Rideau Hall has been the official residence of every Governor General of Canada since 1867, and their workplace since 1940. It has nearly two centuries of history, and has become an important gathering place and site of official activities. The grounds, the building and its interiors have evolved over time to reflect/reinforce Rideau Hall’s identity as a national symbol.

Built in 1860 along the shores of the Rideau River, Watson’s Mill remains active as a water-powered flour mill. Nearby Dickinson House, built in 1867, displays the heritage home of the past mill owners. Dickinson Square is the only industrial heritage site in Ottawa. The site comes to life through tours by costumed interpreters and milling demonstrations.

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.

The official name of the Canadian Museum of Nature building is the Victoria Memorial Museum Building. Most of the exhibitions and programs are offered here. This museum is proud to reside in the first building in Canada created to house a national museum. It is a national historic site and the birthplace of Canada's national museums. The Victoria Memorial Museum Building's chief architect and designer, David Ewart, created a fanciful castle-like structure that has been described as Scottish baronial in design. Ewart's structures reflect the Romanesque and medieval styles of Europe, with a combination of Tudor and Gothic features. The massing and interior articulation of the building are influenced by the beaux-arts style, which stressed symmetrical, axial plans. The architecture was intended to mirror the Centre Block of Canada's original Parliament Buildings, one mile due north of the museum's site. Despite the influence of European styles, the building is firmly rooted in Canadian reality. It is one of the first public buildings to incorporate into its design animals and plants found in Canada – in windows, exterior walls and interior embellishments, as well as the two carved moose heads that guard the main entrance. Renewal of the museum was completed and the renovated museum building was celebrated on May 22, 2010 – the International Day for Biological Diversity. The Queen dedicated the new glass tower, called the Queens' Lantern, named for both Victoria and Elizabeth II. For Digital Doors Open, visitors can watch the video below to learn more about this engaging museum. Or they can take a 3D self-guided tour and wander the halls to explore the galleries and spaces. Or take a fun and interactive virtual tour of the museum's Natural Heritage Campus and go behind the scenes to see treasures from their collections.

Built in 1872, this church was constructed to harmonize with the new Parliament buildings. Named the Cathedral of the Diocese in 1897, it continues to nurture faith in creative and traditional ways. Architectural features include soaring ceilings, magnificent windows and the bell tower, home to the 516-pound bronze bell cast for the original church in 1839.

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.

The Ottawa Muslim Association and the Ottawa Mosque was incorporated in 1964 as a charitable organization, with its first phase completed in 1970. The Ottawa Mosque is the first and the oldest mosque in the city, and is one of the oldest in Canada. Its distinct architectural design includes a two-storey prayer hall, library, minaret, central dome and multi-purpose basement.

In 1978, Ottawa’s mayor recommended establishing a municipal arts centre, arts council, arts festival and a permanent art collection for the city. This building initially served as the Carleton County Court House, purpose-built in 1870-71. It was slated for demolition in 1980, but it was saved by the city and turned into the Arts Court. It officially opened in 1988.

Chaudière Falls is a subsidiary of Hydro Ottawa Holdings Inc. and is a 29-megawatt hydroelectric facility that feeds into the provincial grid and powers 20,000 homes with clean, renewable energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 115,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide every year. Built entirely below ground, this facility was designed to have minimal-to-zero impacts on the visual, natural and aquatic environments. To ensure safe fish passage through the facility, they have incorporated leading technological solutions to protect migrating American eel, endangered under the Ontario Endangered Species Act (ESA). In addition, there are new spawning beds being built downstream to promote the recovery efforts associated with sturgeon (also endangered under the ESA). Chaudière Falls is home to Canada’s oldest hydroelectric station still in operation. It was responsible for lighting Ottawa’s streets with electricity and fuelled the industrial explosion of the mid-1800s by providing water power for the vast complex of lumber mills that once occupied the shoreline of the Ottawa River. The new site offers safe viewing platforms and greater public access in the form of a defined corridor on the roof of the new below-grade hydro facility. A new bridge across the intake canal is open for pedestrian and cyclist traffic. Using a restorative philosophy, they are maintaining elements of the city’s industrial past, including refurbishing the site’s oldest buildings that survived the Great Fire of 1900. As part of Digital Doors Open, enjoy a virtual tour of this site.

OC Transpo’s 360-degree tour gives you a first-person view of these O-Train Line 1 stations. Please note, footage featured in the online tour was filmed prior to the September 2019 O-Train Line 1 launch. As the easternmost point of the O-Train Line 1, Blair Station is one of the system’s busiest transit hubs. It offers easy transfers between light rail and buses, as well as access to local commercial and residential areas. Lyon Station is an underground station just a few steps away from Sparks Street. A special feature is the non-integrated art piece called With Words as their Actions, created by PLANT, in Toronto. It celebrates women as keepers of history – and in particular, the 32 women who, in 1898, founded the Ottawa chapter of the Women’s Canadian Historical Society (now the Historical Society of Ottawa). Using the tour is simple: you can use your mouse to travel through the interior and change levels by clicking the station level guide in the bottom left corner. To read more about station features, click on the red and white O button seen throughout the station.

