent almost half a day here. Yes, I was that slow in reading details about the artists and I find them all interesting. Both big and small art, it just mesmerizing imagining what they were thinking creating those art. The boutique shop is also nice.

Jessica Hackett

Beautiful artwork! ????

Andy Ng

Wonderful museum overlooking the Ottawa River featuring an eclectic mix of historical and contemporary art. Exhibits range from permanent art collections to rotating exhibits so there's something for everyone. The museum architecture in itself is also particularly intriguing with voluminous and spacious corridors, ramps, and stairs. Am enjoyable visit on a lazy weekend afternoon!

Lizaveta Ksenafontava

MUST SEE!!! original Picasso, Pollock, Van Gogh, Magritte, Chagall, Matisse, F Bacon, Gauguin, Klimt and much more for only max of 15$ ticket.

Evgeni Patenko

It was so amazing! I enjoyed everything. They have mats, so my 2yrs kid slept while my wife was exploring the galery

David Del Zotto

Awesome Gallery!!! Definitely a must do in Ottawa. A little confusing to navigate.

Hassan Abbas

Every Thursday evening, from 5pm until 8pm, admission is free to the Gallery's national collection.

Dhanu Ganesh

Great varied collection.. well managed with the bookings

Maria Bezymyannaya

It doesn't look like they had a concept in mind when they put up the exposition. There's not enough explications and sometimes it's hard to see the logic as to why certain pieces were located a certain way. Not enough seatings, navigation is bad - it's hard to understand how you need to navigate through space for a better understanding of the exhibition. It's an interesting activity for a day, but I wouldn't want to go there a second time.

Bronia Sussmann

I bought a membership this year And have not regretted it!

Colin Cousins

A world class gallery, with a fascinating array of paintings, sculptures and other treasures. The portraits of Paul Gauguin are the principal special exhibition now, and the works give an intimate look into the mind of this great artist. His relationship with other artists of all sorts is explored and we see how he created through his dialogues with them. An interesting exhibit of Dave Heath's photographs leads us into his vision of the world around him, and we see, in the faces of amazingly ordinary people, a beauty, a pathos, a sense of belonging and separation, all at once. Another exhibit leads us into the fractured mind and soul of Nietzsche. We see his friends and supporters, how they fell under his spell, and how they championed him and his ideas when he no longer could. The Gauguin and Nietzsche exhibits form a curious parallel of the subjects' emotional power to influence and their ultimate failures. Look at these wonderful exhibits, but remember to take in the glories of the rest of the gallery too!

Philippe Tessier

Nice time. Enjoyed the Rembrandt collection. Pricing is very competitive especially when compared to other museum and attractions

Suchita Ganesan

Beautiful paintings by Alex Janvier and the Inuit Sculptures was my favourite part of the gallery

Daniel Durda

Beautiful art gallery in the heart of Ottawa. There was plenty if exhibits to look at ranging from Inuit art to the group of 7. There was a few interactive exhibits that played movies and slideshows to immerse the crowd. They also had activities for kids, specifically to find the monsters in their monster art gallery. This museum was a blast. I will definitely go again.

Måns Löfhede

A must visit if you're in Ottawa or close by. A lot of different exhibitions, art and experiences. My favorite was without a doubt the indoor church with the choir, and the indoor garden. Well worth admission.

Anthony Le

Overall we were a bit disappointed, given that this is such a well know museum. Definitely some cool things to see but a lot of the contemporary/Canadian exhibits gets a little redundant. Also wish the architecture of the building itself was a bit cooler. Still a nice way to spend an afternoon though and the admission price is reasonable.

Terry-Lynne Young

This place is incredible! We met Picasso, but please read the small signs on the walls. In some exhibits you are encouraged to use your cell phones and others, it is strictly prohibited, as we found out from a very rude employee. You'd think we tried to steal a Picasso from the way we were treated. Unnecessarily rude and condesending. Other than that, the National Gallery is a must-see if you're in beautiful Ottawa. (Side note: I hate big cities (like Toronto). Ottawa may be a big city, the Capital of Canada, but it doesn't feel like a big city. There are streets that are open air markets, art sculptures all over, restaurant patios. It truly is a beautiful city!)

Motiejus Osipovas

Fantastic gallery, a must go if you enjoy art and are in Ottawa or Gatineau.

David Duchene

Great Rembrandt exhibition this summer (2021) .. definitely worth checking out this master.

J

I was stopped at the red light and had to take a picture of this!

cherry K

Quiet place nice staff

Michel Desjardins

Went for the general exhibits and Rembrandt special expo. Rembrandt was well presented. We were not impressed by the general exhibits and expected more from a national gallery. Would not recommend it to family and friends.

Mesha Boyer

Overall enjoyed the experience. It was however challenging to navigating the building/parking. Ended up in the group entrance by mistake. Then had to follow the flow of bodies to find the exhibits. Almost needed a "trail" on the floor. The building is huge, definitely missed spaced and pieces. Will be back to explore further another day.

Eric

Huge art Gallary filled with lots of different art work from Canada. The entrance is currently under construction, however the inside is not affected at all. The gift shop has lots of different art replica you can but and bring home.

Sachin Manjaiah

Amazing collection of art and artefacts from a wide variety of genres. Very expansive landscape and well organized. Feels like in an art heaven!! Great supporting staff too. Currently they are displaying some of the finest work by the legendary Dutch artist Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. Definitely set aside 3-4 hrs at a minimum if you’d like to browse through everything this place has to offer.

Jessica Hackett

Beautiful artwork! ????

Hany Ibrahim

A must visit when in Ottawa. Wide range of art on display, both classic and contemporary. Make use of the free enrance on Tuesdays!

Rohan Parekh

Good place to see the history of Jesus Christ as well as some other stuff. Was not lucky enough to see the photography gallery as they was installing it. But will see it next time.

Lauren Duchesne

Wonderful special exhibit as always, however, the gallery should consider either banning photography of the art work or hosting camera free hours of the special exhibits (I would pay extra for this). Also, some guests are fast readers but others not so much, and many guests seem to think that reading 100% of the background/contextual info provided for each painting is required to get their money's worth when visiting the gallery, perhaps less text or provide the text in a pamphlet so while taking the time to read they do not have to be right in a prime art viewing spot. Between people photographing every painting and 5-10 minutes of reading background per piece of art then photographing the provenance and social distancing it makes moving through the exhibit with these guests often frustrating and more like an endless queue than an enjoyable outing. I would not object to having more ushers or concierges remind people of good gallery etiquette, like not checking your email while planted directly in front of a very small painting that others are waiting to see. I appreciate these are unprecedented times but these measures would apply to the post-covid era as well.

