History, artistry, and greenery on display at Rideau Hall this summer
OTTAWA, ON, June 6, 2025 /CNW/ - This summer, members of the public are invited to explore Rideau Hall, a national historic site set in an idyllic urban oasis located only a few minutes from downtown Ottawa and Gatineau. Visitors can immerse themselves in the natural beauty of the gardens and groves, gain a sense of local and national history through guided tours of the residence, and experience stunning Canadian art works both indoors and out. All special events and activities are free of charge and provide educational fun for all ages.
Ongoing programming
Free guided tours of Rideau Hall
Daily
Visitors are guided through the public areas of this historic residence. Highlights include Canadian art and the impressive State rooms, where Canadians are honoured and dignitaries are welcomed. Guided tours are free of charge and are offered daily; visitors are asked to check the schedule to see if reservations are required.
Tour the grounds and the Visitor Centre
The grounds of Rideau Hall are open from 8 a.m. until one hour before sunset, year-round.
The Visitor Centre is open from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., from now until September 1.
Members of the public can stroll through the grounds of Rideau Hall at their leisure and explore the paths through the groves and gardens of this urban oasis.
Visitors can begin their exploration at the Visitor Centre to learn more about the role and responsibilities of the governor general, and the history of Rideau Hall. The Visitor Centre also features picnic tables, a play structure and public washrooms.
Heart Garden at Rideau Hall
Daily as of June 21, on the Rideau Hall grounds
The heart garden at Rideau Hall remembers the First Nations, Inuit and Métis children who died in the Canadian residential school system, and those who survived. The plants featured in the garden were carefully chosen for their deep connection to the land and Indigenous peoples. An interactive art activity, in which visitors can make their own paper heart to add to the garden as a sign of commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action, is available from National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21) to National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (September 30). Permanent sculptural elements of the Heart Garden will be installed this fall.
Special Events
Doors Open at Rideau Hall
June 7–8, in partnership with Doors Open Ottawa
Select weekends during the summer: June 28 and 29, August 2 to 4, and August 30 to September 1, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
On select long weekends, visitors can explore the State rooms of Rideau Hall at their own pace and visit both greenhouses and private gardens, which are not open to the public during regular tours. Guides will be on hand to answer any questions about the history of the residence and the role of Canada's governor general.
Annual Inspection of the Ceremonial Guard
June 27 at 10 a.m., on the Rideau Hall forecourt (weather dependent)
This annual tradition highlights polish, precision and pageantry as the Governor General and Commander-in-Chief conducts the annual Inspection of the Ceremonial Guard. The event will include a military parade, an inspection of the guard and the band, and a Viceregal Salute to Her Excellency.
Storytime at Rideau Hall
June 27, 10:30 a.m.
June 28 and August 2, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Guest readers, including local authors, Rideau Hall guides, and United for Literacy volunteers, will bring favourite Canadian stories to life! Visitors are welcome to join us in the Reading Tent to read books and participate in fun hands-on activities. This outdoor family activity is hosted in collaboration with United for Literacy, Canada's oldest not for profit literacy organization.
A special reading event with the Governor General will be held on June 27, at 10:30 a.m., on the grounds of Rideau Hall.
Ottawa Chamberfest at Rideau Hall
July 26 and 27
Once again, Ottawa Chamberfest returns to Rideau Hall for some relaxing afternoon performances, held in the shade of the trees of the Royal Grove. Bring your own blanket or chairs and enjoy an interlude of live music.
Central Band of the Canadian Armed Forces: July 26, 2:00 and 3:30 p.m.
Ensembles from the Central Band of the Canadian Armed Forces will play classical favourites with a focus on brass and woodwinds.
Despax Duo: July 27, 2:00 and 3:30 p.m.
