Ottawa unveils 76 new museums in one day

Celebrating culture and creativity, Ottawa Tourism launches "Unofficial Museums"

Ottawa Tourism granted special museum status today to dozens of Ottawa festivals, restaurants, concert venues, and attractions as a way to shine a light on some of the city's cultural hidden gems. The Unofficial Museums campaign aims to attract travellers to Ottawa by celebrating culture and creativity in Canada's capital, all year long. To (re)discover the 76 new museums—as well as Ottawa's already famous institutions—visit heretoinspire.ca or ottawatourism.ca

To sweeten the pot even further, the 3rd Night on Us offer encourages visitors to stay longer and save: if they book a three or more night stay at a participating Ottawa hotel before October 10, 2022, the third night is on Ottawa Tourism.

"Seven of Canada's nine national museums are found in Ottawa, along with dozens of other notable museums and galleries," said Michael Crockatt, President and CEO of Ottawa Tourism. "We're proud of our museums—they're among the best in the world. By granting museum status to 76 grassroots institutions this summer, we're showing the world the range of cultural experiences that Canada's capital has to offer, and signaling to the world that Ottawa is ready for visitors."

The newly anointed museums include the Unofficial Museum of Croffles (First Bite Treats), where you can experience Ottawa's first-ever union of waffle and croissant, and the Unofficial Museum of Second-Hand Treasures (Highjinx), an antiques and vintage social enterprise shop where proceeds go towards providing food, clothing, and support to those in need within the community.

"Opening 76 museums in a day is an ambitious undertaking but we're an ambitious city," said Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson. "Tourism is a critical economic driver for Ottawa, and after a two-year disruption for restaurants, the arts, and live concerts, this is a big step towards recovery in our community.

"Ottawa has so much to offer in the way of arts, food, and music—this is our way of celebrating and giving back to those who work in the tourism industry and bring vibrancy to our amazing city," said Mayor Watson.

"We never expected our café to become a museum—let alone the Unofficial Museum of Croffles," said Elias Ali, co-owner of First Bite Treats. "We're delighted to participate in this celebration of Ottawa's people and businesses. We're ready for a great summer."

About Ottawa Tourism Ottawa Tourism provides destination development and marketing, strategic direction, and leadership in cooperation with its members and partners, welcoming leisure travellers, business travellers, group tours, and conventions to Ottawa and Canada's Capital Region. Its goal is to support the local tourism economy, fueled by an estimated 11 million visitors annually in recent years and with $3 billion in typical economic output for Ottawa, generating community prosperity through tourism. Ottawa Tourism's vision is to offer the complete capital experience, tell the story of Canada, and get people talking.