Bank of Canada Museum / Musée de la Banque du Canada — Attraction in Ottawa

Our visit to the Bank of Canada Museum was a refreshing and educational highlight during our trip to Ottawa. Located just steps from Parliament Hill, this modern, well-curated museum offers deep insights into the history, mechanics, and future of Canada’s economy—making it a must-visit, especially for those with an interest in finance, currency, or global economic systems.

From the moment we entered, the museum impressed us with its interactive displays, rich visuals, and multilingual audio guides. The museum does an excellent job of demystifying complex topics like inflation, trade, employment, and economic planning. Exhibits such as “What a Coin is Worth” and “Engines of the Economy” explain how currency has evolved over time and how national economies are built and sustained.

One of the most nostalgic moments for us was seeing preserved currencies from around the world, including India’s now-discontinued 500 and 1000 rupee notes. It brought back memories and highlighted the global nature of economic history. Other intriguing exhibits included a historic balance scale, antique cash registers, and a beautifully detailed silver teapot with royal engravings symbolizing past presentations or ceremonial use.

The museum also features: • Large-scale digital maps showing immigration and global trade patterns • Insights into Canada’s Great Depression, economic recessions, and recovery strategies • Real-time, forward-looking audio-visual content about Canada’s future economic priorities • Touch-screen games and quizzes that make the visit engaging for both adults and children

There is also a souvenir shop inside the museum, offering currency-themed memorabilia and educational gifts.

As a family with a young child, we appreciated that the museum was fully stroller-accessible, air-conditioned, and clean with well-organized pathways. I personally would have loved to spend an entire day exploring each exhibit in depth, but with a family schedule to balance, we made the most of a half-day visit.

The Bank of Canada Museum goes far beyond just displaying money. It narrates the story of Canada’s economy, its global connections, and the vital role of trust, governance, and innovation in monetary systems. Whether you’re a history buff, finance professional, student, or curious visitor, this museum delivers a rich and...

Bank of Canada Museum can be found on at 30 Bank Street, at the corner of Bank and Wellington streets, they are at the west end of Parliament Hill and just off the Sparks Street Mall. Look for the glass pyramid structure facing Bank Street.

It is billed as a place to help you understand what the Bank of Canada does and how it matters to you.

The permanent exhibition is the heart of your Bank of Canada Museum visit and we’ve designed it as a journey that takes you from an understanding of your role in the economy to a broader understanding of Canada’s role in the world economy and how the Bank helps it all run smoothly. Getting there is, of course, half the fun and here are a few attractions you’ll see along the route.

What I enjoyed most was the COMPLETE BANK NOTE SERIES This is the Bank of Canada’s portfolio. We’re very proud of it. Every denomination from every series on up to today can be found here. You can be proud as well: each of these notes represents a little bit of Canada, a bit of Canadian history and a bit of who we are.

You can easily spend 2 or 3 hours in this air conditioned museum. It's free and information is available in both...

Museum with lots of interactivity and tech, good for kids, but I'm not sure how well it actually teaches economics. Granted, it's extremely hard to turn what normally requires a textbook and graphs into a kid-friendly museum, but they definitely could have done better. Everything feels very scattered and isn't taught in a flowing progression -- there's a bit on the history of currency, a bit on inflation, etc, but it's not tied together. Kids come away with a vague impression of how everything is "interconnected" which is, you know, true, but doesn't actually help them understand the economy that much. As someone who studies econ, I think it's astonishing how the general public has no idea what economics is and what public policy and the BoC does, and I think it's really important to teach people about it. There's so much potential here with funding and tech, but it isn't used in a way that reaches it goal of giving the public an understanding of what the Bank of Canada does and what economics is. A team of teachers and professors needs to be involved in...