Canadian Museum of History

The Canadian Museum of History is defined by its massive, undulating exterior, which is clad in thirty thousand square meters of Tyndall stone. Designed by the architect Douglas Cardinal and opened in nineteen eighty-nine, the building features expansive, organic curves intended to mimic the movement of glaciers, winds, and rivers across the North American continent. Unlike the government buildings on the opposite bank of the Ottawa River, which turn away from the water, this museum is oriented to face the river directly, placing its dramatic silhouette in conversation with Parliament Hill.