National museums of Canada facts for kids

The national museums of Canada are nine special places across Canada. The Canadian government runs them. They are chosen under a law called the Museums Act. These museums help keep Canada's history and culture safe. They also share it with everyone. They want to inspire people, help with learning, and be fun. Everything is available in both English and French.

Canada has other museums run by the government too. For example, the Bank of Canada Museum in Ottawa is one. The Correctional Service of Canada Museum in Kingston is another. Also, Parks Canada runs many National Historic Sites of Canada. These are not part of the national museums system.

History of Canada's Museums

How the Museums Started

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

Later, the museum moved to Ottawa. It started to collect more than just rocks and minerals. On January 5, 1927, it officially became the National Museum of Canada. It was part of the government's Department of Mines.

The National Museums Group

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

The NMC also looked after other important services. These included the Canadian Conservation Institute. This group helped preserve old artifacts. The NMC officially started on April 1, 1968. It worked until 1988.

List of National Museums

Today, there are nine museums in the national museums system. Seven of these museums are located in the Ottawa area. One is in Western Canada, and one is in Atlantic Canada.

Four of the museums are independent. This means they manage themselves. They report to the Canadian Parliament. The Canadian Museum of History manages two museums. These are the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum. Another group called Ingenium manages three museums. These museums 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