Founded as Bytown in 1826 by Colonel John By during the construction of the Rideau Canal, the town steadily grew through construction and trade. In 1855 it changed its name to Ottawa, to honour the Indigenous peoples and their trading significance (Algonquin word “adawe” means “to trade in Algonquin). Its prosperity and strategic location on the frontier between French-speaking Quebec and English-speaking Ontario were key factors in being chosen as capital of the country in 1857.
Over the last 200 years, Ottawa has progressed from a rugged lumber town and military depot to a sophisticated national capital city with a diversified economy centred on government, high-tech industries and cultural institutions.
As the city marks the bicentennial of its founding in 2026, culture becomes the thread that quietly binds past and present, unfolding across museums, streets, festivals and public spaces. The Canadian capital is inviting visitors to join and experience a city deeply aware of where it comes from, looking ahead with pride and confidence.
NATIONAL MUSEUMS AND LIVING HISTORY
Few cities offer such an immediate sense of a nation’s story. Home to seven of Canada’s nine national museums, Ottawa allows visitors to move seamlessly from art and design to history, memory and identity. The National Gallery of Canada, the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum anchor the city’s cultural landscape, and in 2026 they take on renewed significance, presenting exhibitions and programming that reflect two centuries of social, political and creative change.
Left: Indigenous architect Douglas Cardinal designed the Canadian Museum of History to reflect First Nations’ philosophies, moving away from colonial structures, with curves mirroring the land and cyclical time. © Canadian Museum of History
Right: The National Gallery of Canada houses an Indigenous art collection that includes major works by the Group of Seven, Inuit sculptors like Tim Pitsiulak, and modern Indigenous masters such as Norval Morrisseau.
Balancing these grand institutions are places of quieter intimacy. The Bytown Museum, housed in Ottawa’s oldest stone building beside the Rideau Canal, brings the city’s origins into sharp focus. Its collections trace the transformation from a rough canal settlement to a modern capital, offering a human-scale perspective that complements the national narrative.
SIGNATURE EVENTS THAT DEFINE THE SEASONS
Culture in Ottawa has always thrived beyond museum walls and, in 2026, this spirit comes to the fore. A city-wide bicentennial programme has been carefully planned in collaboration with Indigenous, Francophone, youth and community organisations, ensuring that the celebrations feel inclusive, lived-in and rooted in shared experience. The bicentennial year sits comfortably within Ottawa’s established cultural rhythm.
Winterlude, a massive three-week festival in February, brings life to the frozen Rideau Canal, which becomes the world’s largest ice-skating ring. Across the river, Gatineau turns into an adventure wonderland at the Snowflake Kingdom. All around, there is live entertainment, intricate sculptures by local artists and food stalls where visitors can try seasonal treats such as Beaver Tails.
Left: Ice sculptures at Confederation Park, Ottawa, during Winterlude. Recent years have featured Indigenous sculptors such as Inuvialuit artists Eli Nasogaluak and Derrald Taylor. © Ottawa Tourism.
Right: During the Tulip Festival in Otawa, over a million tulips bloom, especially around Commissioners Park and Dow’s Lake. © Ottawa Tourism.
Come May, the Canadian Tulip Festival fills the city with colour and the spirit of friendship. The festival commemorates the Dutch gift of tulip bulbs to Ottawa after WWII, a token of gratitude for Canada’s role in liberating the Netherlands and hosting Princess Margriet during the war. Expect two weeks of family fun, art, crafts, a Tulip Market, outdoor movies, nightly sound & light shows and a Dutch Pavilion with cultural activities.
Canada Day on 1st July remains one of the country’s most stirring national celebrations. Centered around LeBreton Flats Park, this is a day of culture and family fun that culminates in spectacular fireworks in the evening. If you want to see a massive party fuelled by national pride and community spirit in Canada, this is the event to put in your diary.
Left: The fireworks on Canada Day are the centrepiece of the nation’s official celebration, held at LeBreton Flats. They offer a spectacular view with Parliament Hill as a backdrop. © Destination Canada.
Right: Ottawa Bluesfest is special for being one of the world’s largest outdoor music festivals. While rooted in blues, it now features a diverse mix of genres, with legendary acts like Sting and Lady Gaga headlining. © Ottawa Tourism.
The colossal summer festival, Ottawa Bluesfest – a cornerstone of the Canadian music scene – will host a special bicentennial day in July 2026, culminating in a headline performance by Canadian rock legends, The Guess Who. It is a moment designed to infuse memory with momentum, bring civic pride to the collective joy of live performance.
Autumn 2026 marks the return to Ottawa of a cultural landmark, Nuit Blanche Ottawa. For one night, the city transforms into an open-air gallery, illuminated by installations, projections and performances that will take visitors into an organic journey shaped by art, technology and urban space. More than a spectacle, Nuit Blanche signals Ottawa’s growing confidence as a creative city, offering a platform for artists, designers and technologists to reimagine the streets after dark.
A CAPITAL LOOKING FORWARD
In marking 200 years, Ottawa is not simply looking back. The cultural programme of 2026 reflects a city attentive to its stories, open to new voices and confident in its creative future. For visitors, it offers a rare opportunity to experience Canada through a place where history, art and community are celebrated, lived and shared with true emotion.
Find out what else Ottawa has planned for its bicentenary celebrations from the Ottawa Tourism Board: ottawatourism.ca
Air Canada flies directly from London Heathrow to Ottawa three times a week, with frequency planned to increase in 2026.
Air Transat will launch its first-ever direct route from London Gatwick to Ottawa on 15th May 2026, operating three times a week.
Author: Julia Pasarón
Lead image: The Rogers Centre Ottawa enjoys enviable views of the whole city. © Destination Canada.
Discover Ottawa’s vibrant gastronomic scene in our Foodies’ Guide to Ottawa.
Learn more about Ottawa in our article, Ottawa – Canada’s Understated Capital.
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