A former bakery full of artifacts
The Canada Science and Technology Museum opened on November 16, 1967, inside a repurposed bakery and distribution center. This unusual origin established a museum that values hands-on experience. Today, its collection holds approximately 20,000 artifact lots, which include 60,000 individual objects and 80,000 photos. After a major renovation from 2014 to 2017, the building now spans 13,458 square meters (144,860 sq ft) and features a modern design with seismic upgrades and a roof fitted with photovoltaic panels.
One of the oldest exhibits is the Crazy Kitchen, which has been disorienting visitors since the museum's opening day in 1967. The room is built on a 12-degree angle, but uses visual cues like windows and doors perpendicular to the floor to trick the eyes into seeing a level room. This creates a conflict between what your eyes see and what your inner ear senses, resulting in a dizzying sensation of spatial distortion. Another feature is Artifact Alley, a multi-story display case at the museum's core that holds over 700 artifacts.
Steam giants and royal travels
The museum has a significant collection of massive steam locomotives. One of the largest is the Canadian National Railways (CN) 6400. Built in 1936 at the Montreal Locomotive Works, its streamlined design was a result of wind tunnel testing by Canada's National Research Council. This very locomotive pulled the Royal Train for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth during their 1939 Canadian tour. It was the first artifact the museum acquired in 1967.
Another piece in the collection is the Canadian Pacific (CP) 1201 steam locomotive. Weighing 185 metric tons, it was built in 1944 and is one of the largest single objects in the collection. The museum also holds the Governor General's rail cars, which were used for royal tours between 1939 and 1959. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were the last royals to travel in them during the 1977 Jubilee tour. These large artifacts are now housed in the Ingenium Centre, a modern conservation facility adjacent to the museum with climate and dust controls.