Things to do in Ottawa for free this summer

People visit the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa on Friday, July 16, 2021. (Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at things you can do for free in Ottawa this summer.

Canada Strong Pass

The Canada Strong Pass offers free admission for children and youth 17 and under at national museums this summer in the national capital region.

Admission is free for those 17 and under at the following museums:

• Canada Agriculture and Food Museum
• Canada Aviation and Space Museum
• Canadian Museum of History
• Canadian Museum of Nature
• Canada Science and Technology Museum
• Canadian War Museum
• National Gallery of Canada

The Canada Strong Pass also offers a 50 per cent discount on admission to national museums for those 18 to 24 years old.

As part of the Canada Strong Pass, children and youth 17 and under can visit the following museums for free.

• Upper Canada Village in Morrisburg
• Fort Henry in Kingston

The Canada Strong Pass is available until Sept. 7.

OC Transpo

Children and youth can ride OC Transpo for free this summer.

The transit service is offering free rides for youth ages 11 to 18 on buses, the O-Train lines and Para Transpo.

You will need a Presto card to access the free transit.

Museums

Museums in the national capital region offer free admission for adults during the following periods over the summer:

• Canadian Museum of Nature Admission is free to all permanent galleries on Thursday evenings between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.
• Canada Agriculture and Food Museum Admission is free daily between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.
• Canada Science and Technology Museum Admission is free daily between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.
• Canada Aviation and Space Museum Admission is free daily between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.
• Canadian War Museum Admission is free on Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. A timed ticket is required.
• Canadian Museum of History Admission is free on Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. A timed ticket is required.
• National Gallery of Canada Admission is free to all visitors every Thursday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Ottawa Art Gallery – Admission is always free to the Ottawa Art Gallery. Donations are welcome.
• The Bank of Canada Museum on Bank Street is always free admission.

Beach season

You can spend a day at the beach, wading pool, splash pad or at National Capital Commission swimming docks in Ottawa this summer.

Admission is free.

The City of Ottawa’s beaches at Britannia Beach, Mooney’s Bay, Westboro Beach and Petrie Island will be open daily, with lifeguards on duty from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The NCC offers swimming at the following locations:

• Canadian Museum of History Dock (unsupervised deep-water swim area)
• East Warf Dock at the Ottawa Locks (unsupervised deep-water swim area)
• Dow’s Lake Recreational Dock (unsupervised deep-water swim area)
• NCC River House (supervised swimming on weekends and holidays until Labour Day)

NCC Bike Days

The National Capital Commission opens the parkways along the Ottawa River and Rideau Canal for active transportation use this summer.

The following will be closed to vehicles on Saturdays, Sundays and holiday Mondays:

• Kichi Zībī Mīkan westbound closed between Vimy Place and Carling Avenue from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Sir George-Etienne Cartier Parkway closed between Aviation Parkway and St. Joseph Boulevard from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Queen Elizabeth Driveway closed from Fifth Avenue and Somerset Street between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Play Free with the City of Ottawa

The City of Ottawa offers free drop-in activities for children and youth aged 17 and under and accompanying adults.

There is free admission to drop-in swimming, skating and gymnasium sports on Saturdays.

Use the Place Listings web tool to find an indoor pool or type the facility’s name in the search bar at the top of any page. On the City of Ottawa’s website, you can check out the list of locations offering gymnasium and racquet sports.

National Arts Centre

The National Arts Centre in downtown Ottawa offers several free activities through the summer. For more information, visit the NAC’s website.

Some of the free events include:

• July 14-15: Rum Ragged
• July 18: Resonance: Korean Cultural Centre 10^th anniversary concert
• July 21: Brighde Chaimbeul
• July 21-23: Flávia Nascimento and Tio Chorinho
• July 28-30: Sechile Sedare
• Aug. 4: Miguel de Armas
• Aug. 4-6: Empanadas Ilegales
• Aug: 11-13: Turkwaz & Medusa
• Aug. 13: Medusa Quartet
• Aug. 18-20: La Famille Leblanc
• Aug: 25-27: Aviva Chernick and La Serena Quartet

Parliament of Canada Tours

Enjoy a free, guided tour this summer of the House of Commons in the West Block, the Senate at the Senate of Canada Building, and the East Block.

Tours are available daily.

For tickets and tour times, visit https://rts.parl.ca/.

Rideau Hall

Explore Rideau Hall this summer, the 79-acre urban oasis that features the historic mansion and expansive landscaped grounds at the official residence and workplace of the governor general.

Rideau Hall offers guided tours of the residence, while you can also explore the grounds. Guided tours are available daily.

Doors Open Rideau Hall is scheduled for Aug. 1-3 and Sept. 5-7, allowing visitors to explore the State rooms of Rideau Hall at their own pace and visit the private gardens.

For more information, visit https://www.gg.ca/en/visit-us/rideau-hall/what-see-and-do.

Parliament: The Immersive Experience

Parliament: The Immersive Experience gives you the chance to tour the main Parliament Hill building, which is closed to the public for renovations.

The innovative experience includes an exhibition and a 360-degree multimedia show of Centre Block.

Tickets are free. Visit parl.ca.

Capital Pop-Up Cinema

Capital Pop-Up Cinema will host free movies at several locations across Ottawa.

Here is a look at the schedule:

• July 18: Romeo and Juliet at Beechwood Cemetery
• July 24: The Little Rascals at Westboro Village
• Aug. 8: Office Space at Zibi
• Aug. 15: A Mighty Wind at Beechwood Cemetery
• Aug. 21: Turner and Hooch at Westboro Village
• Aug. 29: Uncle Buck on Sparks Street
• Sept. 5: 10 Things I Hate About You at Zibi
• Sept. 11: Legally Blonde at Westboro Village
• Sept. 12: Cool Runnings at Sparks Street

Ottawa Free Tours

Let the experts take you on a free walking tour of downtown Ottawa this summer.

Guides with Ottawa Free Tours will guide you around the area to share the tales of the city.

For more information, visit www.ottawafreetour.com/capital-city-tour.

ByWard Square

The new ByWard Square in the ByWard Market will offer live music, arts and culture and family-friendly activities all summer.

It’s open Thursday to Sunday until Sept. 27.

For more information, visit www.byward-market.com/byward-square.

Ottawa Busker Festival

It’s three days of fire, flight, comedy and chaos on Sparks Street.

The Ottawa International Busker Festival returns Aug. 7-9, with over 20 performers on five stages.

While admission is free, you are encouraged to tip the performers.

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