National Gallery of Canada
Ottawa · Canada · Founded 1880
Good for: Art Lovers · First-timers · Architecture
75,000
Works of Art
1880
Founded
2 hours
Recommended Visit
Quick answer
National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, Canada. Admission: From CA$22 standard admission. Hours: Thursday to Monday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Canada's national art museum in a Moshe Safdie glass-and-granite building overlooking Parliament Hill — Canadian, Indigenous, European, and contemporary art including Maman by Louise Bourgeois.
About National Gallery of Canada
The National Gallery of Canada is the country's preeminent art institution, housed in a Moshe Safdie-designed building of glass and granite that opened on Sussex Drive in Ottawa in 1988. Its Great Hall rises 40 metres to a glass lantern overlooking the Ottawa River and Parliament Hill — one of the most dramatic museum entrances in North America.
The collection of more than 75,000 works spans Canadian art from the colonial period to the present, with the world's finest holdings of the Group of Seven and Emily Carr. European painting includes masterworks by Rembrandt, Vermeer, El Greco, and Chardin, while the contemporary galleries feature Jeff Wall, Janet Cardiff, and Indigenous artists including Norval Morrisseau and Rebecca Belmore.
Louise Bourgeois' Maman — a 9.25-metre bronze spider with a sac of marble eggs — stands outside the main entrance and has become one of Ottawa's most photographed landmarks. The sculpture was installed in 2005 and is one of an edition of six placed in cities worldwide.
Free admission Thursday evenings from 5–8 PM, free entry for all visitors under 18, and free admission for Indigenous peoples make the gallery one of Ottawa's most accessible cultural institutions. It connects via the Alexandra Bridge walkway to Gatineau and the Canadian Museum of History across the river.
2 hours highlights route
A focused route through 4 must-see highlights at National Gallery of Canada without museum fatigue. · 2 hours
- 1
Maman
📍 Plaza outside main entrance, Sussex Drive
A 9.25-metre bronze spider with a sac containing 26 marble eggs — Bourgeois' tribute to her mother, a weaver.
- 2
The Death of General Wolfe
📍 Canadian Art, Level 1
West's history painting of the 1759 Battle of Quebec — a foundational work of Canadian art that established the convention of depicting contemporary events in classical heroic form.
- 3
The Jack Pine
📍 Canadian Art, Level 1
One of the Group of Seven's most celebrated paintings — a solitary pine silhouetted against a sunset over a northern lake.
- 4
Voice of Fire
📍 Contemporary Art, Level 2
Newman's 5.4-metre triptych of blue and red stripes, commissioned for the Canadian Pavilion at Expo 67.
Masterworks & must-see highlights
The works that define National Gallery of Canada — and why they matter.
Maman
Louise Bourgeois · 1999
📍 Plaza outside main entrance, Sussex Drive
A 9.25-metre bronze spider with a sac containing 26 marble eggs — Bourgeois' tribute to her mother, a weaver. One of six editions worldwide and Ottawa's most iconic public sculpture.
The Death of General Wolfe
Benjamin West · 1770
📍 Canadian Art, Level 1
West's history painting of the 1759 Battle of Quebec — a foundational work of Canadian art that established the convention of depicting contemporary events in classical heroic form.
The Jack Pine
Tom Thomson · 1916–1917
📍 Canadian Art, Level 1
One of the Group of Seven's most celebrated paintings — a solitary pine silhouetted against a sunset over a northern lake. Designated a Canadian national treasure and rarely lent.
Voice of Fire
Barnett Newman · 1967
📍 Contemporary Art, Level 2
Newman's 5.4-metre triptych of blue and red stripes, commissioned for the Canadian Pavilion at Expo 67. Its 1990 purchase for $1.76 million sparked national debate about public art spending.
Collections & highlights
- • Group of Seven and Emily Carr — definitive collection
- • Indigenous art — Inuit sculpture, Northwest Coast poles
- • European painting — Rembrandt, Vermeer, Caravaggio followers
- • Contemporary art — Jeff Wall, Janet Cardiff, Shuvinai Ashoona
- • Photography — 27,000 works from 19th century to present
- • Prints and drawings — Dürer, Michelangelo, Picasso
- • Maman sculpture plaza — Louise Bourgeois
- • Great Hall — Safdie architecture with river views
Frequently asked questions
What is the spider sculpture outside the National Gallery of Canada?
Maman (1999) by Louise Bourgeois — a 9.25-metre bronze spider outside the main entrance. It has become one of Ottawa's most photographed landmarks.
How long should I spend at National Gallery of Canada?
Plan 2 hours for the highlights. Add time for temporary exhibitions, the museum shop, and café.
What is National Gallery of Canada best known for?
Canada's national art museum in a Moshe Safdie glass-and-granite building overlooking Parliament Hill — Canadian, Indigenous, European, and contemporary art including Maman by Louise Bourgeois. Key highlights include Group of Seven and Emily Carr — definitive collection, Indigenous art — Inuit sculpture, Northwest Coast poles, European painting — Rembrandt, Vermeer, Caravaggio followers.
How do I get tickets for National Gallery of Canada?
From CA$22 standard admission Free Thursday evenings 5–8 PM · Under 18 free · Indigenous peoples free. Tickets are usually available on the day, but booking online saves queue time in peak season. Official site: https://www.gallery.ca/
Why is Voice of Fire controversial in Canada?
When the National Gallery purchased Barnett Newman's Voice of Fire in 1990 for $1.76 million CAD, it triggered a national debate — many Canadians questioned paying that sum for three stripes of color on canvas. The controversy reignited in 2014 when the painting was valued at over $40 million. It is now widely recognized as a landmark of Minimalism and a shrewd acquisition.
Can you walk from the National Gallery to the Canadian Museum of History?
Yes — the Alexandra Bridge connects Ottawa to Gatineau in a 10-minute scenic walk with views of Parliament Hill and the Ottawa River. The Canadian Museum of History is directly at the bridge's Quebec end. Combined visits are common; allow 2 hours per museum minimum.
What is the Rideau Chapel at the National Gallery?
The Rideau Street Chapel is a reconstructed 1888 Gothic Revival chapel interior — the last surviving example of a 19th-century Canadian church interior. It was dismantled from its original Ottawa location and reinstalled inside the National Gallery as a permanent architectural installation, complete with original stained glass and woodwork.
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