Collections Unlocked
Fridays
Unique thematic tours, each unlocking a different area with a subject matter expert
Location: Ingenium Centre, 1865 St. Laurent Blvd, Ottawa
Times: 10:30 a.m. (EN), 12:30 p.m. (FR)
Duration: 90 minutes
Step into a world of wonder on our deep dive collection tour of the Ingenium Centre, where every corner holds a new surprise! Guided by a group of passionate experts (including curators, conservators, cataloguers, and more), you’ll journey through incredible spaces – the conservation and cataloguing labs, the rolling stock collection, the automobile collection, and more – and peek into the fascinating worlds of science, aviation, and agriculture. From giant locomotives to the humming heart of the building’s mechanical rooms, you’ll discover different corners of the Ingenium Centre in the most unforgettable way. With each visit, there’s something new to uncover—come see how we care for Canada’s treasures of science and innovation!
The Ingenium Centre has been designed with accessibility in mind, including gender-inclusive accessible washrooms and elevator access.
Schedule of events
July 4: Botanical models, cataloguing lab, library and archives, and more
July 11: Ontario Hydro collection, library and archives, mechanical rooms, and more
July 18: Automobile collection, conservation lab, mechanical rooms, and more
July 25: Sub Igloo and the Arctic III Exhibition, conservation lab, Digital Innovation Lab, and more
August 1: Meteorology or agriculture collection, conservation lab, library and archives, and more
August 8: Avro CF-100 Flight Simulator, library and archives, mechanical room, and more
August 15: Avro CF-100 Flight Simulator, cataloguing lab, mechanical room, and more
August 22: Public transit collection, conservation lab, Digital Innovation Lab, and more
August 29: Botanical models or Hydro Ontario collection, cataloguing lab, Digital Innovation lab, and more
Admission
Taxes not included
- Adult
- $12
- Senior (age 60+)
- $10
- Students (ages 18+ with valid student ID)
- $10
- Youth (ages 3-17)
- $7.50
- Child (age 2 and under)
- Free
- Ingenium member
- 20% discount
Your tour ticket does not include admission to other Ingenium sites. To visit our museums, please purchase a separate ticket online or at the admission desk.
Complimentary admission
Ingenium offers free tickets to all active Canadian military personnel, Canadian military veterans, Indigenous peoples, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis, and support leaders accompanying a person with disabilities. When available, presentation of an Identification Card is requested. Please visit the admission desk to obtain your complimentary admission.
Ingenium members
Museum members may apply their discount when booking tour tickets online. For more information, please contact our Customer Engagement Team at 613-991-3053 by phone or [email protected]. Please book online as far in advance as possible as spots are limited.
Canoo Access Pass
New residents and citizens of Canada are entitled to complimentary and discounted guided tours of the Ingenium Centre with the Canoo Access Pass. Special rates are offered to individuals within their first five years of permanent residency or citizenship within Canada.
*Please note that all other discounts such as CAA memberships and Ottawa Museum Passes from Ottawa Tourism do not apply.
Meeting location
Meet your tour guide in the front lobby of the Canada Science and Technology Museum (located just across the pavilion from the Ingenium Centre). Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your tour. The tour will depart promptly at the scheduled start time, and proceed directly to the Ingenium Centre. Note that there is no means to join the tour after it departs.
Visitor code of conduct
Respectful use of the space and resources at Ingenium Centre ensures a safe and enriching experience for all visitors. We ask that you adhere to the guidelines defined in the PDF below.
FAQ
When purchasing your ticket, you will be able to select a date and time slot. A confirmation email will be sent to you confirming your order.
Unable to purchase your tickets online or have questions? Please contact our customer engagement team at 613-991-3053 or [email protected].
Visitors are responsible for arriving on time for the visit time indicated on their ticket. No-shows, late arrivals, and tickets cancelled within 48 hours before the start of your tour are non-refundable.
A staff member will escort you out of the Ingenium Centre should you need to leave partway through your visit. Refunds will not be possible.
You may cancel your registration at no cost up to 48 hours before the start of your tour by emailing [email protected]. No-shows, late arrivals, and tickets cancelled within 48 hours before the start of your tour are non-refundable.
For changes to your existing reservation, please contact our customer engagement team at 613-991-3053 or [email protected].
Photography is permitted for personal use only. Please be respectful of visitors and staff while using your camera.
Eating and drinking are not permitted inside the collection spaces. If you need to leave the tour to eat or drink, please let your tour guide know so they can direct you to an appropriate space.
Learn how you can help preserve Canada’s scientific and technological heritage and building Ingenium’s national collection by donating an object.
About the Ingenium Centre
The Ingenium Centre is a state-of-the-art facility designed to protect and showcase Canada’s national science and technology collection. The building provides controlled environments to properly house and protect the national collection’s artifacts and archives, many of which are fragile, easily damaged, and are one-of-a-kind. Located beside the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa, the Ingenium Centre is designed to be one of the most accessible artifact and archive collection storage facilities in the world – for museum professionals, heritage researchers, as well as for the public.