The most visited museum of Canada on this side of the Ottawa River, in Gatineau, is a museum that used to be called the Canadian Museum of Civilization . It is located in the Hull area, directly across the river from Parliament Hill . @ The main goal of the museum is to collect, study, preserve and display objects that reflect the history of people who inhabited the territory of present-day Canada since the earliest times, as well as the cultural heterogeneity of these people . The history of the museum itself dates back to 1856 ., which makes it one of the most old in the whole of North America . In 2012 . the name of the museum was changed to emphasize the main emphasis that is being made here on local history and ethnography .

Permanent museum expositions acquaint visitors with 20 000 years of Canadian history. At the same time, the museum is one of the largest scientific research institutions in the country

Permanent exhibitions are distributed among three exhibition galleries: a large hall, a hall of first people and a hall in Canada, which is currently being converted (November 2014). There is also the Canadian Children's Museum in the museum building and the Canadian philatelic collection is separately exhibited

The Great Hall occupies the first level of the building and is a true architectural masterpiece . There is a wall of windows 112 m long and 15 m high through which a stunning river view and Parliament Hill . On the opposite wall there is a color photograph of a similar size with a forest landscape . It is believed that this is the largest color photo in the world . The photo serves as a backdrop for dozens of totem poles and replicas asads of six houses, traditional for aboriginal Pacific coast . Houses made by Indian artists from cedar trunks are connected by sidewalk . This is the biggest exposition of totemic pillars collected in the building .

Also on the ground floor is the first people's hall where you can learn more about the history of Canadian Aborigines . The hall is divided into three zones . The exposition "Presence of Aborigines" demonstrates the diversity of tribes and cultures, achievements and the prehistoric population of North America . Here you can even hear in the record Indian legends about the origin of the world and other miracles, told by the direct descendants of the aborigines . In the zone "Ancient connection with the earth" you can learn about the relationship of Aboriginal people to the world childbirth . And the exposition "Arrival of pilgrims - the last 500 years" tells about the first contacts with Europeans and the penetration of Christianity into the culture of aborigines, and also about what remains of this culture today .

Another permanent exposition of the museum - this is the Canadian stamp collection, in which more than 3000 exhibits are collected. On it it is possible to trace the whole history of the country, starting with the very first brand for three pennies in 1851 issue (with a beaver). Among these Canadian brands there are some that Canada has never released.

But the Canadian Children's Museum, which is open at the historic, is a really fun place. Children here can travel around the world, getting acquainted with other cultures, their costumes, equipment, toys and games. Many exhibitions are interactive, so visitors to the museum can climb aboard a replica of an extravagantly painted Pakistani bus or a three-wheeled cart of Thai rickshaw. There is also a Bedouin tent, copies of Indian, Indonesian and Mexican traditional houses

Practical information

Address: Laurier Street Gatineau, 100.

The museum is located in the very center of the city, and is very easy to reach on foot . There are also OC Transpo buses from Ontario (No. 8) and STO from Quebec (No. 21, 31, 33, 35, 67, 77). In addition, you can drive to the museum in aquataksi, which runs in the summer between the historical museum, the docks (under Parliament Hill) and the Casino du Lac Limi.

Working hours: on working days, except Thursday, from 9:00 to 18: 00, on Thursday from 9:00 to 20:00. At the weekend from 9:30 to 18:00.

Admission: 13 USD for adults, 11 USD for pensioners, 10 USD for students, 8 USD for children 3-12 years (November 2014, prices without taxes). Family ticket (2 adults + 3 children) - 32 USD. Combined tickets for visiting the Museum of History and the Military Museum - USD 20 for adults, USD 17 for pensioners, USD 15 for students, USD 12 for children 3-12 years. On Thursdays after 16:00 admission is free.