Ottawa Attractions & Things to Do in Downtown
Find the best attractions in Downtown, Ottawa.
Canadian Museum of Nature
Canada's national natural history museum, housed in a landmark Victorian sandstone building. Features dinosaur fossils, a blue whale skeleton, the world's largest display of Canadian birds, and an Arctic gallery. Free Thursday evenings 5-8 PM for all.
Canadian War Museum
Canada's national museum of military history, featuring four chronological galleries, a massive vehicle hall, and the architecturally striking Memorial Hall. Free admission every Thursday 5-7 PM.
National Gallery of Canada
Canada's premier art museum, housed in a landmark Moshe Safdie glass-and-granite building on Sussex Drive. Home to the world's most comprehensive collection of Canadian and Indigenous art, plus European masterworks and contemporary pieces — over 93,000 works in total. Free every Thursday evening 5–8 PM.
CF Rideau Centre
Ottawa's largest downtown shopping centre with 175+ stores on three levels, directly connected to the O-Train's Rideau Station. Features anchor stores Simons and Hudson's Bay, an 850-seat dining hall, and indoor walkways to the ByWard Market, Westin Ottawa, and Shaw Centre.
Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica
Ottawa's oldest and most architecturally significant church, designated a National Historic Site in 1990. The Gothic Revival basilica features twin 54.5-metre spires, 17 stained glass windows by Guido Nincheri, 30 life-sized carved wooden figures, and a vaulted ceiling painted blue with gold stars. Free to visit.
National War Memorial
Canada's national monument honouring those who have served and died in all conflicts, centred on a 16-metre granite arch with 22 bronze figures by sculptor Vernon March. Unveiled by King George VI in 1939, it includes the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (added 2000). Sentries stand guard daily from April to November.
ByWard Market
One of Canada's oldest and largest public markets, established in 1826. Home to over 600 businesses including restaurants, boutiques, and a year-round indoor market with seasonal outdoor vendors.
Fairmont Château Laurier
One of Canada's most iconic hotels and a National Historic Site since 1981. The 1912 Châteauesque limestone building sits between Parliament Hill and the Rideau Canal locks, with a lobby, restaurants, and public spaces open to all visitors.
Level One Game Pub
Downtown game pub with 800+ board games and 300+ video games in a 150-year-old building, with discounted entry for kids under 12.
Trapped Ottawa
Downtown escape room with 5 themed rooms (60-90 min), a full bar and lounge, party rooms, and birthday person plays free.
Bank of Canada Museum
A free, interactive museum exploring economics and monetary history. Home to the National Currency Collection with over 110,000 artifacts, plus hands-on exhibits including a rocket ship inflation simulator and a design-your-own banknote station.
Absolute Comedy
Ottawa's oldest dedicated stand-up comedy club in Little Italy, operating since 2004 with Pro-Am Wednesdays and headliner shows Thursday through Sunday.
National Arts Centre
Canada's bilingual, multi-disciplinary home for the performing arts, featuring four performance venues, the NAC Orchestra, and the 1 Elgin restaurant with Rideau Canal views. A National Historic Site with Brutalist architecture and a striking 2017 glass addition by Diamond Schmitt Architects.
Ottawa Art Gallery
Ottawa's municipal art gallery, always free to visit. Features rotating exhibitions of Canadian, local, and international contemporary art. Open late Wednesday through Saturday until 9 PM. Located downtown near the Rideau Centre.
Den Den Claw
Japanese-style claw machine arcade in Chinatown with UFO catchers, gachapon, photo booth, and an artist alley. All ages welcome.
ByTowne Cinema
A beloved single-screen repertory cinema on Rideau Street, showing independent, foreign, and art-house films since 1947. One of Ottawa's most cherished cultural institutions with 650 seats.
Escape Manor (Elgin)
Escape Manor's flagship on Elgin Street with 6 themed rooms (including 19+ Flight 69), plus a lounge with darts, trivia, and live music.
Jigsaw Escape Rooms
Ottawa's largest escape room selection with 10 themed rooms in ByWard Market — horror, mystery, and adventure at $32.99/person.
Sparks Street
Canada's first permanent pedestrian mall, established in 1967. The car-free promenade stretches four blocks between Elgin and Lyon streets, one block south of Parliament Hill. Features heritage buildings, restaurant patios, and summer festivals including the Ottawa International Buskerfest.
MacLaren's on Elgin
Elgin Street sports bar and pool hall with 25 tables, 30+ 4K TVs, and a full kitchen — on Sens Mile since 1997.
Gladstone Theatre
Ottawa's premier 230-seat independent theatre in Little Italy, home to Phoenix Players, TotoToo, Elevator Theatre Company, and other local companies since 2011.
Bronson Centre Music Theatre
A 900+ capacity mid-size concert venue inside a heritage former high school on Bronson Avenue, programming rock, country, folk, and electronica touring acts.
Ottawa Little Theatre
Canada's longest continuously running community theatre (since 1913) — a 382-seat auditorium on King Edward Avenue presenting 9 plays per season in 3-week runs.
The Orange Monkey Bar & Billiards
Ottawa's snooker destination since 1986 with 14 pool tables, 6 snooker tables, darts, Sunday all-you-can-play, and Canadian Snooker Championships hosted here.
The Lookout Bar
Ottawa's premier LGBTQ+ bar since 1996 with free drag shows Friday and Saturday nights, karaoke, and multiple FACES Magazine
Swizzles Bar & Grill
Ottawa's self-proclaimed "Only Bias-Free Bar" — an LGBTQ+ community hub with karaoke, drag shows, comedy, live music, and charity events.
