The City of Ottawa is proud to present the Doors Open Ottawa, a free annual architectural event that celebrates our community’s built heritage.
Ottawa is built on un-ceded Algonquin Anishinabe territory. The City of Ottawa honours the peoples and land of the Algonquin Anishinabe Nation.
The City of Ottawa honours all First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples and their valuable past and present contributions to this land.
During the first full weekend in June, Doors Open Ottawa will be celebrating its 20th anniversary, and we cordially invite residents and visitors alike to join us as we re-open the doors to some of the city's most beautiful buildings. That’s right…we’re thrilled to announce that we are returning to a live, in-person event but with the added bonus of enhanced virtual content!
Twenty years ago, the Doors Open concept became a reality when the very first Ottawa event welcomed nearly 80 building participants and 35,000 visitors. Since then, the event continues to expand and evolve with the everchanging times, and this year is no different. Buildings will have the option to participate virtually, in-person, or a hybrid of the two. As a visitor, you will simply have to plan your ‘visits’ accordingly and follow the most current public health policies in place.
Whether you choose a virtual or live experience, you will discover the secrets and stories that lie within some of Ottawa’s most interesting buildings by way of still photography, in-depth descriptions, 3D and/or virtual tours, YouTube videos, in-person guided and self-guided tours, and more…so stay tuned!
On June 4 and 5, join us for the 20th anniversary celebration of Doors Open Ottawa, and pay homage to our city’s history, culture, and stunning architecture! It’s free, it’s fun, and it’s the perfect way to discover how Canada’s Capital has become the beautiful city it is today. And don't forget…you can follow and share your #DoorsOpenOttawa experience on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
For disability-related accommodations required to participate fully in this event, please contact us at doorsopen@ottawa.ca or call 3-1-1.
For media inquiries, please contact medias@ottawa.ca.
Thank you for visiting the hybrid edition of Doors Open Ottawa 2022 from May 30 to June 10. In order to remain COVIDwise, this year's event was offered in a hybrid format.
If you missed this year’s event on Ottawa.ca, there is still an opportunity to experience a number of this year’s building participants by visiting the Doors Open Ontario website. In addition to the listings available on the Ottawa page of the provincial website, you can also experience a number of other Ontario Doors Open events taking place this year.
We would like to take this moment to thank and acknowledge this year’s building participants. The time and effort they have put forth to ensure that this year’s event is a success has not gone unnoticed. The ingenuity and dedication towards creating virtual experiences for everyone to enjoy is a testament to their community pride.
Please continue to stay safe, stay healthy, and follow public health recommendations so that we may see each other again in person for Doors Open Ottawa 2023.
Contest is now closed
In celebration of our 20th anniversary, the Ottawa Regional Society of Architects and Doors Open Ottawa have joined forces to create a ‘Scavenger Hunt’ for information. Whether you’re participating in person or from the comforts of home, we invite you to join in on the fun!
Submit a digital Doors Open Ottawa Scavenger Hunt entry during this year’s event and you could win 1 of 50 gift cards from local Ottawa area businesses! The form will be available to the public on June 3.
Put your research skills and architectural knowledge to the test to see if you can correctly answer at least 8 of 16 questions that feature a Doors Open Ottawa 2022 hybrid building participant!
As a condition of participating in the Doors Open Ottawa 2022 Scavenger Hunt Contest (the “Contest”), entrants agree to be bound by these Official Contest Rules (the “Contest Rules”).
We are now in the time of year when so many events, festivals, and attractions entertain residents and draw visitors from all over the world to our beautiful and vibrant city. After a two-year hiatus, many annual activities and events will be returning or expanding to near pre-pandemic levels, bringing a sense of normalcy back to our lives. One of the events bringing back in-person participation is the always popular Doors Open Ottawa – which will take place on June 4 and 5.
It’s a special year for Doors Open Ottawa, as it celebrates the 20th anniversary of giving residents and visitors a behind-the-door look at some of Ottawa’s historic and iconic buildings. From a personal standpoint, the 2022 edition of Doors Open Ottawa is a bittersweet and proud moment, as this major milestone anniversary is also during my final year as Mayor of Ottawa.
During my 12 years as Mayor, this annual event has sustained a high level of enthusiasm and participation from our residents. And during the pandemic, it remained resilient by giving residents a virtual tour of these buildings in the comfort and safety of their own homes.
