National museums of Canada facts for kids

The national museums of Canada are special places across Canada. They are like big treasure chests that hold important parts of Canada's history and culture. The Canadian government runs these nine museums. Their main job is to "keep and share the heritage of Canada and all its people." They also want to be a place for learning, research, and fun for everyone, in both English and French.

Canada has other museums run by the government too. For example, the Bank of Canada Museum and the Correctional Service of Canada Museum are not part of this group of national museums. Also, many National Historic Sites of Canada are run by Parks Canada, but they are different from the national museums.

A Look Back: How Canada's Museums Began

The First Steps of a National Museum

The idea for a "National Museum" in Canada started a long time ago. On May 16, 1856, the government decided to open a museum. This first museum was for the Geological Survey of Canada and was in Montreal. Montreal was the capital city back then.

Later, the museum moved to Ottawa. Over time, it started collecting more than just rocks and fossils. It grew to include many different things. On January 5, 1927, it officially became the National Museum of Canada.

How the Museums Were Organized

In 1967, a new group was created called the National Museums of Canada Corporation (NMC). This group helped manage several important museums. These included the National Gallery of Canada, the Canadian Museum of Civilization, and the Canadian Museum of Nature. It also included the National Museum of Science and Technology, which is now called the Canada Science and Technology Museum.

The NMC also looked after other important services. These included the Canadian Conservation Institute, which helps preserve old artifacts. It also managed a program to help other museums. This corporation officially started on April 1, 1968, and worked until 1988.

Explore Canada's National Museums

There are currently nine national museums in Canada. Seven of these museums are located in the National Capital Region, which includes Ottawa and Gatineau. One museum is in Western Canada, and another is in Atlantic Canada.

Four of these museums are run by their own special groups called Crown corporations. These groups report to the Canadian Parliament through the Minister of Canadian Heritage. For example, the Canadian Museum of History Corporation manages both the Canadian War Museum and the Canadian Museum of History. Another group, Ingenium, manages the three museums that focus on science and technology.

Image	Museum	Location	Established	Management
	Canada Agriculture and Food Museum	Ottawa, Ontario	1983	Ingenium
	Canada Aviation and Space Museum	Ottawa, Ontario	1982
	Canada Science and Technology Museum	Ottawa, Ontario	1968
	Canadian Museum of History	Gatineau, Quebec	1968	Canadian Museum of History corporation
	Canadian War Museum	Ottawa, Ontario	1942
	Canadian Museum for Human Rights	Winnipeg, Manitoba	2014	Independent Crown corporation
	Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21	Halifax, Nova Scotia	2011
	Canadian Museum of Nature	Ottawa, Ontario	1968
	National Gallery of Canada	Ottawa, Ontario	1880

See also

• List of museums in Canada
• List of museums in Ottawa
• Provincial and territorial museums of Canada
• Canadian Museums Association