Special Exhibits

Special exhibits are always plentiful at Ottawa-area museums. Here are just a few of the current and upcoming temporary exhibits, in order of end date:

Current Exhibits

Through the Eyes of Community: 150 Years of Ottawa’s History

April 13 – December 23, 2018
Bytown Museum

Find out how community spirit has shaped Ottawa into what it is today, from the early days of Confederation in 1867 to the present. Stories are told through the eyes of community members including a farmer, a woman, a veteran, a child, and a new immigrant.

Medieval Europe – Power and Splendour

June 8, 2018 – January 20, 2019
Canadian Museum of History

Step into the legendary world of Medieval Europe. Meet powerful monarchs and chivalric knights, devout religious leaders and talented craftsmen. Experience the opulent life of court and the bustling world of newly developing urban centres. Admire the beautiful, vibrant art for which this period is renowned and witness the formation of states and cultures still recognized today. See over 200 exquisite artifacts from the world-renowned British Museum that tell the story of this fascinating time in European history.

Karim Rashid – Cultural Shaping

October 11, 2018 – February 10, 2019
Ottawa Art Gallery

Explore some of designer Karim Rashid’s industrial designs which combine ingenuity with eco-consciousness, like the Garbino waste can and the Oh-chair designed for Umbra, as well as modular and reconfigurable furniture for BoConcept. The iconic designer received a Bachelor of Industrial Design in 1982 from Ottawa’s Carleton University. Admission to the OAG and this exhibit is free.

Halifax Harbour 1918: Harold Gilman and Arthur Lismer

October 12, 2018 – February 18, 2019
National Gallery of Canada

In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War, the National Gallery of Canada has partnered with the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia to present this exhibition, which is part of the Masterpiece in Focus series. It will examine the shared mission of Harold Gilman (1876–1919, British) and Arthur Lismer (1885–1969, Canadian) – later known for his affiliation with the Group of Seven – to record the port of Halifax, and the manner in which this Canadian War Memorials Fund commission pushed the boundaries of their artistic practice.

Anthropocene

September 28, 2018 – February 24, 2019
National Gallery of Canada

This major contemporary art exhibition features works by three Canadian artists – Edward Burtynsky, Jennifer Baichwal and Nicholas de Pencier – who explore the impact of human activity on Earth through photography, film installations and interactive technologies. Augmented reality installations and visitor-activated films immerse visitors in areas undergoing rapid change.

Paul Klee: The Berggruen Collection from The Metropolitan Museum of Art

November 16, 2018 – March 17, 2019
National Gallery of Canada

This exhibition is the first Canadian show devoted to Swiss-German artist illustrator and painter Paul Klee in nearly four decades. Explore 75 of Klee’s drawings, watercolours and oils that were gifted to The Metropolitan Museum of Art by one of the postwar era’s renowned art dealers and collectors, Heinz Berggruen.

Victory 1918 – The Last 100 days

October 26, 2018 – March 31, 2019
Canadian War Museum

In commemoration of the 100^th anniversary of the end of the First World War, this special exhibit covers the Hundred Days campaign and how the Canadian Corps played a key role in the Allied victory. Discover powerful stories of this period through artifacts, artworks, documents and photos.

Butterflies in Flight

October 6, 2018 – April 22, 2019
Canadian Museum of Nature

Enter a world of brilliant live butterflies! Experience a warm and relaxing tropical environment with flowering plants and hundreds of live butterflies.

Space to Spoon

April 1, 2018 – April 30, 2019
Canada Agriculture and Food Museum

Discover the connection between space technology and the food on our plates through hands-on models, interactive elements and stunning graphics. You’ll also earn about the Canadian Space Agency’s Earth observation satellite, RADARSAT-2, and its cutting-edge successor, RADARSAT Constellation.

For more museum exhibits and happenings, check out our online Event Calendar.