The museum is closed temporarily

The museum is closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about our reopening plans.

A museum employee standing in the building's solarium.

Beautiful Butterflies

Virtual Tour

Step into a tropical oasis where live butterflies flit around lush vegetation in this virtual tour video. (2 min. 26 sec.)

A museum employee standing in the building's atrium.

A Museum Steeped in History

Virtual Tour

Embark on this virtual museum tour and learn about Canada's temporary home of Parliament. (5 min. 56 sec.)

A museum employee poses in front of a vast painting in the Arctic Gallery.

Amazing Arctic

Virtual Tour

Impressive installations, artifacts and specimens are revealed in our virtual tour of the Museum's Arctic Gallery! (6 min. 07 sec.)

A museum employee poses next to the mountain sheep diorama in the Mammal Gallery.

Majestic Mammals

Virtual Tour

Get ''up close'' to Canada's iconic wildlife in our virtual tour of the Museum's Mammal Gallery! (3 min. 56 sec.)

A museum employee poses in front a blue whale skeleton in the water gallery.

Marvellous Marine Life

Virtual Tour

Get ''up close'' to a 19-metre real blue whale skeleton in our latest virtual tour!

A museum employee poses in front of dinosaur models in the fossil gallery.

Fabulous Fossils

Virtual Tour

Stroll past real dinosaur skeletons and other ancient fossils in our latest virtual tour!

Cool facts about the moon

Nature Scoop

Discover how the moon formed, what is the “man in the moon”, and more!

News

Macoun's Shining Moss: a lucky find. The only two instances in which this species, Neomacounia nitida, was collected were in 1862 and 1864 in Belleville by the renowned naturalist and botanist, John Macoun.

Statement from Canadian Museum of Nature on emergency financial support

Funding is received from the Government of Canada in response to the museum's closure due to COVID-19.

Update: COVID-19 Closure and Plans for Reopening

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the museum is temporarily closed. We look forward to welcoming you back in a way that provides both safe access to the museum as well as a healthy experience for visitors and staff. Learn more about our reopening plans.

Leaves of three – identifying Poison Ivy

“Leaves of three? Let it be!” Even though it can be challenging, learning to identify Poison Ivy could save you and the people around you a LOT of discomfort.

Get to Know our Experts through "Ask Me Anything"

Curious about plants, fish, small mammals and the people who study or work with them? Four of our experts have participated so far in "Ask Me Anything" on Instagram. Find out more.

Asian giant hornets in North America—a reality check

The discovery of Asian giant hornets (dubbed “murder” hornets) in British Columbia and Washington State have recently made headlines. We asked the museum's bee and wasp expert to give us the scoop on these winged newsmakers.

The Virtual Museum: Stay connected with videos, online activities and more!

While we remain closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, our museum continues to offer plenty of ways for you to be inspired by nature. We invite you to engage with us right from your home.

Canadian Museum of Nature seeks nature enthusiasts to record data for thousands of Arctic plants

Have an interest in plants? Keen on the Arctic? The musuem has a role for you! Anyone with internet access can join our “citizen-science” project to record online data for thousands of Arctic plants and lichens, some collected almost 200 years ago.

New weevil discoveries

Beetles are the most diverse group of insects. Among the beetles he studies, Museum entomologist Robert Anderson, Ph.D., has discovered and described more than 200 species of weevils. Learn about some interesting new specimens.

President's Reflections on 2019

Museum president Meg Beckel considers how staff contributed to each component of the museum's mission.