Ed Chunski

Very nice layout. Friendly and cheerful staff. Collection is very respectable, and includes an abundance of Canadian and Indigenous art. Interesting also from a Canadian history perspective, as many of the earlier Canadian works depict life back then. Well worth a visit -- but be prepared to spend a lot of time on your feet!

BigManTing 1988

From start to finish, this place was a Sunday well spent. We went with my aunt who has only been to Ottawa once. The cafeteria had a nice variety of foods for all diets. Great vegetarian options and reasonably priced. Now, this is all coming from someone who has never really been an art fan.. The photographs from throughout Canadian history were just fascinating... you could easily spend 10 minutes on each one.. The inuit art was breathtakingly haunting, the international section had some incredibly historic works and boasted such famous artists as Monet and Van Gogh.. the gift boutique had some very unique and interesting items but was a little on the expensive side i found.. we got there with only 3 hours to go before closing so next time, i would allot myself at least 6 hours...

Peter Moriarty

We really enjoyed our visit. There are lots of amazing pieces of art. Don't miss it.

Joy Vestal

Only two floors of art exhibits but a massive place. Well curated. I came to see Paul Gauguin's Portraits special exhibit. I enjoyed my visit here today. Was happy to see works of Monet, Van Gogh, Degas, Picasso, The Canadian Group of Seven, & Emily Carr.

Mansour Ganji

A good place to spend a few hours. Not fun with kids at all though. They get easily bored.

Dan Yuyideng

Sole bad experience about this place is of the supervisor head security, let's call her Karen and her security minions. During the lockdown phases we were able to spin and DJ till 10:30pm. Then after the stay at home order ended and we hit phase III of reopening we showed up the security guards removed us without providing any reason around 8:30PM. We play house music for passerbys/random crowd for fun. This place has inconsistent property rule where security management would blindly abuse their power.

Richard Viau

A must visit in Ottawa. Many remarkable tableaux. Beautiful grandiose building, a lot of Native Arts on display too. Brighten your day, stop at the Gallery!

Nishit Vora

Good for one time visit.. has some great arts and some boring ones too.. better to go on Thursdays after 5pm it's free entry.

Guillaume Hamel

Great place to go and enjoy some impressive art pieces. Not expecting anything less from our national gallery. A must-see when you're in town, even if you aren't the biggest museum aficionado.

Smári R Teitsson

Excellent art museum with a large collection of European and Canadian masters.

Dr Sujata Virdhe

This museum has awesome collection of arts and is presented very well. It's just opened after Covid19 closure. The safety measures are good. The volunteers were friendly and knowledgeable. I loved this place and spent about 5 hours here.

Ian McKenzie

Awesome place to tour through - a lot of things to see.

Cheryl McIntyre

The exhibition is well thought out and of course the art is amazing. I appreciated the historical context provided in terms of the North American Indigenous nations and the slave trade. I felt like I was getting a story that was more authentic than in previous exhibitions.

Hannah Toope

I had pretty high expectations for this gallery, I love going to them, but I really was let down by this one. The art gallery of Ontario is wayyyy better and nicer to be honest. There were lots of nice paintings, but a lack diversity and uniqueness. Gift shop was extremely overpriced but that's generally how art galleries are so oh well

David Hopkinson

Amazing collection of Canadian and international artworks. Well displayed and fantastic quality and variety of art

Maria

Very interesting exhibitions, I particularly enjoyed the Canadian & Indigestion exhibition. Lovely (warm) building. The prices are good- especially the student discount. There is a cloakroom free of charge and a large gift shop.

kiranjit deol

Bessttt place as we click many photos here view was also osm. Really enjoyed

kiranjit deol

Bessttt place as we click many photos here view was also osm. Really enjoyed

Grace Hyojeong CHAE

Awesome place to enjoy time with kids or alone. Time would fly so fast. There are many gorgeous arts so I was happy to see those.

Travis Zimmermann

To be honest everyone made a big deal of this place however I was anticipating something different the contemporary art is much to farfetched to be called art. The security guards are following you around all the time like your going to steal something. However the American and European pieces of art were fantastic. Takes a good amount of time to get through everything.

Amun Chawla

I love this place, it's one of my absolute favourite museums. It's huge, and if you're taking time to appreciate the art it's nearly impossible to go through everything in one day. There's always a lot of care put into the descriptions of the art, and the building itself feels just as much like a piece of art as the art it displays. There's a lot to appreciate on multiple visits, and the exhibits are consistently interesting. There's usually even some stuff for kids to enjoy aside from the abundance of art. Water is easy to find in the museum as it's free in the cafeteria and there are a couple water fountains. I did not try anything other than tea from the restauraunt in the lobby, but it was quite nice overall. To top it all off, the staff are very helpful, always willing to answer questions, and even knowing the exact locations of some paintings.

Anna

Diversity of art collections and cozy hidden places to rest during visit.

Irene Abedrapo

One of the best place in town, I love all of it

P. De Civita, MA

Saw the Rembrandt expo and was nice. Easy to navigate.

Anubis 3100

They have 4 Van Gogh's, a Degas, a Klimt, and beautiful Indigenous art!!!

Prabhakar Annadurai

A very good place to admire and enjoy art .. Amazing collection of art and artefacts from a wide variety of genres. Very expansive landscape and well organized. Feels like in an art heaven!! Definitely set aside 3-4 hrs at a minimum if you’d like to browse through everything this place has to offer. There is a boutique shop inside it..

Jay D

Awesome establishment ! Great diverse of art work for all sort of folks ! The architecture is some great piece of art in its own right!

Anne-Marie Paquette

Gorgeous building. Vast collection. Check out the new Aboriginal art. Must stop in if you are visiting Ottawa. Very affordable compared to other museums of similar status in other cities.

Nicolette Cheng

At the moment they're doing free admissions so it's a great opportunity to see Canadian art. The gallery is huge and you can spend hours here, the gift shop had some very unique art related merchandise as well. There is no route set for the gallery which made for a tiring experience, we didn't know where to walk to since everywhere looked the same. Had to just try to recognize the artwork and pick a random route to move towards. I wish they would at least create a map route people can opt to follow, rather than nothing at all.

vandana dhar

Must watch tourist attraction if you are visiting Ottawa and appreciate Art!!

Gerry Pearson

great variety of different art from 1300s to present!

Kuldeep Dhaliwal

Attractive place to explore. Great architecture!

Jay Xie

Diverse collection, good layout, and with health and safety protocols in place.

Monica Jaramillo

Very organized, holds free events sometimes, has an interesting gift shop (pricey), there are places nearby for a cup of coffee or a drink.

