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A painting of a street scene in Ottawa, near the Canadian War Museum.

Collections highlights

These artifacts and objects provide a tangible link to Canada’s military history and illustrate and document the stories of Canadians in conflict and how war has shaped Canada.

A collage of many faces

In Their Own Voices

The In Their Own Voices oral history collection is composed of more than 200 interviews of Canadian veterans and their loved ones.

An old photograph of a man in a military uniform.

Indigenous Peoples and Military Service

Browse a collection of documents and photographs that reflect the participation of Indigenous Peoples during the wars and in peacetime.

A group of soldiers.

Black Canadians and Military Service

Browse a collection of documents and photographs that reflect the participation of Black Canadians during the wars and in peacetime.

A painting of a ship docked in a harbor.

Art and Memorials

The Art and Memorials collection is made up of trench art, grave markers, trench and road signs, posters, and over 13,000 works of art.

A pair of military boots.

Dress and Insignia

The Dress and Insignia collection contains clothing, personal equipment, badges and insignia, flags and banners, musical instruments, sports equipment, and optical equipment.

A tank is parked at the Canadian War Museum.

Arms and Technology

The Arms and Technology collection includes arms, artillery, vehicles, technical equipment, and models. These items show the progression of technological change, transformation, and ingenuity within the Canadian military forces and in the Canadian wars, conflicts, and in times of peace.

A collection of books, postcards, and other items in Ottawa at the Canadian War Museum.

Textual Archives

The Textual Archives consists of approximately 900 linear metres of material, including letters, diaries, scrapbooks, postcards, military forms, certificates, logbooks, maps, sheet music, and audio material.

A group of soldiers with crutches standing next to a train.

Photographs and Moving Images

The image archives collection comprises over 100,000 photographs, films, and videos.

A black record with a white label on it.

Sound Recordings

Military music, recorded broadcasts, and interviews; browse the collection of audio recordings held in the archives.

Two men in military uniforms sitting at a table.

Oral Histories

Discover the experiences of over 20 years of interviews with war veterans, service personnel, and civilians impacted by conflict or who experienced military events, life or culture.

A map of a battlefield with red and blue lines.

Maps

A unique view of the places Canadians have fought, served and lived: explore the cartographic collection of the archives.

The cover of Army Book 136

Selection of First World War flying log books

A selection of rare flight records of some of the world’s first pilots at war.

An open notebook with handwriting on it.

Selection of First World War diary pages

In their own words, see select pages from the diaries of those who served, endured, and died during the First World War.

Two men in uniforms working on a machine.

Selection of First World War lantern slides

Lantern slides such as these were used commonly in lectures and presentations in schools, museums, and other venues.

A collage of photographs from the First World War.

First World War panoramic photographs

Explore the museum’s impressive collection of large-scale group portrait photographs of Canadian battalions, regiments, and other units.

A group of First World War soldiers standing.

Canadian official war photographs (1914-1918)

Over 6,000 photographs were taken by the Canadian Expeditionary Force photographers who were tasked with documenting Canada’s participation in the First World War.

A group of soldiers working in a trench.

Selection of Canadian Navy documents and photographs

Browse a collection of hundreds of documents and photographs that reflect Canada's naval history since 1910.

A 3D relief map.

Relief maps

Discover the detailed and three-dimensional relief maps used to plan historic battles.

Biplane schematic drawings.

Technical drawings

From linchpins to warships, discover the development of military technology through historic technical drawings and blueprints.

Operation Market Garden and the Royal Canadian Engineers

Discover Second World War materials related to the Royal Canadian Engineer units involved in the evacuation of some 2,500 Allied airborne soldiers at the end of Operation Market Garden.

When your boy comes back to you sheet music.

Sheet music

Explore the music that inspired soldiers and citizens through war and peace.

Collections

Discover the collections

Thousands of objects and archives will stimulate your curiosity and give you in-depth knowledge of Canada's military history.

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At the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, a woman gazes at a display of a gun.