380 Sussex Drive

Do you want to immerse yourself in the works of artists from the country? Do you know Tom Thomson, the Group of Seven, Emily Carr, Jean-Paul Lemieux and Ruben Komangapik?  It might be intriguing to see some of their works. Many Canadian artists’ works are represented at the National Gallery of Canada.

Founded in 1880, Princess Louise, herself an artist, and wife of the Governor General at the time, reinforces the idea of ​​a need for a place to present and preserve the arts in the capital. It was originally within the walls of the current Nature Museum that the artworks were presented. In 1988, it moved to its designated assigned building at 380 Sussex Drive.  The construction combines granite and glass to give a grandiose and modern look in a traditional environment of classical architecture of another generation and is, in fact, a work in itself.

Under its roof, there is a variety of works from here and elsewhere with paintings, sculptures, drawings and photographs in a sometimes contemporary, sometimes modern style.

In the square, a huge spider, whose body and egg sac are at a height of 9 meters (30ft), is supported by its eight legs firmly fixed to the ground. This work by Louise Bourgeois was installed in front of the museum in 1999, named “Maman”. The spider is a tribute from the artist to her mother. This is not a single piece. The original is in London at the Tate Modern and other copies have been installed around the world.

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