Canadian Museum of History

What Canadian Museum of History does

The Canadian Museum of History is a Canadian federal Crown corporation operating under the Museums Act, headquartered at 100 Laurier Street in Gatineau, Quebec, on the banks of the Ottawa River opposite Parliament Hill. The institution was originally established as the Canadian Museum of Civilization in 1990 and was renamed to the Canadian Museum of History in 2013 to reflect a broader mandate encompassing all aspects of Canadian history. The same Crown corporation also manages the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, administers the national Digital Museums Canada investment program, and presents the Virtual Museum of New France. The museum's core offering includes the Grand Hall (devoted to Pacific Northwest Indigenous cultures and featuring works by Bill Reid, Robert Davidson, Beau Dick, and Alex Janvier), the Canadian History Hall permanent exhibition, the Children's Museum, the CINÉ+ cinema program, and temporary exhibitions such as the Napoleon – The Immersive Saga VR experience. Supporting services include public tours, the Teachers' Zone with History Box/Discovery Box loan programs, the Canadian History Research Centre, Indigenous heritage and repatriation programs, an Indigenous Internship Program, and the Boutique online store.

Name

Canadian Museum of History

Legal name

Canadian Museum of History

Website

https://historymuseum.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Canadian Museum of History is a Canadian federal Crown corporation operating the national museum of human history in Gatineau and the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. It serves the general public, families, educators, and Indigenous communities through exhibitions, educational programs, research, memberships, and facility rentals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Museum Services

NAICS

Museums (712110), Historical Sites (712120), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Libraries and Archives (51921)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

History Museums (THAJADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI), Children’s Museums (THAJADAE), Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops (CRALAJAG)

Keywords

• National museum services
• Cultural exhibitions
• Historical collections
• Museum education programs
• Heritage preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Gatineau

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Admission Fees: Museum admission fees charged to visitors. Adults $25, Seniors $23, Youth $12.50, Children free. Separate tickets required for special exhibitions like Napoleon VR.
2. Membership Program: Annual memberships offering unlimited access to both Canadian Museum of History and Canadian War Museum. Multiple tiers including Family, Supporter, and Investor categories.
3. Boutique Sales: Online shop selling museum publications, books, and gift items. Operated through WooCommerce platform.
4. Facility Rentals: Rental of museum spaces including Grand Hall, Haida Gwaii Salon, W.E. Taylor Salon, Douglas Cardinal Salon, and Panorama Café for private events, Christmas Market vendors, and corporate functions.
5. CINÉ+ Films: The museum operates an on-site cinema showing films, with separate admission charged.
6. Donations: Financial donations accepted in support of the museum's mandate. Processed through Raiser’s Edge software.
7. Public Tours: Guided tours of the museum offered multiple times daily in English and French for $5 per person in addition to admission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The Canadian Museum of History operates as Canada's national museum of human history, presenting permanent and temporary exhibitions (including the Canadian History Hall, Grand Hall, and VR experiences), housing extensive research collections and archives, and delivering educational programs for teachers and students. It also runs an on-site cinema, an online Boutique selling museum publications and merchandise, a tiered annual membership program covering both the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum, facility rentals for events, and administers the Digital Museums Canada national investment program and the Virtual Museum of New France.

Product overview

The Canadian Museum of History operates as a Crown corporation managing a platform-plus-museums architecture consisting of the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum as its core institutional products. The offering also includes Digital Museums Canada (a national investment program), the Virtual Museum of New France (virtual exhibition), and various visitor-facing modules including the Boutique (e-commerce), CINÉ+ Films, Children's Museum, and the Grand Hall (signature exhibition space). Additional services encompass public tours, educational programs through the Teachers' Zone, Indigenous Heritage Programs, membership, facility rental, and the Canadian History Research Centre. Digital on Demand provides remote access to content including videos, virtual tours, podcasts, and online exhibitions. The Napoleon – The Immersive Saga represents a recent VR-enabled temporary exhibition. The museum generates revenue through admissions, memberships, donations, Boutique sales, and facility rentals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Digital Museums Canada: A national investment program administered by the museum
• Virtual Museum of New France
• Canadian War Museum
• Canadian Children's Museum
• CINÉ+
• Canadian History Hall
• Grand Hall

Products and services

• Canadian Museum of History (museum visit and exhibitions) The main national museum showcasing Canadian history and world history through exhibitions, collections, and educational programs, located in Gatineau, Quebec, on the banks of the Ottawa River. Open to general visitors with age-tiered admission.
• Canadian War Museum A national museum under the same Crown corporation, dedicated to military history and the human stories of war, located in Ottawa, offering exhibitions on Canada's military heritage. Accessible through the joint membership program.
• Virtual Museum of New France A virtual exhibition presented by the museum exploring the history of New France, covering colonies and empires, explorers, economic activities, population, daily life, and heritage. Accessible online to researchers and the public.
• Boutique (Online Shop)
• CINÉ+ Films
• Canadian Children's Museum
• Napoleon – The Immersive Saga (temporary VR exhibition) A temporary virtual reality exhibition allowing visitors to enter the Napoleonic era and experience pivotal moments that changed the world. Requires a separate ticket beyond general admission and is available on a limited basis.
• Museum Membership Program
• Christmas Market
• Public Guided Tours
• Teachers' Zone (educational programs and resources)
• Facility Rental Services
• Canadian History Research Centre
• Digital on Demand

