Ottawa is home to seven of the nine national museums in Canada, including the three Ingenium museums. Split into different themes, each showcases Canada’s rich history of innovation, science and technology. In the heart of the city, you can visit a working farm that offers a unique experience of visiting diverse types of animals at the Canada Agriculture And Food Museum.
These working farm animals, special exhibitions, and demonstrations showcase the Canadian history of agricultural innovation and stories of the food we eat and where it comes from. From fluffy rabbits to giant bulls, there is more to see at the museum than you’d imagine.
Now, if you’re a CAA Member, there are even more reasons to visit. Members get a discount on entry tickets to Canada Agriculture And Food Museum. Ready to start exploring? Don’t miss the top exhibits and sights. Here are some of the best things to see at the Canada Agriculture And Food Museum.
Dairy cows
You can observe a working farm, including a herd of dairy cows. The museum houses farm animals important to past and present Canadian agriculture; visit Holstein dairy cows and heritage breeds like Canadienne dairy cows. It’s the only farm in the world with seven dairy breeds in a single building.
The dairy herd produced 373,694 litres of milk between January and November 2022. The milk is given to Dairy Farmers of Ontario and processed and dispensed to grocery stores. The Dairy Barn is a heritage building; the original structure, built in 1887-1888, burned down in a fire and was rebuilt in 1913.
Demonstration Kitchen
Get excited to learn some new seasonal recipes in the Demonstration Kitchen on the Dairy Barn’s second floor. Enjoy some fun food facts, watch a live demonstration and sample the seasonal food. Typically, two recipes are featured, and they change every two weeks. You can get the recipes online, so you can make the showcased desserts, appetizers and more again at home.
The kitchen is included in your admission ticket and is open all year, seven days a week (except for Christmas). Demonstration times vary throughout the day, and you can check the times at the Admission Booth or by the kitchen door.
Clydesdale and retired RCMP horse
Upon entering the museum, the horse and cattle barn is the first building you’ll pass. You’ll see various large animals, including a bull, donkeys and horses. You can say hello to a Clydesdale horse, one of the largest breeds. As you marvel at its size, it’s easy to picture this creature pulling tractors or wagons and helping with agriculture purposes. You’ll also see a Hanoverian horse that has retired from the RCMP. This charming steed would have dawned a uniform and, after a couple of years of training, participated in the RCMP Musical Ride.
If there is an empty stall, you may find the animal you’re looking for outside grazing in the viewing area. There are over 150 furry and feathery friends around the museum to see and learn about. The small animal barn houses goats, sheep and pigs just across the lane from the horses and cattle; you can also visit the poultry house and the dairy barn.
Honeybee hive
Check out the Canola! Seeds Of Innovation exhibition to learn about a Canadian crop and see a working beehive. Read educational boards about how honeybees work together and the different types of bees living in the hive as they move about next to you (safely separated by glass). Try to distinguish between the drones and the summer worker bees and try to spot the queen. There is an observation tunnel where you’ll see bees, and during the warmer months, you may see some bringing back pollen to the hive.
Immersive farming tractor
Visit the Farming For The Future exhibition to discover how updated technologies and agricultural practices impact crop production and the environment. You can digitally drive a tractor in the exhibit and see what it takes to plant corn on a sustainable farm efficiently. There are two tractor cabs where you can engage in this videogame-like farming, one where you’ll climb up a life-sized tractor, and the second is an accessible one at ground level. The green life-sized tractor is also a great photo op with the little ones.
Ice rink (seasonal)
During the winter, weather depending, you can skate at the museum on an outdoor rink under the pavilion. Bring your helmet and skates and enjoy ice access included in the museum admission.
In the warmer months the pavilion is a picturesque spot to enjoy a packed lunch or snack at the picnic tables.
There are other permanent and temporary exhibitions, art displays, events and animals that shouldn’t be missed at the Canada Agriculture And Food Museum. Have fun exploring!
Take advantage of new partnership perks
Having a CAA Membership means that you save 25% on individual tickets (to the Canada Agriculture And Food Museum, Canada Aviation And Space Museum and Canada Science And Technology Museum) and 10% off memberships to Ingenium museums.
