Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, ON

Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada is located at 1 Vimy Street beside the Ottawa River. Its purpose is to highlight the defining moment is the military history of Canada. It is the second most visited museum in the Capital Region.

The museum has a dramatic architecture and approximately 13,000 pieces. These pieces include military vehicles, such as tanks, and artillery, as well as an extensive artifact collection.

The building itself is energy-efficient. Recycled fly ash is used in the concrete. It has one of the largest green roofs in Canada. The roof is covered with low-maintenance, self-seeding natural grasses. River water is used in the cooling systems.

There are several galleries and halls. Notable ones include the LeBreton Gallery and the Memorial Hall. The LeBreton gallery is home to a Voodoo jet and nineteenth-century artillery pieces. The Memorial Hall has only one artifact, the headstone of the Unknown Soldier from World War I. The hall is situated in such a way that it's directly lit by the sun each Remembrance Day, November 11, at 11 in the morning.

The origin of the Canadian War Museum goes as far back as 1880 and was mainly a location for a collection of militia artifacts.

More than one million people visited the Canadian War Museum within 21 months after it opened at its new location. The Canadian War Museum generates $15 million a year.

The museum holds ongoing public programs that are free with museum admission. Programs include History is Yours and Witnesses to History. General admission into the museum starts at $10. There's free admission on Remembrance Day.