Alex Angelico

Incredible variety of galleries, prominently featuring First Main perspectives. Centuries of Western and Canadian art worth seeing.

Paul Croes

Fantastic, even stunning, Art Gallery. Some amazing art on display. My artist friend was suitably impressed. I love coming here time and again. Always a thrill to visit. Nice café as well. The special exhibit was Rembrandt but it was sold out for our day. Professional and courteous staff. Definitely coming back.

Francois Cote

Great on free museum day! Staff at the children's activities were pretty good with the kids. The regular exhibition was a nice showcase of Canadian artists.

kate robinson

Part of the joy of this gallery is the diversity of the collection. First Nations art from all periods is showcased along side canadian artists. You can spend hours in the European and American section. Or, if you are like me, you might linger among the modernists and contemporary artists. A lovely way for any art lover to spend a day.

Steve McInnis

Inspiring art, of course. Not sure why, they didn't want to see my vaccine proof. This made me nervous about the people around me.

Greg Domagala

Went there because it was free to access and the 5 stars reflect the price of entry. Some original and beautiful pieces but some not. Over all quite nice. Not very attractive for young kids.

Avinash Raju

Great Architecture. Good collections of ancient oil paintings and objects used in earlier centuries. Maintained very neatly and followed covid protocols every where. Staff are good and cooperative. Parking lots were good. Entrance Tickets charged us 22.6 including tax per head. Coats dropping place present inside this place. Few things inside the gallery were absolutely stunning.

Avinash Raju

Great Architecture. Good collections of ancient oil paintings and objects used in earlier centuries. Maintained very neatly and followed covid protocols every where. Staff are good and cooperative. Parking lots were good. Entrance Tickets charged us 22.6 including tax per head. Coats dropping place present inside this place. Few things inside the gallery were absolutely stunning.

Doreen's Discoveries

Beautiful Rembrandt exhibition, but it was hot in there. More air conditioner or circulation would have been better.

Leo Wong

Amazing museum, it is huge! There is a lot to see! From contemporary to native to european, it would take a few hours to see everything.

Carina Urbani

A beautiful gallery that every should go check out if they have the opportunity.

Matt Day

Architecture very imposing. Very good collection.

Baba Ku

One of the most amazing art galleries in North America works of Art by Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso, Turner & Rembrandt to name a few. Amazing experience for the whole family at an affordable price for all. Clean and Covid friendly measures are in place although I did notice a few members of staff not wearing masks this is very dangerous for all whom visit!!

Douglas Productions

Hours of sophisticated and educational entertainment. The little eating area is great too.

Chris Zimny

The art here is amazing. They have a great selection of contemporary artists as well as many of the greats

Celeste B

The National Gallery is a MUST when visiting Ottawa, especially if you are interested is artwork. Their collection is very extensive and you could easily spend an entire day there as there is simply so much to look at and read. If you plan on visiting the museum more than once I suggest you and your grouo consider purchasing a membership as they can be quite afforable!

VizIchi23

Extensive gallery. I tried taking a picture of every painting I could (some you're not allowed to) but it was too tiring. The selection of artwork was wide and varied, from american and European art (renaissance and baroque) to contemporary art. As an art student I found it very interesting to see what artists and art works were considered that of the greats.

Paul Summerville

A great treat. The gallery does a great job in delivering its primary mission of a complete review of Canadian art, such as it is. The Canadian collection lurches from ancient Indigenous, snow and trees to modern Indigious, an emerging urban world, and a leap into post 1920 European influences. Thankfully the snow has melted, and the trees for the most part cut down. Impressionism doesn’t seem to have found its way into Canadian art in any important way. There is also a large collection of post-modern pieces that I still don’t understand. Also the second floor has a very nice introduction to European and American art with a Van Gogh and Picasso thrown in. As an introduction what the greater galleries of the world have to offer this is a good start. My only complaint is that the boutique seemed to take greater pride in selling prints of iconic paintings that the Gallery doesn’t own instead of the iconic Canadian pieces that they do. A must visit for every Canadian and a great look into the Canadian soul for anyone trying to understand us.

Amber mcbride

Had a wonderful afternoon with my son here on Friday! So many beautiful pieces of art to share with him!

Cem Guler

Lovely place ????

Rima E.

I recently went to the Rembrandt exhibit. It was a wonderful experience. There aren't enough hours in a day to explore all the areas at the National Gallery. Will be paying another visit next month.

Ecem Yelekli

I didn't know but it was really great to learn that there is an free admission on Thursday after 5 pm. Thank you National Gallery of Canada, this is an very good opportunity ????☺️

Djordje Filipovic

I've been to many museums around the world and I wasn't sure what to expect of Ottawa's galleries and museums. They kinda are not really well known for holding world's finest artistic treasures. But I was wrong - the architecture of this building, installations, art curating, organization - and most importantly, art description and labelling - is excellent. Really out there with the best. I won't reveal too much, except that it is a must visit in Ottawa and to put aside 2 hours for a quick run through or 4 hours for detailed and careful enjoyment.

Rodrigo Gonzalez

It's a big one, half a day kind of investment.

Federica Cecchini

You can easily spend the entire day here; I wonder "just" for 4hours The museum has great Canadian and European collections as well as a vast Indigenous and Canadian Gallery; the contemporary section was my favourite. The space is very well organized. Hopefully they'll have the cafeteria open soon again instead of just vending machines.

Drew Goodwin

Was an amazing experience. Well kix of modern and older arts. Easy to lose track of time and spend the entire day there. If you want it during low traffic before 5 tends to be best the after 5pm it becomes a larger crowd but it's free then so win?

Wendy Humphrey

I would not describe myself as someone that understands or appreciates art. This gallery made are feel accessable.

Muneel Minhas

Amazing architecture and a must visit place if you are in Ottawa

Sun sin

A beautiful location and byilding, giving you both sights inside and out.

Hazard Lee

Very interesting. Like the drawing.

Kris Li

This gallery really is worth multiple visits! I really enjoyed spending time in there. There are so much to learn!

Noga Olga

We coming to enjoy Montreal, we took parking there and we found people who told bad things about. I am CDL driver, we came with domestic beer from shop and they told we are drunk. I dancing, because I needed toilet. Please, install toilet cabin there and people don't need dance.

Brendan Pidgeon

The go to place for Canada’s national Art Collection. It includes a wonderful recreation of a chapel which was painstakingly brought into the gallery piece by piece and reassembled. The Art collection generally is quite well displayed and the Canadian section is particularly well curated. Be sure to go off the sides of the main walking track there are some gems about.

