Bytown Museum
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| Established | 1917 |
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| Location | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada lower locks of the Rideau Canal at the Ottawa River just below Parliament Hill |
| Type | History museum |
| Director | Robin Etherington |
| Website | www.bytownmuseum.com/ |
The Bytown Museum (French: Musée Bytown) is a museum in Ottawa located on the lower locks of the Rideau Canal at the Ottawa River, just below Parliament Hill. Housed in the Commissariat Building, Ottawa's oldest stone building, the museum provides a comprehensive overview of the origins of Bytown and its development and growth into the present city of Ottawa.
Founded in 1917 by the Women's Canadian Historical Society of Ottawa (WCHSO), the Bytown Museum was originally located in the old registry building at 70 Nicholas, across from the Carleton County Gaol. The Museum moved to its current location in 1951 and has operated from the Commissariat since, with the exception of a brief period from 1982-1985, when Parks Canada (the building's landlord) conducted renovations.
The Museum's permanent exhibit is spread over the second and third floors of the Commissariat Building.
The Second floor of the Bytown Museum explores the history of the National Capital Region from the origins of European settlement in the area to the incorporation of Ottawa in 1855.
The Temporary Gallery and Community Gallery are also located on the Second Floor.
The Third Floor of the Bytown Museum continues the narrative of the second floor, examining the development of the city of Ottawa, the social and cultural life of Victorian times, the assassination of Thomas D'Arcy McGee and the burning of the Parliament Buildings, as well as Canada's involvement in international conflicts.
The Third Floor Gallery also houses A Day in My Life, the museum's children's area.
The Bytown Museum's Temporary Gallery, located on the second floor of the museum, regularly features exhibitions highlighting Ottawa's history, culture, and community. Past exhibits include:
2011: Six Moments in the History of an Urban Forest, an exploration of the role of trees in Ottawa's urban history. This exhibit was a collaboration with Carleton University.
2012: Rebranding Bytown, an artist-in-residence exhibition done in collaboration with Michèle Provost. Rebranding Bytown critiqued "the necessary and sometimes incongruous role played by marketing and commerce in the operation of a local history museum."
2013: Mexico Fantastico, a celebration of Ottawa's Mexican Community. This exhibit was a collaboration with the Mexican Embassy in Ottawa.
2014: Ottawa Answers the Call: The Capital and the Great War, which explored the role of both Ottawa and its ordinary citizens in the First World War.
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