The Canadian War Museum is located just off the Trans Canadian Trail, which winds along the Ottawa River, and only about a 20-30 minute walk from Parliament Hill. At the time of this writing, the museum stays open late (until 8pm) on Thursdays, which makes it a perfect place to spend an evening after work if you are in the area. One of the largest and in my opinion best all around museums highlighting human conflict in the world, the Canadian War Museum houses vehicles, weapons, artwork, documents, uniforms, audio and visual works, and other artifacts from the late 1800s to the present. Officially established in 1942, the museum originates from a collection of military artifacts that began in 1880. In 2005, the museum opened the building in its current location, which itself is a piece of art. A few of the many highlights in this museum include the LaBreton Gallery, where you’ll find a CF-101 Jet hovering over a row of over 20 different tank models, Hitler’s Parade Car, a section of the Berlin Wall, and a Memorial Hall which holds a single artifact – The headstone of a Canadian unknown soldier from World War 1. This is a museum you could spend all day in, but if you have a few hours after work on a Thursday, I recommend you check this museum out.

SAS: 4