Aventure Outaouais
Guided wine and cider tours in the Ottawa-Gatineau region. 7-hour tours with minibus, 3 vineyard stops, 11+ tastings, and food. $160 per person with hotel pickup.
C'est Bon Ottawa
Cooking classes and food tours in the ByWard Market since 2009. Private group events for up to 30 people with customizable menus.
Holtz Spa
Ottawa's largest full-service day spa in a 1870s Victorian mansion in ByWard Market — 10,000 sq ft with massages, facials, salon, and restaurant.
LIVE! on Elgin
Ottawa's premier small listening room on Elgin Street with nightly live performances, free Tuesday open mic, and a premium sound system.
Arts Court
A historic downtown arts hub at Daly and Nicholas housing Club SAW, Ottawa Dance Directive, the Ottawa Fringe Festival, ArtEngine, and more under one roof.
Jazz@248
Ottawa's only dedicated jazz club with live jazz 6 nights a week, open jam sessions, and family stage sessions on weekends.
Club SAW (Arts Court)
A ~300-capacity performance venue inside Arts Court programming indie concerts, DJ sets, experimental theatre, film, and comedy — run by the SAW artist-run centre.
SAW Gallery
Artist-run centre since 1973 at Arts Court with 15,000 sq ft of politically engaged contemporary art, live performances, and pay-what-you-can admission.
Laugh Lounge Comedy Club
New premium comedy club in ByWard Market (opened 2023-2024) with Thursday-Sunday pro stand-up shows and full food and drink service during performances.
City at Night
Ottawa's premier EDM nightclub on Slater Street with laser shows, immersive lighting, and top local and international DJs.
Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre
An 800-seat 1912 Romanesque Byzantine heritage building on Lisgar Street, operated as Carleton University's downtown arts centre since 2018 — known for exceptional acoustics.
La Nouvelle Scène Gilles Desjardins
Ottawa's francophone theatre centre — two studio theatres (173 + 80 seats), a bar/terrace, and interior courtyard. Home to Théâtre du Trillium, Vieille 17, Vox Théâtre, and Catapulte.
Supreme Court of Canada
Canada's highest court, housed in an Art Deco building designed by Ernest Cormier with a distinctive Château-style copper roof. Free guided tours take visitors through the marble lobby and the black-walnut-panelled main courtroom. Public hearings are also open to attend.
Parliament Hill
Canada's seat of federal government and a National Historic Site, featuring the iconic Peace Tower, the Centennial Flame, and free guided tours of the West Block and Senate. Centre Block is closed for renovation until the early 2030s.
St. Brigid''s Centre for the Arts
An 1890 former Irish Catholic church repurposed as Ottawa's Irish-Canadian cultural centre — 700-seat concert hall and 260-seat Kildare Room for concerts, weddings, and exhibitions.
Room 104
19+ retro arcade bar in ByWard Market with classic games, air hockey, foosball, 100+ shots, and 1980s pop culture decor.
Klimat 2.0
A modern bouldering gym in downtown Ottawa combining climbing with a full fitness centre, studio classes, and an on-site cafe.
The 27 Club
The legendary Zaphod Beeblebrox reborn as The 27 Club — live music, DJ sets, and theme nights (Emo Night, tribute shows) in an industrial-design space on York Street.
NUVO Lounge 295
ByWard Market lounge club specializing in Afrobeats, Hip Hop, and Dancehall with VIP bottle service and monthly Comedy Culture Club stand-up nights.
Happy Fish Elgin
Elgin Street nightclub with green velvet interiors, vintage chandeliers, a hidden patio, and Thursday drink specials starting at $4.
Berlin Nightclub
Three-venue nightclub complex in ByWard Market — Berlin (main floor), KRUSCH (cocktail bar), and theUNDERGROUND (house sub-genres) — carrying the Mercury Lounge legacy.
Birdie House
A 24/7 unmanned TrackMan iO indoor golf facility with 8 private bays next to the RA Centre.
City Gridwrks
Underground electronic music venue opened March 2026 on Rideau Street, run by the City at Night team in the former Mavericks space.
The Palace Restaurant & Lounge
Two-storey upscale nightclub and African cuisine restaurant on Dalhousie Street with ~500 capacity, state-of-the-art production, and VIP service.
Sky Lounge
ByWard Market's only convertible rooftop nightclub with sliding windows, York Street views, and electronic, hip-hop, and pop music.
The Show
Ottawa's largest nightclub in the heart of ByWard Market, popular with university students for EDM, pop, and high-energy nights.
Gallery 101
Non-profit artist-run centre since 1979 in Centretown with free admission showing contemporary visual, media, sound, and video art.
Cultures Comedy Club
Ottawa's multicultural comedy club in ByWard Market with weekly Saturday shows in both English and French — founded 2023 with a BIPOC focus.
Bytown Museum
Ottawa's oldest history museum, housed in the 1827 Commissariat Building at the foot of the Ottawa Locks. Tells the story of how Bytown became Canada's capital, from the construction of the Rideau Canal through the city's transformation into Ottawa.
Laurier House High Tea on the Veranda
A seasonal high tea (May–September) on the veranda of Laurier House — former home of two Canadian Prime Ministers — with live jazz, fine china, and mansion tour included.
Ottawa Palapa Tours
Hawaiian-style floating tiki bar on the Ottawa River. 90-minute cruises with Parliament Hill views, a licensed bar, and private charter options.