Museum in Review: Canadian Museum of Nature

Hey Team!

So when I'm not being a marine biologist, I wear many, many different hats. Including a guide at the Manitoba Museum in the youth programs. All just a long way of saying I know my museums and what makes them good, and what makes them bad.

And let me tell you, the Canadian Museum of Nature is good.

I know that as a national museum, they probably get a lot of funding. Which lets them maintain the museum and keep all the amazing species and specimens that are contained inside that building. But what impressed me the most was the educational supplementary material all around the museum.

First, the diversity of the museum: a dinosaur hall, following through into prehistoric mammals and then their modern counterparts. Lots of skeletons, lots of models and lots of information! Both for adults and kids, this museum is really here to teach the public about the natural world around them!

dinosaur skeletons

Dinosaur models

Polar bear model

My favourite hall, of course, was the ocean hall. I don't think I could have imagined a museum design better for teaching people about the oceans. It helps them though that they have a baby blue whale skeleton as their centrepiece.

Baby blue whale skeleton

And while we're at it, let's show people a world they've never imagined. Thermal vents on the ocean floor: a true alien world!

Diorama of a thermal vent

 And of course, it wouldn't be a Canadian museum if we didn't mention the Arctic... with an entire kids-friendly interpretive area where they get to "be researchers in the Arctic "in a "real research vessel". I didn't grow up with any of this, I'm terrified to think what would have happened if I did.

Model of a beluga in the Arctic research kids centre

 And finally, a game to teach kids about water conservation. Thank you Canada!

A dice and piece game teaching kids all about water conservation

Add a geology hall and lots of pretty gemstones to the end, and you have an outstanding museum that I think really hit it out of the park. Not to mention the beautiful building it's all housed in, and the very friendly staff that work there.

If you are in Ottawa and it's a gross day outside, take the opportunity to go through the Canadian Museum of Nature. I can guarantee you'll learn something!

Speak Loud!

their website: http://nature.ca/en/home