L.T. Hawkeye

Never stopped in but walked by its many times very nice spider statue and surroundings

Demetri Papas

Huge play and so much art ! Come around 5pm to 8 on Thursdays. That’s when it’s free. Mainly about indigenous, European and Canadian art

Colleen M.T. Sharpe

It is always a treat to visit. Love how the "permanent" galleries are updated from time to time. Was pleased to see the new William Kentridge sculpture and installation. Saw in Cape Town in 2018 and had no idea NGC acquired. Brilliant. Pity the cafeteria is closed, it takes 4-6 hours to get through most of it, esp if doing the temp exhibit. Nice location and good walks across by the river.

Natalia Ourban

It is my second visit to the Gallery. General collection is very good, especially selection of Canadian Art, there is plenty to explore here for an art lover -building itself is a work of art. During my second visit I attended Paul Klee Exhibition and Anthropocene - both excellent exhibitions that I highly recommend to visit. Gallery Boutique is great -lots of unique gifts to buy. I will be going back to the gallery every time I visit Ottawa, it is my favourite place there.

Erik de Groot

I'm not an art guy and figured I would only need 2 hours before I got bored but ended up staying 4 hours and having the security guards tell me to get out cause it was closing time. So much to see between European masters to Canadian to some really weird but neat stuff. Plaques help explain importance of each piece. A must see.

Pablo Hernandez

Amazing gallery, great view of Ottawa and they have some amazing art. Would recommend to a tourist or someone who want to impressed a lady with your knowledge of Monet

Our RV Adventures

Good museum with a wide range of art. Been to a few national museums and didn't know what to expect. Was surprised by the range and quality of the materials. Good range of art from Canada, from very early aboriginal to modern artists. Spent about five hours and didn't see it all.

Matthew Spencer

Beautiful architecture, great collection. My favourite is the multi-track audio exhibit in the chapel.

darren brisson

Awesome place so many different things to see makes me proud to be an ottowian

GentilDanseur GOOGLE

Very interesting museum, free on Thursday evenings, WiFi and sunny galleries ^_^

Gil Felipe Gonçalves Miranda

Gorgeous architecture and contemporary art. The Rembrandt exposition was really a pleasure to see.

Bengü Yeşiltaş

Quality time but it was a bit confusing to find the ways

Blessing

Definitely carve out an entire day to enjoy this. Wonderful!!

Youssif Ganni

Big place, you get lost easily but has a lot of interesting art work

Liliana Montufar

It is worth investing your time to visit the museum, it is a gem, highly recommended <3

carmen LG

Great option for the family. They are very COVID organized and the exhibits are all wonderful to spend a day at the museum.

Michael Emeny

Super glad I took the girls out this week. Worth every second. They had quite the fun and we should be back within short order to devote a whole day to art, music, and sciences in the area! This and the OAG caught my eye. Thanks a bunch!!

Ashwin Vijayan

Please plan to spend atleast 4 to 6 hours, coz there is lot to see, learn and understand.

Grant Andrew Dzuba

Currently, the NAG has two exhibits of note: the winners of the Sobey's Art Award and the New Generation Photography Award. Both sets of award winners demonstrate a broad set of styles and themes.

vladislav velitchko

A must visit for all art and architecture lovers who visit the national capital region. Don't forget to visit the permanent exhibits when you go. Too much to see in just one day. Friendly staff.

Camila Fernandes

Great experience, but i think you should visit in more than 1 day! The expos are huge! Also it's a building with an amazing architecture and well organized!

Edi Bus

When entering and asking where the Rembrandt exhibition is, the person who scanned the tickets said "top floor". Precious time wasted there trying to find it and then to find someone who would know where it was. It is not on the top floor, but one floor down and a lineup there made us enter way past the time on our tickets.

Lauretta W.

Great collections of great arts works, from ancient time till today, from domestic to international.

Reachill Franche

Beautiful place to visit????

Polina Cherkashyna

An amazing gallery. We were surprised to find a Van Gogh as part of permanent exhibition.

Benjamin TALLIER

This place takes you through a journey of Canada history looking via the prism of art. It has an impressive collection of contemporary art and a few exhibit. I really enjoyed the building itself it's architecture and location are stunning.

Francesco Xodo

Located in a very iconic building, with a huge spider in front of it, the National Gallery of Canada is for sure one of the main attractions of Ottawa. It spreads over 2 levels, with canadian, american, european and contemporary works, some of which quite interesting (I liked for example the paintings of Lawren S. Harris). There's also an impressionism collection, gathered by the danish insurance magnate Wilhelm Hansen. Great value for money (20 C$).

Hélène Desaulniers

Big museum full of surprises. It's like a labyrinth covered in art. Some parts are hiddens, and you have to walk a lot in the museum to find them. There is a permanent contemporary art section where they switch the art pieces from time to time and there is always at least one piece that gives me some giggle. The temporary exposition are also pretty neat, and they are usually focussed around one artist or event. You can also take photos of the art in the museum. I'd recommend going with a friend. The only thing I wish the museum had is some more interactive art or room-sized art installation.

Hans Vulker

The Paul Klee exhibit at the National Gallery was stunning. The gallery itself is an amazing space, and seeing the works of a talented and versatile artist in such a space was awesome. It was as if the art enhanced the building and vice versa. We also had an excellent guide who was able to speak about some of the more subtle points of Klee's art without dumbing it down. Fabulous.

Ragheb Abunahla

BEST ART GALLERY IVE EVER BEEN TO! ???? THE ANTHROPOCENE EXHIBIT IS SO WORTH IT

Kevin Formhals, PMP, RMP

I can really appreciate the time and effort that goes into making art like this. The building is clean and it isn't overly expensive. I have come here a few times and love it.

Subuola Ojerinola

Really pretty environmental , they close at 5pm but we were able to take pictures outside the building . There is a parking lot underground , that leads directly into the museum . The parking lot is usually open till late, even after the museum is closed , it is around the sloppy entrance.

Maria M

Due to COVID-19, we thought the museum would be closed. But to our surprise it was open! There were only a couple other people visiting the museum ag that time so it was pretty empty and gave us more time to explore the place in peace. The museum is breathtaking! The exterior is beautiful ( I am attaching pictures ) the inside has many exhibits such as contemporary, canadian and indigenous, European and american etc. All the exhibits are beautiful! If you are there, dont forget to check out the Rideau Chapel in Canadian and Indigenous exhibit! We also took pictures with the Spider ???? outside!

Rachel Phillips

Amazing!! There is so much to see! It took me 5 hours to enjoy everything! There is also a delicious cafe with a beautiful view if you get hungry! Plenty of art exhibits you can sit down and enjoy to rest your feet, and I LOVED the interactive art!

