Having celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2005, the National Gallery of Canada is a striking landmark against the Capital's skyline. Designed by architect Moshe Safdie and opened in 1988 at its current location on Sussex Drive, this treasure house in granite and glass is the home of Canada's exceptional art collection.

Light, spacious galleries and quiet courtyards lead you on a voyage of discovery through the Canadian collection, a reflection of the rich diversity of Canada's heritage and culture. Over 1,200 works from the permanent collection are on view. Special exhibitions highlight the work of Canadian and international artists.

Explore the world's most extensive collection of Canadian art. From the religious art of the past to the avant-garde of today, the Gallery offers a journey of exploration through the collective imagination of Canadian artists.

Open

1 May to 30 September: Open daily from 10 am to 5 pm, to 8 pm on Thursday

1 October to 30 April: Open Wednesday from 10 am to 5 pm, to 8 pm on Thursday. Closed Monday and Tuesday.

Exceptions: Open Thanksgiving Monday, Remembrance Day starting at noon, 26-31 December, during the March Break (Ontario and Quebec), and Easter Monday. Closed 25 December, 1st January and Good Friday.

Cost

Permanent collection: Adults $9, Seniors and students $7, Youths (12-19 years) $4, Family (2 adults, 3 youths) $18. Free for children under 12 and Friends of the National Gallery of Canada. Free for everyone on Thursdays after 5 pm..

Special exhibitions*: Adults $15, Seniors and students (with ID) $12, Youths (12-19 years) $7, Family (2 adults, 3 youths) $30. Free for children under 12 and Friends of the National Gallery of Canada.
* Includes admission to the NGC Permanent Collection

Services
A fine bookstore, an extensive library, a choice of restaurants and paying parking. Wheelchair access.

October 1 to April 30, English and French tours are offered Wednesday to Sunday at 2 pm, and at 11 am and 2 pm from May 1 to September 30.
 

Groups
Call (613) 990-4888 three weeks in advance for reservations.

Did You Know?

• The Great Hall's soaring glass ceiling and walls echo the contours of the Library of Parliament, just to the southwest. 
• At the heart of the Canadian Galleries lies a unique treasure, the reconstructed 19th century Rideau Street Chapel. The girls’ school convent was demolished in 1972, but a group of citizens saved the chapel. More than one thousand pieces were put in storage and painstakingly restored and reassembled in time for the opening of the National Gallery's permanent home in May 1988.
• Electronically-controlled blinds and diffusing lenses protect the art from too much sunlight. The lower galleries are partly lit by daylight through an ingenious system of skylights and mirrored light shafts.
• Many of the paintings in the Gallery's collection of Canadian art have been reproduced on Canadian postage stamps.
• Voice of Fire, the controversial 18-foot painting by Barnett Newman which dominates the gallery dedicated to American Expressionism, was first exhibited at Expo '67 in Montreal.

As a national museum, the National Gallery of Canada cooperates with a vast network of art museums in all regions of this country and abroad. It fosters the interplay of artist, public, critic, educator, and curator in Canada and the world.

The National Gallery of Canada exemplifies the place of art in the life of Canadians, and the place of Canadians in the world of art.

Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven, Emily Carr, Alfred Pellan, Elizabeth Wyn Wood, Jean-Paul Riopelle, Frances Loring, Michael Snow, Guido Molinari, Ozias Leduc, Jack Shadbolt, L.L. FitzGerald, Jean-Paul Lemieux: these are but a few of the many artists represented in the large rooms devoted to Canadian art. The arrangement respects both chronology and regional characteristics which reflect the many facets of the Canadian creative spirit.

In the European and American Galleries you will find masterpieces of painting and sculpture from the Middle Ages to the present.

The National Gallery of Canada exemplifies the place of art in the life of Canadians, and the place of Canadians in the world of art. Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven, Emily Carr, Alfred Pellan, Elizabeth Wyn Wood, Jean-Paul Riopelle, Frances Loring, Michael Snow, Guido Molinari, Ozias Leduc, Jack Shadbolt, L.L. FitzGerald, Jean-Paul Lemieux: these are but a few of the many artists represented in the large rooms devoted to Canadian art.

The collection of contemporary Inuit art attests to the vitality of the fine arts in the Arctic and in particular to the imagination and talent of its artists, as expressed in stone, bone, drawings, prints and textiles. The works in this collection are on display in the Inuit Galleries.

The works in the Contemporary Art Galleries prompt surprise, humour and reflection. The emphasis of the collection is on Canadian art and includes films, sound recordings, videos, multi-media installations and works on paper, produced from the early 1960s to the present

Intimate spaces complement the Gallery's collection of Prints, Drawings and Photographs made by international artists.

Winter, Summer and Fall exhibitions are presented in the Special Exhibition Galleries. Organized by the National Gallery of Canada and with museums around the world these exhibitions highlight the work of Canadian and international artists.

Public Programs

Excellent education and performing arts programs stimulate the appreciation and enjoyment of art. Visitors of all ages can participate in studio activities, workshops, lectures, films, "Meet the Artist" and "Meet the Curator" talks, gallery tours, and concerts.