Welcome to edstudiO — where imagination meets transformation in the journey to reshape the future of education. It is a space for innovative educators and education researchers. Play, collaboration and interaction are central to the edstudiO experience, where the focus is on learning through playful engagement with state-of-the-art digital tools and physical materials.

Built in 1896, the gothic style building was dubbed Birkett’s Castle. The “Castle” has served as the Japanese Embassy and as headquarters of different organizations, such as the Canadian Boy Scouts Association and the Heritage Canada Foundation. In 1994 the Hungarian Government bought the building and since then it has been serving as the Residence of the Ambassador.

In 1866, Mother Marie of the Order of Our Lady of Charity came to Ottawa to conduct mission work in a building on this site. By 1877, a spacious new monastery building was constructed, which was further expanded in 1895. Following a devastating 1938 fire, the monastery was rebuilt. In 1972, the Chinese government purchased it as Chinese Embassy’s chancery. Pre-registration required, opening TBD.

Since the late 1940s, this building has housed three embassies — the Uruguayan Embassy, the Embassy of the Hungarian People’s Republic, and the current one. In 1995, the mansion was purchased and donated to the Republic of Armenia by a prominent Armenian-American businessman and philanthropist. Each year, they welcome hundreds of visitors interested in architecture and Armenian history.

Known as Toller House, this building was designed by Henry Horsey and J. Sheard in the domestic Gothic revival style. Many dignitaries lived here, including Frederic Toller, Auditor General of the Dominion’s Currency in the 1880s. In 1999, it opened as the Embassy of Croatia following an award-winning restoration. Guided tours will be offered for the ground level only.

Enriched Bread Artists is a not-for-profit collective of visual artists working in a range of media and techniques. It was formed in 1992 by graduates of the University of Ottawa looking for studio space and an artistic community beyond university. Today, its membership is global. The name refers to the former bread factory where these studios are located.

In 2023, the University of Ottawa inaugurated the Faculty of Health Sciences building, a state-of-the-art facility with modern architecture, designed to empower the next generation of health-care providers, professionals and researchers to build healthier, more resilient communities. Overlooking the Rideau River and surrounded by green spaces, this unique facility incorporates Indigenous design elements. The University of Ottawa welcomes the public discover this facility. 

Families and children of all ages are welcome to come spend some time in the forest! You will tour the interior and exterior spaces of the award winning Forest Explorers building, and a short walk away is the Ottawa Forest and Nature School area. Take part in a tour, story walk and step inside a yurt!

This site is an example of 1930s art deco, built primarily of materials from Quebec and France. Highlights include the Salon de l’hon. George W. Vari (formerly the Birch Bark room), a replica of the Vimy Memorial, bronze decorations by André Bizette-Lindet, wall engravings and murals. No strollers, backpacks, metal objects, food (including chewing gum) or drinks. Photography restricted. Registration Required.

Located in Stittsville, the Goulbourn Museum preserves and interprets materials from the Goulbourn Township area. Built in 1872, the building was once the old town hall for the former township. This popular community hub was home to council meetings, parties and dances. The adjacent office building is used as administrative offices, as well as the museum’s primary collections storage.

Originally built as the Ottawa Normal School, this site is now Ottawa City Hall. Built in the Gothic Renaissance style, it reflects the influence of the Parliament Buildings — with Italianate windows and Romanesque columns. Purchased by the municipality in 1987, the restored building opened as city hall in 2001, housing the offices of the Mayor, City Manager and City Clerk.

The design, architecture and interior shrines of this temple follow traditional Hindu architectural styles. Deities in these shrines are made of granite, marble and bronze. The large prayer hall hosts ceremonies throughout the year. The temple also houses a reference library on Hindu religion and philosophy. When visiting, everyone is required to remove their footwear.

The Ingenium Centre houses Canada’s science and technology collection, with more than two million archival, trade literature and library materials, and more than 150,000 artifacts. The Centre provides a controlled environment to protect the artifacts for the benefit of generations to come. It is designed to properly house artifacts made of materials such as plastic, wood, paper, textiles and ivory.

Established in 1992, the Jami Omar Mosque was located inside a renovated bungalow. In 2003, construction began on a new mosque located on the same property. Over the next 15 years, the new and much larger mosque was constructed. It provides various services for the community — including marriages, family counselling and funeral services.

Kadampa Meditation Centre of Ottawa (formerly Joyful Land Buddhist Centre) is the focal point for the Ottawa community of the modern tradition of Mahayana Buddhism called the New Kadampa Tradition. Housed in a classical Victorian red-brick building in Chinatown, it features a beautiful shrine with Buddha statues. Chat with members of the Buddhist community and learn about their many programs.

Part of the Beaverbrook community since opening in 1987, visitors will have the opportunity to explore the sanctuary, multi-purpose spaces, community areas and grounds, and to learn how the building supports worship, outreach initiatives, concerts and neighbourhood gatherings.

Knox Presbyterian Church is known for its high-quality building materials, beautiful interiors and gorgeous stained glass. The interior features Italian marble, British Columbia cedar and redwood, and British lantern lights in the sanctuary. Two stained-glass windows are illuminated from the east and west, highlighting the life of Jesus and the Book of Revelation. Nepean fieldstone was used for the exterior.

The Booth Mansion, built in 1906, now serves as the Ottawa campus of the Laurentian Leadership Centre (LLC) of Trinity Western University. The LLC offers a live-in academic program that combines field placements, upper-level coursework, and community living in this historic mansion. Through the LLC program, students gain work experience through placements across politics, advocacy, media, NGOs, and the private sector.

Laurier House commemorates two of Canada’s most notable prime ministers — Sir Wilfrid Laurier and the Right Honourable William Lyon Mackenzie King. For over 50 years, from 1897 to 1948, the house occupied a central position in Canada’s political life as the residence of Laurier and, after his death, of Mackenzie King.

The Library and Archives Canada is in a prominent structure, comprising two symmetrical four-storey wings that wrap around a central nine-storey tower block. It’s located at the western extremity of Ottawa’s Parliamentary Precinct overlooking the Ottawa River. Clad in grey granite, the building is accented with polished granite panels and brushed aluminum railings. The building houses the National Library collection.

Discover the interim main library inside a former bank — designed in 1924 by John MacIntosh Lyle, one of Canada’s leading beaux-arts architects. In this unique setting, where modernism rubs against a classical esthetic, you will learn about the Library of Parliament’s collections and services as well as have a look inside its reading room, upgraded in 2018.

Ottawa’s first high school has occupied this prime downtown location alongside the Rideau Canal since 1874. The Gothic revival building has been extended and renovated several times. It has many distinct architectural features — including an impressive 660-seat auditorium that maintains much of its original character, and an attic that students used as a shooting range during the Second World War.

Bientôt!

Nepean High School opened its doors in September 1923, welcoming students from all corners of Nepean Township. Visitors will learn about the caretaker and his wife who lived in the school, the students who served in the Second World War, an airplane built by cadets in the school basement and more fascinating stories from the past told by students from the present.

This sailing club is a family-oriented, volunteer-based organization dedicated to promoting and encouraging active participation in the sport of sailing and recreational boating. Since opening, the club has provided a range of cutting-edge public and member programs, as well as hosting important aquatic events and national regattas. The terrace offers stunning views of the Ottawa River.