Dimitar Kalendzhiev

Conviniant place with great selection of gifts to enhance your experience

Lee Robinson

Amazing exhibits. Definitely a must see.

Moe Fawal

Must visit gallery when you are in Ottawa. I wish in had a section for small children (2-5 yrs of age). The architecture bus beautiful as well. The gallery is free on Thursday evenings as well. There was construction going on when we visited but it did not deter from the experience. They are also currently running a special exhibition for impressionism.

James Eckerle

This is a first rate art museum. It has a good representation of nearly all of the classical artists including Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso, Raphael, etc. There is even modern art (?) such as Jackson Pollack (Jack the Dripper). The giant Salvador Dali spider in front of the entrance is unique.

Cam Davie, CD

We saw the Rembrandt Exhibit and it was amazing to see his works up close. The Exhibit also featured other artists influenced by Rembrandt. Along with additional information and artwork about the slave trade and the impact that the Dutch had on the Indigenous people on Turtle Island (North America). The whie Exhibit was very informative and a great way to tie things together because "Everything is Connected".

Jay Borenstein

A must see in Ottawa if you are an art fan. Loved the contemporary biennial exhibit.

Shawn Moreton

A must see if you are in Ottawa. Incredible art collection & the building & grounds of the gallery are equally amazing.

Brian Shew

Great work from group of 7, really show casing their style compared to the rest

Gintautas R.

Brings lot’s of good memories

Atul Bhatia

so beautiful place a must visit if you go to ottawa lots of Canadian history

Kevin & Denise Baker

Wonderful art exhibits. Wooden floors which is better for your back when standing for lengths of time. Only draw back back is that the signage to get from room to room is a bit of a maze. A must see for art lovers.

Anubhav Roy

Keep a lot of time at hand.. lots to see.

elijah

pretty good, i dont understand modern art tho

Darryl Miller

The collection is the largest in Canada and varies widely on subjunctive matter and genre. The building is spectacular and cafe area has great views of parliament hill. The collection contains a vast amount of the “group of seven” works and many other notable artists. Unfortunately the collection never changes and 95% of the archive is never viewed. This is worth the visit once and not so often for a local.

Lais Rios

Beautiful building, nice art collection!!

Master Michael Malleck

Excellent Art Gallery. It just seems to go on and on. A great variety of artists.

Tali Thompson

Stunning! We had an amazing time looking at all the exhibits. It was on the smaller side, but full of incredible work.

Erica Irwin

Beautiful wedding venue in the heart of Ottawa. It will WOW your guests. My wedding clients have always been so impressed with this gorgeous location.

Terrano Sky

A must for any art lover visiting Ottawa. It has a large collection of both modern and classical art. You won't be able to see everything in one visit but it's still worth it to just do one gallery. Could not recommended enough.

Electronet Solutions Inc

Stunning and beautiful architecture

Darshil Vora

Amazing art gallery with interesting art installations. I love the modern architecture. Well maintained.

Paul Lewis

Very surprised at the quality and extensive collection. Recommend a visit to everyone.

Lawrence Davidson

Interesting. It highlighted to me that Canada's art history is not representative of the Canada I know.

Steve Holtzkener

Incredible collection. Audio descriptions would be helpful (although existing text is good). A day just isn't enough.

Federica Cecchini

You can easily spend the entire day here; I wonder "just" for 4hours The museum has great Canadian and European collections as well as a vast Indigenous and Canadian Gallery; the contemporary section was my favourite. The space is very well organized. Hopefully they'll have the cafeteria open soon again instead of just vending machines.

Shawn Bush

Just so big to see everything . Absolutely amazing

Stephen Arnold

We're from Kingston, Ontario and don't feel we've received full benefits from our federal taxes unless we've made at least one annual visit to Ottawa. And at the top of our list of places to visit is the National Gallery of Canada. The Gallery is always so spectacular to see resting on its own plaza and so near to the Parliament buildings. The architecture is beautiful with all the vertical sections of stone and glass. Once inside, you climb a long tall ramp to large circular space. The ceiling is so far above you that you feel like ant when you sit down. Through all the glass, you see the Parliament buildings again but also with great views of the Ottawa River and the City. It's a wonderful place to have lunch on occasions when it being served. If not, there is a spacious cafeteria which also has great views as well as more selection. From there, you walk down a long tall hallway and then enter the galleries and the current exhibitions. On our most recent visit, we were thrilled to see some of the most recognizable work Group of Seven.

tycoon kaiser khan

The National Gallery of Canada (French: Musée des beaux-arts du Canada), located in the capital city of Ottawa, Ontario, is Canada's national art museum. The museum's building takes up 46,621 square metres (501,820 sq ft), with 12,400 square metres (133,000 sq ft) of space used for exhibiting art. It is one of the largest art museums in North America by exhibition space. The institution was established in 1880 at the Second Supreme Court of Canada building, and moved to the Victoria Memorial Museum building in 1911. In 1913, the Government of Canada passed the National Gallery Act, formally outlining the institution's mandate as a national art museum. The museum was moved to the Lorne building in 1960. In 1988, the museum was relocated to a new building designed for this purpose. The National Gallery of Canada is situated in a glass and granite building on Sussex Drive, with a notable view of the Canadian Parliament buildings on Parliament Hill. The building was designed by Israeli architect Moshe Safdie and opened in 1988. The museum's permanent collection includes over 93,000 works from European, American, and Asian, Canadian, and Indigenous artists. In addition to exhibiting works from its permanent collection, the museum also organizes and hosts a number of travelling exhibitions. The National Gallery of Canada is housed in a building on Sussex Drive, adjacent to the ByWard Market district. The building is the fourth edifice to house the art museum. The museum's present building was designed by Moshe Safdie & Associates, with construction beginning in 1985, and the building opening in 1988. The building has a total floor area of 46,621 square metres (501,820 sq ft). In 2000, the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada chose the National Gallery as one of the top 500 buildings produced in Canada during the last millennium. An independent crown corporation, the Canadian Museums Construction Corporation was established to build the museum with a budget of C$185 million. Following the 1984 Canadian federal election, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney dissolved the corporation. However, because the groundwork for the building was already completed, Mulroney chose to continue funding construction for the museum, albeit at a reduced total budget of C$162 million. The library and archives of the National Gallery of Canada holds an extensive collection of art literature on Canadian art. The library and archives was established alongside the museum in 1880, and contains documents on western art from the Late Middle Ages to the present. The collection includes 275,000 books, exhibition catalogues, and periodicals; 76,000 documentation files; and 95,000 microforms. The archives serves as the institutional archive for the museum. The library and archives' special collections includes over 50,000 auction catalogues, in addition to 182,000 slides and 360,000 research photographs. The Library and Archives' Exceptional Materials and Notable Subject Collections contains a number of rare imprints, books, and bookplates on Canadian artists, as well as items relating to historians of Canadian art.

