introduction legACy Projects
Canada ’ s 150th birthday not only marks a milestone for the country , but it will transform Ottawa forever . The nation ’ s capital will be reimagined through several legacy projects that will still be here after Canada ’ s big year .
Art & Culture The city ’ s gallery scene will have a bright , new canvas . A revamped , five-floor Ottawa Art Gallery ( open fall 2017 ) will feature a modern , expanded space in which to showcase Ottawa ’ s rich artistic and cultural history , including theatres , exhibition spaces , and a rooftop terrace . Adjacent to the gallery and Arts Court will also be a boutique art-based hotel and condo .
Aboriginal art has long been displayed separately from Canadian art — but that ’ s about to change . Reflecting an inclusive and comprehensive view of Canadian art , the National Gallery of Canada ’ s re-imagined Canadian and Indigenous Galleries will show , for example , works by The Group of Seven alongside Norval Morrisseau ’ s paintings and Osuitok Ipeelee ’ s sculptures .
The world-class performances regularly shown onstage at the National Arts Centre will be emulated in a revamped building for Canada Day . The NAC ’ s Brutalist style of architecture will be made over in glass , which includes a towering atrium as its new entranceway . Most notable of the internal renovations are those to its main theatre , Southam Hall , which will see improved seating and acoustics designed to enhance the live performance experience .
History To truly appreciate Canada ’ s sesquicentennial , one needs to understand how this nation came to be — and that story extends far into the past , to the dawn of time . The Canadian Museum of History ’ s Canadian History Hall is an ambitious project that will present the most comprehensive look at the land ’ s history to date through events , personalities , stories , and artifacts such as a flint arrowhead , a brass astrolabe , a railway spike , and an iconic guitar . Opening July 1 , 2017 the series of connected galleries occupy more than 40,000 square feet . Six giant , triangular , concrete segments align to create the points of a star — a symbol of the Star of David . Titled Landscape of Loss , Memory and Survival , the National Holocaust Monument will be Canada ’ s testament to the six million Jewish People who were murdered , as well as to those who survived .
In commemoration of the sacrifice of Canada ’ s soldiers during the First World War , the National War Memorial was unveiled in 1939 by King George VI , and since rededicated to include such subsequent conflicts as the Second World War , Korea , and Afghanistan . This past year , this granite and bronze memorial , which depicts soldiers marching from war to peacetime , was extensively refurbished , along with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier , in which rests the remains of a Canadian soldier killed at Vimy Ridge in France .
It ’ s often repeated that Canada , as a nation , was forged in the mud and trenches of Vimy Ridge , a battlefield in France in which 10,000 Canadians fought — for the first time ever — under Canadian command . To mark the battle ’ s 100th anniversary , the Canadian War Museum presents the exhibition Vimy - Beyond the Battle ( April 6 , 2017 to Jan . 7 , 2018 ) to explore the epic conflict from different perspectives .
You can bet the bank on the quality of another new attraction . The Bank of Canada Museum ’ s stunning new gallery will feature artifacts and interactive elements .
Wonders The new Canada Science and Technology Museum ( reopening fall 2017 ) will be a modern , futuristic-looking space in which to showcase Canada ’ s scientific and technological achievements and inspire future innovation .
The Arctic represents over 40 per cent of Canada ’ s landmass , so it ’ s fitting that the Canadian Museum of Nature would encourage visitors explore it . The Canada Goose Arctic Gallery ( opening June 21 , 2017 ) will present one of the most unique climates on earth through artifacts , specimens , games , and interactive activities .
Left : Canada Science and Technology Museum ; Above : National Arts Centre ; Top : The Bank of Canada Museum ( renderings )
www . ottawatourism . ca Destination Planner ’ s Guide 2017 13