Quantifiable outcome

• Free admission for Indigenous Peoples including First Nations, Inuit and Métis
• +1 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Google AnalyticscoreTechnology or IntegrationWeb analytics service used to count website visits, analyze web traffic sources, and measure usage of the museum's websites. The IP address is de-identified prior to data analysis.
• Meta Pixel (Facebook and Instagram)coreTechnology or IntegrationTracking code placed on museum websites to collect visitor data, track conversions from Facebook and Instagram ads, optimize ads, build targeted audiences, and remarket to website visitors.
• Google AdscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPaid search advertising platform used to deliver tailored advertising based on browsing behavior. Subject to Google's Personalized Advertising Policy and Privacy Policy.
• LinkedIn AdscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPaid advertising platform used to market to target audiences based on LinkedIn profile data and browsing behavior.
• Yahoo AdscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPaid advertising platform used to deliver personalized advertising based on user browsing behavior and Yahoo profile data.
• WooCommercecoreTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce platform used for online Boutique transactions. Collects customer account information including email, name, address, and payment details for online purchases.
• Bambora (Worldline)coreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party payment solution for online Boutique sales and facility rentals. Retains customer payment information for up to 24 months for processing, reporting, reconciliation, and dispute resolution. Personal information stored on servers in Canada.
• Gateway Ticketing SystemscoreTechnology or IntegrationTransit point for ticketing system that transmits personal information from point of sale to payment processors. Does not retain any personal information.
• Freedom PaycoreTechnology or IntegrationMiddleware payment processor between Gateway Ticketing Systems and Chase Payment Solutions. Retains personal information for seven years for transaction validation and refund processing.
• Chase Payment SolutionscoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment processor for ticketing, membership, and donation transactions. Retains personal information for 12 months for transaction validation and refund processing.
• Taleo (Oracle)coreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party service provider facilitating online recruitment activities. Job applicants register for accounts and submit applications through the Taleo platform.
• Raiser’s Edge (Blackbaud)coreTechnology or IntegrationSoftware application used to process financial donations. Retains donor personal information on servers located in Canada.
• Canadian War MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Canadian Museum of History corporation has responsibility for both the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum. Joint membership program offers access to both institutions.
• Digital Museums CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational investment program administered by the Canadian Museum of History to support digital museum initiatives across Canada.
• Social Media Platforms (Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerMuseum maintains official presence on major social media platforms as an extension of its internet presence. Used for public engagement, customer service, and content distribution.
• Sonart Day CampsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing summer day camp experiences at the museum for children, combining museum exploration with outdoor activities and Children's Museum programs.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Royal Ontario Museum: Larger Canadian museum with broader scope (world cultures, natural history) but overlapping membership, exhibitions, school programs, and ticketed special exhibitions.
• The British Museum: Global-scale history and cultural-heritage museum operating paid special exhibitions, memberships, and venue rentals. Much larger but a benchmark for the upper end of national-museum operating economics.

Direct peers

• National Museum of Scotland: National history and culture museum combining permanent galleries, traveling exhibitions, memberships, and on-site retail/food operations in a single flagship site, similar operating model.
• Royal British Columbia Museum: Provincial museum with comparable mix of Indigenous cultural exhibitions, history halls, immersive/VR experiences, and educational programming for schools and families.
• Canadian War Museum: Sister institution operated under the same Crown corporation and joint membership program. Directly comparable as a Canadian national museum sharing governance, ticketing, and visitor audiences.
• Museum of Anthropology at UBC: Canadian museum with a strong Northwest Coast Indigenous collection and Bill Reid works, overlapping directly with the Canadian Museum of History's Grand Hall assets.
• Smithsonian National Museum of American History: U.S. national history museum with similar mandate to preserve and interpret national history through exhibitions, collections, and educational programs. Closest international analog by mission and scale.

Regional players

• National Gallery of Canada: Adjacent Ottawa-based national cultural institution competing for the same tourism, school-group, and membership audiences in the National Capital Region.
• Canadian Museum of Nature: Ottawa-based national museum competing for local tourism, school visits, and family memberships within the same capital-region catchment.
• Australian Museum: National museum with permanent history halls, Indigenous cultural collections, paid memberships, and traveling exhibitions — comparable operating model in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CanMusHistory
• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PL2vXDJApK3rQLqfhuAgfD5NtPwp-5kIs5
• Facebookfacebook.com/CanMusHistory
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mch-cmh
• Instagraminstagram.com/MuseumofHistory

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Canadian Museum of History