Located on level two of the splendid Canadian Museum of Civilization is a little gem known as the Canadian Children’s Museum. Opened in 1989, the Children’s Museum has grown over the years to nearly three times its original size. Featuring many real artifacts from the museum’s collection, the museum emphasizes hand-on learning as a way of “enriching children’s lives and broadening their cultural experience.” A visit to the museum is a kind of trip around the world, or world’s fair, in miniature – fun for parents and kids alike.
At the gate, kids are given a passport in which they can collect “visas” from exotic places located along a network of streets and alleys that zigzag around the museum. There are shops and market stalls, fountains, and all kinds of colourful things to see. Kids can ride a decorated bus in Pakistan, explore a temple in Egypt, play parchisi in India, sit in a street café, visit a bazaar, travel to the desert, and much more. Everything here is hands-on!
The museum also regularly hosts performances, music, storytelling, workshops, and other activities especially designed for children (please check schedule for dates, times, and fees). Families planning a visit should allow for between two and three hours. Young children must be accompanied by an adult.
The Canadian Children’s Museum is located just across the Interprovincial Bridge at 100 Laurier Street, in Gatineau. Admission is included in the price of admission to the Canadian Museum of Civilization.
For fees and opening hours, call (819) 776-7001, or click here:www.civilization.ca/mce_ccm/mce_ccme.asp