As we are going through a system upgrade, please note that the Canadian Museum of Civilization and the Canadian War Museum’s Library and Archives online catalogue will not be available from May 21 to May 27, 2013.
For assistance, please call 819-776-7173 or email library@civilization.ca to reach the Canadian Museum of Civilization or call 819-776-8652 or email vimy.biblio@warmuseum.ca to reach the Canadian War Museum.
Thank you.
Public access to the Archives, Image Archives, and Rare Books collections is by appointment only. Please contact 819 776-8652 or vimy.biblio@warmuseum.ca in advance of your visit.
General Information
Opening Hours – Contact Information
The Canadian War Museum’s Military History Research Centre houses, in one convenient location, the George Metcalf Archival Collection and the Hartland Molson Library. These extensive national collections of primary and secondary research material document Canada’s military history from the colonial period to the present.
The George Metcalf Archival Collection contains unique archival documents and photographic materials, and is especially strong on First and Second World Wars. The archival collection, consisting of approximately 765 metres of documentation, includes original letters, diaries, scrapbooks, logbooks, maps, 3-D maps, blueprints, postcards, sheet music, records, oral history tapes and other printed material. The photographic portion of the collection holds approximately 90,000 items including original photographic prints in black and white and colour, negatives, glass slides, daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes, stereoscopic slides, hand-tinted portraits, film reels and videos.
The Hartland Molson Library Collection has approximately 60,000 volumes including regimental histories, published personal memoirs, periodicals and newspapers, wartime pamphlets, military technical and field manuals, multi-media, and 5,000 rare books. The Hamilton Spectator newspaper collection which includes 144,000 Second World War newspaper clippings is available electronically with fulltext searching capabilities at the Democracy at War website.
Hours of Operation
Tuesday to Friday: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Monday, Saturday and Sunday: Closed
Closed on statutory holidays, on December 25 and 26, 2013 and from January 6 to 10, 2014.
Public access to the Archives, Image Archives, and Rare Books collections is by appointment only. Please contact 819 776-8652 or vimy.biblio@warmuseum.ca three working days in advance of your visit.
Contact Information
Military History Research Centre
Canadian War Museum
1 Vimy Place
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada K1A 0M8
General inquiries: (819) 776-8652
vimy.biblio@warmuseum.ca
Image Reproduction Services or Permissions : (819) 776-8686 or (819) 776-8655
imageservices@warmuseum.ca
Fax: (819) 776-8623