Eric Champagne

Admittedly, I'm not a fan of art, especially modern and contemporary art. The museum has a great variety. My favourite part is Aboriginal art, which included some very nice art reflecting the passage of time and the adaptation of the aboriginal culture over time

Nick R

Very cool gallery with a varied scope on fine art pieces. It was a great place to spend the day or a few hours examining and appreciating art; great location for a date, family excursion, friendly outing or field trip. As I've heard, they host several weddings in the Great Hall.

Cinthia Olveda

Great art museum. Full of history as well. I had a great time at it. Each paint or piece of art has a good description in both English and French. Audio guides are offered in both languages too

Ozan Isinak

Very well curated. Wonderful mix of Canadian and international art.

Amanda

Gorgeous building, Alex Janvier special exhibit was spectacular. Inuit art and contemporary art section also were well worth a visit. Currently undergoing installations for a large exhibit for Canada 150 anniversary but still an excellent museum

Meena Rajagopal

National gallery visit was an amazing experience you get to see the ultimate level of creativity. You need 2-3 hrs finish the whole thing if you are a person who looks into detail.

Natalya Karabelska

Amazing galary. Can easily spend 4 and more hours there. Especially live Tom Thomson exhibition there.

mark finan

Great museum that spanned the early Renaissance to post industrial non expressionism very well and quickly.

Victoria Ntumba

It's was amazing thing to see and learn

Victor Silva

Super interesting building with a nice architecture. The rotating collections were nice as well.

Lois Wynn

Loved the Rembrandt exhibit and the More Sweetly Play the Dance film.

Erik de Groot

I'm not an art guy and figured I would only need 2 hours before I got bored but ended up staying 4 hours and having the security guards tell me to get out cause it was closing time. So much to see between European masters to Canadian to some really weird but neat stuff. Plaques help explain importance of each piece. A must see.

Jolly Roger

Claimed to be the leading museum standing for the country Canada, National Gallery of Canada has the most a collection of all in this country. One time visit will fail you as the limited time would be outrun by the amount of the arts works in display. Paintings are commonly expected in a gallery. But it has a collection of photographs pulling together a timeline of camera evolution and photography concepts based on camera mechanisms and artistic innovations. I personally enjoyed the most the photograph institute and sculptures just for my first visit. Looking forward to the future visits.

Lisa Gagnon

Always love going there. The staff is so helpful too.

Amjed Khalil

I didn't go inside to judge, it was closed but around the Gallery is definitely nice place to visit as a tourist. The View for the river and the bridge is amazing, come with your nice camera to not miss a spot.

Brenda monastyrski

Very nice! Not enough time to see everything on this visit.

Prem Sharma

If you enjoy art and its history. This is the place. The architecture inside is amazing. Thursdays are free after 5pm

vikas sharma

Great indigenous art on display right now. Can't wait to go back!

Bill Albing

Superb collection of indigenous and contemporary art. Lots of space and very quiet for deep thinking. Wonderful audio visual items, too. Great for all ages.

Jackie B

Awesome exhibits! Great covid/social distance activity. Lots of walking though so be ready!

Jackie B

Awesome exhibits! Great covid/social distance activity. Lots of walking though so be ready!

Emily

Let’s begin by saying that I’m not a big fan of Art Galleries at all. But this gallery completely changed my mind of it. I visited this place cause the cruise tour guide recommended me to go and I was in the gift shop to check for souvenirs before my visit. The gift shop really has a large variety of items to choose from. You can find pins to put on your bags, magnates on your fridge or even jewelry at affordable price. During my shopping time, I was told that this gallery actually carry collections of Van Ghan, Monet and Picasso! If you want to check their art works, it’s located on the second floor in European and American section. And if you can’t find them during your visit, you can always ask people who work there. They’re super friendly and knowledgeable! Overall it’s definitely a great experience! And I highly recommend you to come and check this Gallery! Attached a picture of the view from this Gallery.

Gonzalo Navarro

I was impressed with the wide variety of art, from European masters to indigenous and early Canadian. The Rideau Chapel reconstruction was also very well done As an aside, the cafe was great - it was reasonably priced and had vegan options.

Max Smith

It easy to get lost in such a large museum, please go while the Rembrandt exhibit is there, make sure to book online before going to guarantee your place.

MultiMonkeymunch

Fantastic. If you want a place that is happy to have you and has the kind of content that means that they can afford to not have you, this place is it. Informative, interesting, and fun

Juwana A

Good exhibits, but to me the architecture just keeps bringing me back here. It's a whole experience just walking through the corridor lobbies and visiting the hidden courtyard.

S Shah

What a peaceful place, if you are an art lover and would like to take a dive in history, this is the place to be. Will need atleast 6-8 hours minimum to enjoy it fully!

Mac Razak

Really nice museum with cool displays. The staff is very friendly and kind.

BIRGIT BAASCH

Not enough time. My ticket was for 4 p.m. and the gallery closed at 5 p.m. I loved the Rembrandt exhibit...may have to go back...

Nicole Maxwell

Enjoyed my time here, a good assortment of various artists. Very into the indigenous art and would love to see more.

Matt Wong

As the nation's gallery, the collection is extensive and contains some of the country's most important pieces

Nicky Mirfallah

I wished there was more native art isolated from colonist arts to be able to appreciate the native culture without having to search for them.

A J

The fountain area is very calm, the other galleries are average

Peter Lohnes

Whoa, what gives National Gallery? No vaccine check at the door, very surprised...disappointed. Glad it wasn't crowded.

S G

It was ok, we went for free and stayed only for a couple of hours. I expected more from a National Gallery. As others have noted, the collection is surprisingly sparse, surpassed by the AGO in Toronto, and there are no "destination" pieces here that are must sees. I would not pay to attend. The huge spider out front is a little misleading.

Rosemary O'Shaughnessy

Wonderful exhibition... it was so good to be back.

Georges Younes

I'm old enough to remember the previous incarnation of the National Gallery of Canada. The current building is far superior, not to mention that it finally deserves its name. If you are an art and architecture fan, do not miss this museum. Both the building and the art on display are enough to keep you going for hours. The building is airy and the light inside is magnificent, especially in the areas that have floor-to-ceilings windows that look on the gardens and the city outside.

Jodi McIntosh

One of my favourite museums in the world. The Canadian Contemporary exhibit is stunning.