Violinist Cendrine Despax and cellist Valérie Despax come together for two performances of eclectic repertoire for violin and cello, ranging from Taylor Swift to Mozart.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation September 28 and September 30
In the lead-up to the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Rideau Hall will hold a special Doors Open event on September 28, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Programming will encourage the public to reflect upon the 10 years that have passed since the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's final report and will include interactive art activities. On September 30, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Rideau Hall will host a Sacred Fire for the community, led by a local fire keeper. Guided tours on that day will be specifically focused on reconciliation.
Plan your visit
Members of the public wanting more information about Rideau Hall's activities and guided tours can call 613-991-4422 or 1-866-842-4422 (toll-free), write to [email protected], or visit the website at www.gg.ca/RideauHall.
It is recommended that members of the public with mobility restrictions contact the reservation office in advance to determine the best way to access the grounds and the residence.
Rideau Hall being a working residence, scheduling for all activities is subject to change without notice due to official events.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Global News
6 hours ago
- Global News
Lost for over a century, Heiltsuk Nation celebrates return of bentwood box
The Heiltsuk First Nation is celebrating the return of a precious piece of history, lost to their people for more than a century. The nation held a special reunification ceremony for the bentwood box last Friday that coincided with a feast to mark the ratification of their written constitution. 'I was very emotional,' said Christine Smith Martin, CEO of Coastal First Nations, who helped facilitate the return of the box from an American family to the Heiltsuk Nation. 2:03 Heiltsuk Nation ratifies new written constitution through celebratory feast 'We really want to tell art collectors or whoever may have boxes similar to this, the right thing to do is to bring it home, to make sure those boxes make it home if they can because its an important piece for us, there' s a lot of teachings on that box, there's a lot of things artists might not have seen yet.'' Story continues below advertisement Bentwood boxes were specialized, watertight containers fabricated from a single piece of cedar wood that has been steamed and curved, then fastened shut with wooden pegs. Elroy white, an archeologist, hereditary chief and elected councillor with the Heiltsuk, said they were used to carry trade goods up and down the coast, as well as for the storage of important items like instruments or regalia. They were also used to store and prepare food. He said the Heiltsuk became well known for their skill in crafting the boxes in the 1860s, after their population was decimated by smallpox and came together in a single community. Ethnographers who visited the community documented them and spread the word, and soon collectors and academics from around the world began seeking them out. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'That was their premise, that they were going to preserve this cultural way of these First Nations, they were called Indians back then,' he said. 'They were either sold or they were coerced from the owners.' The provenance of this particular box is unknown, Elwood said, save that it passed through collections and galleries before being purchased in Vancouver in 2020. He believes it was made some time in the 1880s, but said that when items pass through galleries their back history is typically not shared, and information like the artist who made them is lost. Story continues below advertisement That's when Janet and Dave Deisley, a couple from Salt Lake City, Utah, purchased it at the Douglas Reynolds Gallery on Granville Street. 2:11 Heiltsuk Nation celebrates 'powerful, emotional' return of historic chief's seat 'After Dave bought the box we had we had it in our home for a couple of years,' Janet Deisley told Global News. But the item never felt right in the couple's collection, and they decided to return it — free of charge — reaching out to Coastal First Nations for help in connecting it to the Heiltsuk. 'The community in which those artifacts were created is where they belong from a spiritual sense,' Dave Diesley said. 'I would imagine they felt what we felt when we had it in our office for that short time. You can feel. It's like a piece of an ancestor wanting to come home … you look at it and you see that history in there,' Martin said. Story continues below advertisement 'I would imagine they felt that yearning, because it's not just a box, there are spirits that are attached to it, there are ancestors that are attached to that.' Coastal First Nations accepted the box, but it stayed in their office for some time as they worked to arrange an appropriate return. White came to Vancouver to authenticate the box and work on the best way and time to get it home safely. 'I knew it would have no back history, but the important part was …. it was still important to the Heiltsuk,' he said. 'Elroy came down and did some ceremony in our office, and we had a talk to the box and let them know they are going home now. It's been a long journey as you can imagine, since the 1800s, since this box has been away from their territory.' 2:11 Heiltsuk Nation hold constitution ratification ceremony Last week, the box was honoured in the Heiltsuk big house in Bella Bella as a part of the constitution ceremonies, and members had the opportunity to get up close and see a piece of their lost history. Story continues below advertisement 'It was so heartfelt to see that, seeing the artists looking at it and sort of pointing out different things,' Martin said. For White, it is just one step in the ongoing process to repatriate Heiltsuk culture that was taken from the community and now resides in museums, galleries and private collections around the world. The nation has spent decades building a database of items and has identified 34 institutions around the world that house more than 1,000 Heiltsuk items. They've repatriated four items since 2022, including a historic chief's seat that was returned to the community last summer. It's work that White intends to continue, and that Martin hopes will have more success. 'I hope that we have many more of these boxes,' she said.
