Friday, April 12, 2019

Museum Of Nature

From one museum series to another. I thought of paying a visit to the Canada Science And Technology Museum, checked their website, and found that they have an exhibit starting up on May 2nd about Leonardo da Vinci, running through until September 2nd, so I'll be visiting at some point between those dates and will have a series down the line, perhaps after the event is done. We'll have to see how busy the summer gets. So I decided to take in a special exhibit at the Canadian Museum of Nature that will be closing on April 28th, a reminder to those of you who are in the area. Survival Of The Slowest is the name of the exhibit, and we'll start getting a look at it tomorrow. 

And so it was that early this month I came to the Museum, first photographing around the grounds. A mother and baby pair of dinosaur sculptures, of the chasmosaurus irvinensis species, stands out on the east lawn for the Museum.


The Canadian Museum of Nature is another one of the national museums in the national capital region, around a fifteen minute walk directly south from Parliament Hill. Its origins go back to the founding of the Geological Survey Of Canada in the mid-19th century, and the current building, erected between 1905-1912, mixes together Gothic Revival and Scottish Baronial architecture. In 2010, work was complete on some major renovations, including the addition of a glass lantern that replaces a stone tower that once stood where it stands- before issues with the soil below that point required its removal. This is the view from the east side.


Here we have the main entrance. Victoria Memorial Museum is still carved above the three doors, as the Museum was established in memory of the Queen. The building has housed more than one collection down through the years, with the nature collection sharing quarters with what is today the Canadian Museum of History. This building even housed Parliament for several years after the 1916 fire that destroyed Centre Block. 


Some years ago, the west lawn was transformed into the Landscapes Of Canada Gardens. This features four zones of Canadian topography. I walk through here and feature the Gardens each season, and will be doing so for spring before I start up with the Tulip Festival in May. The Mammoth Steppe features three mammoths of the Ice Age, with plants that the animals would have been familiar with placed around them. Zones for the Prairies, Arctic Tundra, and Boreal Forest complete the set, which the visitor can walk through.


This view from the west includes an iceberg sculpture which the pathway crosses through.


A historical plaque is found along the path, honouring naturalist and botanist John Macoun.


I returned to the main entrance.


Inside, stained glass windows are positioned above the doors.


This set is between the entrance area and the museum interior. Tomorrow we step inside.

42 comments:

  1. What a funny name, "Survival Of The Slowest", I like that!
    We have two dinosaurs in front of the museum, too. And an otter :-)
    Quite an impressive building.

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  2. ...the building is a classic and the glass addition that you show a bit of is a wonderful contrast. The dinosaurs and the stark landscape in winter is an interest look. This is an amazing building that I must see on a return trip to Ottawow!

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  3. It seems to me that a very interesting series will follow.
    The dinosaur an the Mammoth sculptures, are beautiful but the stained glass are gorgeous!
    I can't wait to begin the journey ... :)

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  4. Nice walk through the Museum of Nature, the photos are beautiful.

    Regards, Irma.-

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  5. Survival of the Slowest?? Reminds me of the joke about the early bird catches the worm - but it's the second mouse that gets the cheese.

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  6. I enjoyed this tour, the sculptures are amazing!

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  7. Interesting museum tour. Happy weekend!

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  8. This one is very different from the previous. Love the stained glass. Did you spend 3-4 hours here, too?

    Janis

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  9. It has been quite awhile now, but I recall really liking this museum, and I'm not always as fond of museums as some others are.

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  10. wow, can't wait to see springy shots .. looks so sad without those happy springy blooms. ( ;

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  11. Hello, the museum is impressive. The stained glass is beautiful. Enjoy your day! Have a great weekend!

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  12. What surprises me is that even baby dinosaurs are cute! I look forward to learning about this museum.

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  13. @Iris: it was a fun exhibit.

    @Tom: you'd enjoy this museum.

    @Ella: I love visiting this one.

    @Irma: thank you.

    @Joan: and it's cold today too.

    @John: I found it a fascinating exhibit.

    @Laurie: I like the sculptures.

    @Nancy: thank you.

    @Francisco: thanks.

    @Janis: probably that much.

    @Anvilcloud: this is a good one.

    @Beth: at some point you'll see endless amounts of green.

    @Eileen: thank you.

    @DJan: this one is cute!

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  14. Looking forward to seeing more. The gardens do look kind of like an ice age still.

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  15. Very impressive takes. Looking forward to Spring takes soon. Enjoy your weekend.

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  16. Iceberg season is well underway off the coast of Newfoundland now!

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  17. The museum building itself is pretty stunning William.. surely it's not still snowing?

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  18. As I remember this building in 1967, it was sort of dark and dismal inside. I hope thee's been some renovation.

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  19. That building reminds me of the natural history museum in London. They have the same grand look to them.

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  20. The museum is impressive, the stained glass is gorgeous and nice to see.

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  21. Gorgeous stained glass and I will admit that I like seeing those dinosaurs.

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  22. What an incredible museum, William. And the architecture of the memorial museum is spectacular ! Thank you for always visiting my blog. Have a great weekend. Jo

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  23. I always enjoy your tour through the gardens there.

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  24. I would love seeing this museum, as I love all animals. The building looks awesome, too!

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  25. The sculptures are wonderful and the museum building very impressive:)

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  26. It's still cold there, but great sculptures and beautiful stained glass windows! Tweeted.

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  27. Love the building and its fine glass windows. The outdoor exhibits are great sculptures, I would have enjoyed. Thank you William, super photos as always.

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  28. @Barbara: yes, winter lasts here!

    @Carol: thank you.

    @Marie: that's to be expected.

    @Grace: we had snow earlier this week.

    @Red: the renovation makes it feel airy inside.

    @Sharon: the architecture style would probably be similar.

    @Italiafinlandia: it's quite a beautiful museum.

    @Bill: I certainly think so.

    @Karl: thank you!

    @Michelle: so do I.

    @Jo: you're welcome.

    @RedPat: I enjoy doing that walk each season.

    @Sharon: it certainly does.

    @Rosie: I agree!

    @Mari: thanks!

    @Denise: thank you.

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  29. Exquisite museum photos ~ favorite are the animal wood carvings ~ they magnificent!

    Happy Days to you,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  30. Just so long as those aren't really wooly mammoths like the ones some scientists say they want to bring back from the dead. :-)

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  31. That's quite a building with a storied history. The windows are beautiful.

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  32. The second photo is wonderfu, what a wonderful couple.

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  33. wonderful sculptures
    dinosaurs come to mind lately
    wondering what it would be like to live with them
    here we have lions, bears and wolves and once we had dinosaurs
    amazing to consider them

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  34. There he is with the stained glass windows! Excellent.
    I love this museum. I used to pass it on the way to choir practice every Wednesday.

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  35. I think I'm going to love touring the nature museum with you!

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  36. I did enjoy seeing the dinosaur and mammoth sculptures, but have to say those stained glass are beautiful.

    All the best Jan

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  37. @Carol: thank you.

    @Revrunner: best not to.

    @Kay: very much so.

    @Jan: thank you.

    @Tammie: had the dinosaurs not been wiped out, we would not exist.

    @Jennifer: it's a great museum.

    @Jeanie: I enjoy visiting it.

    @Jan: that they are.

    @Klara: that it was.

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