Mohamad Adghim

The whole experience was simply marvelous. If you're into art, make sure you check the store, it is really extraordinary.

Samuel Bae

Seriously, Rembrandt?! Couldn't believe until we actually purchased the ticket. What a treat! Friend staff and awesome gallery building! It made our day!

Wendy Thomas

Absolutely incredible. The space, the art, the atmosphere, is something so special.What a National treasure and should be required if everyone to visit when in Ottawa.

Gern Blanston

Very good gallery. Wish they had a larger selection of impressionist paintings. The additional charge for special exhibits is annoying, but they aren't the only art gallery to do this.

Judith Gamus

The Rembrandt exhibition is worthwhile. A different way to tell history The European wealth was based on slavery and the American natives exploitation

E Lee

One of my favourite places to visit, when they have special exhibits it well worth a visit they put a lot of thought into what is there. If you're a local well worth a season pass.

Connor Uhrig

The National Gallery of Canada is great. It has many famous paintings from Canada such as the group of seven and Warhol. The National Gallery also has many great Canadian paintings from First Nations. I highly recommend you to visit the National Gallery of Canada if your going to Ottawa. Make sure to checkout the Maman

Maureen Pender

Not sure about that expensive spider but this sure is a building all Canadians can be proud of.

Ted Gzebb

Visited the Rembrandt exhibit which was wonderful seeing paintings and prints that are seldom if ever seen together.

Charlie Gervais

I have always loved the art in this place. This museum has a nifty layout. Attractions can be found inside and outside the main building Go hang out one afternoon and get lost in visual treats. Visit the gift shop for numerous cool souvenirs. Take your time strolling around. The pop art section is chill.

Dale

Wonderful collection of Canadian and Indigenous art.

Deepali

Absorbing, illuminating, interesting, friendly and comfortable experience. Very open spaces.

elena k

Great day in winter Ottawa. Interesting works in modern art section. Some amazing pieces in Impressionist halls. Beautiful examples of Indigenous art. Great cafeteria with many healthy choices. If you visiting Ottawa- don't forget you Museum passport pass- 3 museums in 3 days for $35 , which is a bargain!

Gregory G

The National Gallery of Canada is a great place to visit for a few hours! It is about a 15 minute scenic walk from the parliament buildings, with great views of the Ottawa River! Outside the gallery there are some cool pictures to be had, especially the large spider sculpture, named Maman! If you’re already visiting downtown, this is a definite must see!

Sam Nader

Nice place with huge selection of pictures that cover the Canadian art hiatory

David B

A great place for art lovers and anyone with a small interest. Just wear a comfortable pair of shoes.

KJ

Make sure wearing comfy shoes awhile you walking around here. It’s pretty big space with lovely stuff. I visited on the weekdays and it was quite enough to enjoy the stuff.

Amit Rai

Absolutely spellbounding art ... got to watch Van Gough painting up close and personal and many other contemporary .... Rideau Chappel is a must visit along with More Sweetly Play the dance by William Kentridge in contemporary art.

A-L Richards

Wow! Just a beautiful setting and vibe! Love it! The best of the Taverns in my opinion if I would rate the atmosphere and cozyness.

Scott Burton

Always a wonderful and thought provoking experience in this national tribute to the arts. Rest assured that all the COVID precautions were being taken.

Ken Gately

Great place to visit

wen wei

Great place to spend a few hours, enjoy Canadian and international arts, from contemporary to classic European art. Thursday after 5pm admission fee is free. Cafetería offers mediocre food.

George

I'm sure it would've been 5 stars if all the contemporary exhibits had been open. Unfortunately only the upstairs is currently, which was a shame as that was really good. Other exhibits were good. Enjoyed the temporary Impressionist thing from the Dutch collector. The indigenous contemporary art was also fascinating. Less keen on the Middle age European art but that's often just a personal opinion and I've seen few places do something very interesting with them.

Shawn Hsiung

Absolutely amazing gallery! Totally worth the money !!

Karl Wright

Beautiful architecture, a great selection of collections to view. I didn't know what to expect going in, but it's a very nicely kept museum. There's two levels of art galleries, with the temporary exhibition and Canadian/Indigenous art on the bottom then international on the top. There's a fantastic number of paintings from excellent Canadian artists I've never heard of, as well as fascinating pieces of first Nations clothing, art and sculptures. It's a great demonstration of Canadian culture over the centuries. As for international art, there were many works from celebrated artists I've seen only in books before which was very interesting.

Lion Pets Salon

A little expensive for big groups but definitelly great value experience . If you enjoy the art. One stop you dont have to loose If you are in town.

Vic

Really nicely laid of gallery. Lots of different rooms on each floor to see and a lot of different types of art mixed with sculptures. Admission is fairly cheap if you're a student or under 25. Would recommend for an afternoon.

Rachel

It was lots of fun, first time in q long time that I've been to a gallery. I liked that it was set up with a clear way to walk through the exhibits.

Mimi Straka

Awesome space, full of soaring spaces, some with classic views of the capital. Very rich collection which warrants more than 1 visit. Lineup inside the entrance wasn't even a little bit distanced, in spite of the security guard, spawning Covid-anxiety for our group of 5. Fortunately, this dissipated once we paid :-)

J Chan

I love seeing modern art: not because I like modern art, but because I like to see what can get into an art gallery, and especially what extraordinary description some of these artists come up with. I present the highlights of this gallery: …

Rachel Emery

Huge focus on contemporary art here. The building itself is wonderful. Many stories and floors to explore. Located close to our hotel, it was a short walk. We spent half a day here looking at everything and really appreciating the pieces. Would love to see more variety next time we visit.

Lindsay Reynolds

Great place to visit if you are from Ottawa or visiting! Wonderful display and pride in First Nations art and artists. Very interesting architecture in the building. The cafe has nice food, a little bit pricey, but the museums affordable admission off sets this. Also! Students get a near 50% discount on admission fees! Great brain food! I can't wait to go again!

Liisa Jay

Had a great evening with my two teenage boys at the bicentennial exhibit and contemporary art exhibit. The security guards told us about the art.