CBC
7 hours ago
- CBC
CBC Igalaaq - June 06, 2025
CBC Igalaaq - June 06, 2025 News Duration 30:08 Viewers from Nunavut and the Northwest Territories are kept up to date by daily current events and news from the Inuit world
Toronto Star
9 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Saskatchewan lays charges in wildfires while Manitoba fires force 1,000 more to flee
Prairie wildfires developed on two fronts Friday as 1,000 more Manitoba residents were forced to flee their homes, while Saskatchewan's RCMP laid charges against alleged fire-starters. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe told a news conference that two people have been charged with setting wildfires. He said one of them was charged in relation to a fire around La Ronge, which has forced 7,000 people to flee their homes. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'The RCMP have informed us that they have now charged a couple of individuals,' Moe said. RCMP did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Saskatchewan has 24 active wildfires that have forced between 10,000 and 15,000 people from their homes. 'Many if not virtually all of the fires that we're dealing with in Saskatchewan, although not intentionally, are human caused. Some of those have been intentionally human caused,' Moe said. The province, along with Manitoba, is under a state of emergency, making it easier for different levels of government to co-ordinate a response. Manitoba has received help from the military to evacuate residents, mainly in remote First Nations. Moe has faced calls from the Opposition NDP to follow suit. The premier said while his government is in daily contact with federal officials, provincial emergency crews have so far been able to get evacuees out. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW He said the Canadian Red Cross is also working to set up shelters for evacuees in Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert. In Manitoba, the town of Snow Lake, near Flin Flon, issued a mandatory evacuation order for its residents due to a large wildfire threatening the area. 'You must leave because of the danger to your health and safety,' reads a notice on the town's Facebook page. That fire, which has grown to more than 3,000 square kilometres, has already forced out all 5,000 residents of the city of Flin Flon and about a thousand more in surrounding cottages and homes. When the Snow Lake evacuees are added in, Manitoba has about 19,000 out of their homes. There are 27 total fires in the province, eight of them out of control. Earlier Friday, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said evacuees have found a place to stay with friends or family, in hotels or in congregate shelters. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW He said getting those evacuees into private accommodations is tricky because many hotel rooms are being reserved for people with 'intense' medical issues. 'We just have to do a balancing act,' Kinew said. 'At this point, the big-picture challenge around rooms has largely been addressed. 'It's now just about the daily balancing act of triaging people coming in and people who are already in shelters and matching them up with rooms.' There are shelters in Winnipeg, Thompson and Brandon. The City of Flin Flon, on social media, said that no structures have been lost in the city or in nearby Creighton, Sask. 'Winds in the area are now blowing from the south, resulting in heavy smoke and fire moving towards the south side of Flin Flon,' the city said in an update Friday. The city added that fire protection, including sprinklers, is set up and firefighters would work to protect property. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Provincial fire officials said evacuations have been completed at First Nations at Pukatawagan and Cross Lake. In northern Alberta, approximately 1,300 residents of the town of Swan Hills were allowed to return to their homes Thursday, about a week after fleeing from a wildfire. But about 340 kilometres west in the County of Grande Prairie, people in the Municipal District of Opportunity were ordered out. — with files from Steve Lambert in Winnipeg This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 6, 2025.