The AIDS Committee of Ottawa has served the community for nearly 40 years, providing support, prevention, education and outreach services that promote the holistic well-being of those living with, affected by, impacted by and at risk of HIV/AIDS in Ottawa. Overlooking the Rideau Canal, this home offers services such as subsidized gym memberships, food bank, laundry and office support.

Public Services and Procurement Canada is delighted to offer a behind-the-scenes look at the work taking place at the Parliament Building (Centre Block) as part of this year’s Doors Open Ottawa. Centre Block is a familiar sight to many Canadians. And construction is well underway to restore and modernize it. Doors Open participants will discover Centre Block like never before!

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.

Built in 2011, the design of the Ottawa Humane Society celebrates its strong community values and commitment to the animals. The Shirley Kearns Memorial Adoption Centre was built to provide easy viewing and visiting of animals available for adoption. In the adoption centre, cats, dogs and small animals are housed in separate areas with rooms and enclosures designed to meet the animals’ daily needs. The education centre – a large, open, naturally lit room – hosts a variety of workshops and camps to teach pet owners about responsible pet ownership and animal welfare. In a modern clinic facility, veterinarians provide regular and emergency medical treatment for animals in shelter care. The clinic includes a critical care unit for Ottawa’s neediest animals, an X-ray room and surgery theatre. Before animals are ready for adoption, they are housed in the holding area. Holding is set up with high-volume/high-changeover air handling systems and full sanitary and wash-down facilities to provide maximum sanitation and to prevent the spread of disease. Administration is adjacent to the adoption centre and holding area to allow ease of access for staff and volunteers to the animal areas. The interconnected design promotes a strong connection between staff of various departments, volunteers and the public. During Digital Doors Open, take a virtual tour of the site and learn more about the important work that they do.

The Senate of Canada Building is full of history, art, architecture and parliamentary treasures. It is the Senate’s temporary home in downtown Ottawa, while its permanent home (the Centre Block building with the Peace Tower) is closed for major rehabilitation work. Over the years, this building has hosted many important national events (the repatriation of the Canadian constitution) and has served many different functions (it opened in 1912 as a train station). Today, as the temporary home of the Senate, you can explore — through this virtual tour — where the Senate works.

This site is a unique, non-denominational place of worship. Sathya Sai Baba’s life message is to "love all, serve all" and "help ever, hurt never," strongly promoting the unity of faiths as depicted through symbols and messages on the centre’s pillar. During your Doors Open visit, explore the stupa at the entrance, the main prayer hall, library and classrooms.

The United States has had an official diplomatic presence in Canada since 1827. Built in 1969, the current building creates a bridge between places, peoples and ideas. Symbolizing a bridge, the building stands for partnership and alliance. As a work of architecture, the magnificence of the building is indicative of the significant relationship that the United States has with Canada.

The main house here is considered to be one of the oldest homes in Ottawa. The Billings family lived here for five generations. Once a large agricultural property, parts of the estate were given to different family members or sold off. Today, what remains is a museum, several outbuildings and a cemetery for more than 140 community and family members.

The Ottawa Mission, established in 1906, has been at this location since 1912. It comprises a small network of buildings, including the 1861 grey stone building that was designated in 1991. The red-brick structure is the main shelter building where the dormitories are located. Modern extensions have been added over the years, including a hospice, health clinic and learning centre.

This Centre operates in a beautiful historical building in downtown Ottawa. They provide evidence-informed integrative medicine, research and education across the spectrum of chronic and acute health-care conditions — such as cancer, cardiovascular health, mental health, thyroid health, women’s health, diabetes and more. Their approach emphasizes quality of life, support for the body, care of the spirit and active disease prevention.

Visit this unique museum to view collections that show how scouting contributed to Canada’s heritage while helping to develop youth into valued citizens. See displays of photos, uniforms, badges, scrapbooks, diaries and other memorabilia. The museum also houses their own amateur radio station (VE3SHQ), which allows youth to participate in the largest on-air and on-the-internet scout gatherings in the world.

The Ottawa Wedding Chapel was built in 1907 and served most of its life as Castor Valley Baptist church. In 2012, it was restored and opened as a venue for weddings and other gatherings. Check out the stunning stained-glass windows, the beautiful woodwork throughout, and the incredible acoustics. They host 45-50 wedding ceremonies of all sizes here each year.

The Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG) is home to the art and artists of the Ottawa-Gatineau region, now housing a collection that numbers over 1,450 works — including paintings, sculpture, graphic arts, photographs and new media. In April 2018, OAG opened this modern purpose-built space. The gallery explores and reflects on diversity and social change through a spectrum of visual arts practices.

Operating since 1973, the Osgoode Township Museum presents the story of Ottawa South’s agricultural and rural heritage. The main museum building is a mid-century two-room schoolhouse that holds the collection of nearly 11,000 artifacts. Explore the galleries, gift shop and research library during your visit. Then step outside and wander through the Agricultural Barn and discover their vast farming collection.

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.