Jameson Huynh

I don't really know anything about art, but I still had a good time walking around exploring the exhibits. The gallary is quite large and is bound to have things that just catch your eye, even if you have no idea what your looking at. It was a great experience and was quite reasonably priced. I was able to go with my family, on their family package(2 adults and 3 youths) for $30. Most definitely worth giving a shot.

andrew shiner

Outstanding! My four year old daughter took advantage of an opportunity try on a costume. Her challenge was to find the painting that the costume was based on. It was remarkable to watch as she scoured the gallery and really looked at the paintings while trying to find a girl wearing the same cloths as her. I would really like to thank the person who thought of this activity.

lavanya1608

They have tons of Paintings out there each is unique in its own way.. we planned for 2 hours seeing the # of exhibits would definitely require at least half a day . Dont forget to click picture with the Giant spider outside the Gallery . Rest rooms are very well maintained and they have ample sparking spots . You should add this spot in your Ottawa itinerary list

Justin Ness

Not a huge art fan but the building and pieces inside are pretty cool. Went in late 2021 and they charged us full price for half the gallery which seemed a little odd.

Justin Ness

Not a huge art fan but the building and pieces inside are pretty cool. Went in late 2021 and they charged us full price for half the gallery which seemed a little odd.

Ben Moizer

I really enjoyed viewing the gallery, theres a massive variety of art styles to view and it really left me amazed. Theres a bunch of aboriginal works which are quite interesting to see. If you're ever in ottawa this is a must see place to go

Matthew Zhao

Really nice pond and gift shop

bakee boy

This was a aws... Place to visit who are studing of painting and art and also a good place to watch art things

Robin Quant

Lovely art gallery with a nice selection of artists from throughout the centuries as well as contemporary, Canadian and indigenous art pieces.

Georgia Corkins

A fantastic collection. Give yourself at least 3 hours!

Aditya Kapur

Nice place, a bit confusing to navigate around in starting but worth every penny.

Margit Simon

We went to see the Rembrandt exhibit. It was excellent and very educational

Carol Schell

Rembrandt show is well worth a visit. He was an amazing artist. The detail of his fabrics makes it really and his use of light extraordinary.

Rosa MD

Love this gallery so much! The place is spacious and have a great variety of collection. It's free every thursday from 5 to 8 pm. Otherwise, student with valid student id pays $7 or adult $14. This time when I visited, there were some paintings from Europe museum.

Alex Adamson

Make sure you have your walking shoes are on. So much to see and great architecture. Well worth a visit.

Dave N

Traditional and modern art exhibits are found on site. Large focus on first people art and history. Great way to spend 4 hours with adults. Small children art gift bags were available to allow you more time to explore the exhibits.

Yhanvi Holm

One of the security gaurds kept stalking me and really made me feel uncomfortable. As i walked theough his section he kept moving from spot to spot to stare at me. I walker through his section 3 times and each tie he followed me. I asked my family and they all agreed he really was being abnoxious. I also found that there wasn't much art from outside of Quebec and Ontario aside from the contemporary art section. The Group of 7 works are amazing and worth the cost of admission alone.

Shannon Towers

Awesome

a b

This is a wonderful collection of art work. Keep in mind it doesn't have the 'size' of collections like in Europe, but the collections it does represent they are if quality.

Michael Kulchycki

Free admission this past labour day, 35 mins wait, social distanced intervals, nice contemporary collection, the European and American collection was equivalent to finding gold.

hussein zarkam

Lots of high profile art, historic building & lots of educational activities for the kids.

Darren Spyksma

I was amazed at the quality of the art at the gallery. It is exciting to see the many indigenous artists and other famous artist from Canada. If you're into art and history and you're in the Ottawa area, this is worth going to.

Victor Martinez

A must-see when in Ottawa... this is a beautiful modern site to see and live art... highly recommended

kelly schneider

I enjoyed going to this museum very much lots to see!

Linda Bakker

Beautiful building. Loved the atmosphere and the art pieces.

Vicki L

Really nice gallery. There are quite a few impressionist paintings including Monet and Renoir. I can spending a whole day here. The lobby looks Really nice and relaxing. I can sit around and order a coffee there. Support the gift store and buy some prints - great price. Don’t forget it’s always free admission every Thursday from 5pm to 8pm. Please let your friends know about it.

Rolando Ramirez

Aagnificebt museum with content that guves you the sense of acquiring some knowledge of Ottawa and some history of Canada. A must visit!

Alvin Abulencia

Prepare for a half to full day when you want to explore the galleries. It's helpful that they have chairs you can bring with you, and with scooters available for people with mobility challenges. Grab a map if you're a first-timer. Just ask for the nearest washroom and water fountain. Please do not touch installations or pieces without asking. Make sure to hydrate, snack for a while at the cafe, and look around the gift shop. Try to reduce visit time to the contemporary gallery/ies if you have vision-triggered conditions.

Paris Jefferson

This National Gallery is magnificent for old and young. Although I do hope they bring back the 40 strong recorded choir that was in the chapel. One of the most moving and profound experiences one can have.

jesus hernendez

Absolutely perfect. A must see

Chi Yu Yang

The National Gallery was under partial renovation. We unfortunately missed out on some of its architectural splendor. We spent our entire visit at the temporary exhibition: Impressionist Treasures of the Ordrupgaard Collection. The exhibition was well organized and the locale was great. No squeaky floors or poor lighting. There was even a few video rooms screening short documentary on the history of the Ordrupgaard Collection and the fashion trends of that time. The Collection had more variety however there are less from the big names. One a few Renoir and Monet. I am sure more can be found at Ordrupgaard Museum in Copenhagen. I look forward to return and explore the rest of the National Gallery.

Aleksandria M

Great place, like to come here.

Rodrigo Ledesma

A very good museum with a little bit of different movements

Enterprise 777

This is a great place to escape every day life, and to embark on a Canadian journey of First Nations and other artists founded on this beautiful country. The building is very bright and peaceful and alot of space to walk. It's a Masterpiece over looking the Ottawa River.

Michael Waite

Beautiful architecture and wonderful shows and oermanent collection.

Cindy C

You can spend hours and hours and hours here and still not make it out of the 1st floor. Paintings by the Canadian artists are absolutely stunning! The large Riopelle panels - the trios, was breath taking. Absolutely please take the time to read each label for the description.

Mark Christopher

Enjoyed the Rembrandt exhibition. Surprising that people were told on entry that backpacks had to be checked at the coat check, yet some people were still carrying backpacks.

Meinhard Mare

Spent like 3 hours in her and only brushed past most of the art. Really enjoyed experience.

Paul Gaasenbeek

Amazing. Loved the free stuff for kids. My kids sat in the museum and drew and colored for a long time.

Ryan Reid

A lot of nice art and plenty of variety. It is such a nice building with interesting tours and well set up displays.

Zee Man

Iconic building in downtown Ottawa . You are welcomed with a big spider sculpture and beautiful looking building. Ambition is 20$ for adults and there is a membership is 75$ . Lots of art and beautiful view from the building . You need to show proof of vaccine and ID. If you are into art don’t think twice!