Canada Aviation and Space Museum facts for kids
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The exterior of the Aviation and Space Museum
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| Former name | National Aviation Museum |
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| Established | 1964 |
| Location | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, at the Ottawa/Rockcliffe Airport. |
| Type | Aviation museum |
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The Canada Aviation and Space Museum is a cool place in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It's where you can explore Canada's amazing history of flying and space travel! This museum is located at the Ottawa/Rockcliffe Airport. It used to be called the Canada Aviation Museum.
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Discovering Flight: The Museum's History
The museum first opened in 1964. It started by bringing together three different collections of aircraft. These included planes from the National Aviation Museum, military aircraft from the Canadian War Museum, and planes from the Royal Canadian Air Force Museum.
In 1982, the collection was renamed the National Aviation Museum. Then, in 1988, all the planes moved into a cool new triangular hangar. This building was much better than the old wooden hangars. In 2006, another hangar was added. This meant all the museum's aircraft could be kept indoors and protected.
The museum closed for a short time in 2008 for some big changes. It reopened later that year with new displays. One special exhibit, "Canadian Wings: A Remarkable Century of Flight," opened in 2009. This celebrated 100 years since the first airplane flight in Canada.
In 2010, the museum got even bigger! It added more space for a new entrance, a cafeteria, and classrooms. At this time, its name also changed to the "Canada Aviation and Space Museum." This new name shows that the museum also explores Canada's role in space.
How the Museum Works: Ingenium and More
The Canada Aviation and Space Museum is part of a larger group called Ingenium. Ingenium is a special organization that helps protect Canada's science and technology history. It runs three museums:
- The Canada Aviation and Space Museum
- The Canada Agriculture Museum
- The Canada Science and Technology Museum
The museum is also home to the 51 Canada Aviation Museum Squadron. This is a group of Royal Canadian Air Cadets.
Amazing Aircraft and Space Collection
The museum has a huge collection of planes. You can see all kinds of aircraft, from early flying machines to modern jets. It shows how Canadian aviation has grown over time.
A special part of the collection is the old "bushplanes." These planes were used in the 1920s to 1940s to fly into remote areas of Canada. You can also see military aircraft flown by Canadians in the First World War, Second World War, and the Cold War.
One of the most famous exhibits is parts of the Avro Arrow. This was a very advanced Canadian fighter jet from the 1950s.
The museum also has a piece of space history: the Canadarm. This is the robotic arm built in Canada for the Space Shuttle Endeavour. It was put on display in 2013. Astronaut Chris Hadfield even helped with the unveiling from the International Space Station!
When you visit, you can enjoy many activities. There are interactive displays about how planes fly. You can watch films, see demonstrations, and take guided tours. Some tours even take you "behind the scenes." You can see how experts work to fix and preserve old aircraft.
Museum Connections
The museum works with other groups to share its history. These include the CMA, the CHIN, and the Virtual Museum of Canada.
More to Explore
- Canada Science and Technology Museum Corporation
- History of aviation in Canada
- List of aerospace museums
- Military history of Canada
- Organization of Military Museums of Canada
