Parks Canada
Rideau Canal
National Historic Site of Canada
Headquarters
Visitor Centre
Parcs Canada
Canal-Rideau
Lieu historique national du Canada
Bureau central
Centre d'accueil
When I visited the Rideau Canal Visitor Centre, I entered through these doors. I then photographed the main floor exhibits. After that I rode the elevator to the top floor and made my way down on the stairs. After that I did a walk around outside the building. The photographs here are in the order I took them.
On the top floor I climbed two flights of steep stairs inside the observation tower on the top of the building. I took the outdoor pictures from inside that tower. You will see some reflection from the glass. I did my best to minimized it.
These two pictures show a scale model of the Jones Falls Lockstation, the 21st lockstation in the Rideau Canal system.
This is a scale model of Rideau King. Originally built in 1893 and named James Swift. In 1901 after tying up for the night in Ottawa James Swift caught fire leaving only the hull and a portion of the deck intact, while it's machinery suffered minimal damage. The boat was rebuilt, enlarged and renamed, Rideau King. By 1916 Rideau King had become structurally unsound and her boiler and engine needed complete replacement. The boat was sold for scrap and partially demolished with its remains left to rot in a lagoon near Garden Island, south of Kingston.
Information about Rideau King is from Steamboating on the Rideau Canal by Mike Nelles.
This shows the lookout tower above the top floor Rideau Canal exhibits. The view from the tower is well worth the steep climb to get there.
The Rideau River flows north of the visitor centre.