This year, the same flexibility will be provided to help ensure the comfort-level and inclusivity for all residents - with a hybrid version of both virtual and in-person tours. Some of the buildings highlighting this year’s edition include: the Ottawa Humane Society (virtual), the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre (in-person), and the Parliamentary Precinct Block 2 Redevelopment Project (hybrid). When visiting buildings, remember to remain kind and respectful to their individual health protocols.
So, I personally invite you and your family to visit and see what lies behind the doors of so many buildings that we see and pass by on a regular basis. If you plan to go for the in-person tours downtown, take advantage of the O-Train Line 1 for easy and convenient travel, and be sure to shop, dine and support local businesses in the downtown core.
Whether you visit online or in-person, I hope you enjoy Doors Open Ottawa 2022. And I extend my appreciation and my best wishes to Doors Open Ottawa for a successful event this year and in the many years to come.
The application period for Doors Open Ottawa 2022: Hybrid Edition is now closed.
For information and frequently asked question about the event, including building participation and criteria, please visit the Building owners and managers - FAQ section.
For all other enquiries, you may contact the event coordinator at doorsopen@ottawa.ca.
The Doors Open Ottawa Advisory Council is the committee responsible for determining whether a building is eligible to participate in the event based on specific criteria designed to value its historical, cultural, functional, and/or architectural significance.
If you think your building would be a suitable candidate for Doors Open Ottawa, please review the criteria outlined. Please note that while it’s not necessary to meet every criterion, buildings that largely meet the criteria listed below will have a stronger chance of being selected.
Preference will be given to buildings that meet the following criteria:
To identify your building as a Doors Open Ottawa site, information that you provide including a building description, photos, 3D tours, virtual tours, and/or more will be included in Doors Open Ottawa promotional materials, social media sites, press materials and the Doors Open Ottawa Web site. Your site may also appear on the Doors Open Ontario website operated by the Ontario Heritage Trust.
Doors Open Ottawa is not responsible for any costs incurred by those who wish to create new virtual content for the event. If your building chooses to create new content, such as a 3D or virtual tour, the costs associated with doing so will be paid for solely by the building participant. However, we think it’s important to note, that if you’re thinking about creating something new, it can always be used for your own promotional purposes after the event is over. It’s a win-win!
Disclaimer: Please note that all virtual content will be reviewed by the City of Ottawa. If the City deems any content unfit for publication (i.e. foul language, nudity, promotion of tobacco, alcohol, or drugs, etc.), we have the sole right to exclude the content from the event.
We understand that not all buildings are created equally. While we strongly encourage all of our buildings to provide bilingual content on their websites, 3D tours, and virtual tours, we know that it’s not always possible. However, if you plan on creating new virtual content for this year’s event, perhaps it’s the perfect time to include both official languages in your new promotional material.
No. Virtual admission must be free during the event. The focus of Doors Open Ottawa is to celebrate heritage and architecture, by making participating buildings open to all.
Buildings that fit the Doors Open Ottawa profile and that are normally open to the public (e.g., historic and/or architecturally important embassies, government buildings, theatres, churches, museums, etc.) will be included if admission is free. We encourage buildings that are normally open to the public to offer special activities or events, such as exhibits, talks, musical recitals, or behind-the-scenes tours as a way to showcase the building further.
Doors Open Ottawa is funded by partnerships between the City of Ottawa, corporate sponsors, and individual donations. If you own a business or are part of an organization that would like to sponsor Doors Open Ottawa, please contact:
Amy Kudrinko, Coordinator
Doors Open Ottawa, City of Ottawa
Tel: 613-580-9674
Email: doorsopen@ottawa.ca
Since its inception, Doors Open Ottawa has welcomed both sponsorships and partnerships with local and national corporations, businesses, and organizations. By generously donating time, money, and resources to Doors Open Ottawa for nearly 20 years, we have been able to continue operating as a free event, and we look forward to doing so for many more years to come.
If you are a business or organization that wishes to sponsor or collaborate with Doors Open Ottawa 2022, we invite you to contact us today to discuss a wide range of opportunities.
As a trusted sponsor and partner, we will work with you to ensure that your brand is presented in a way that is beneficial to your business!
Due to COVID-19 modified operations, Doors Open Ottawa is not currently accepting volunteers. If you have any questions about the volunteer program or would like to be notified when volunteering resumes, please contact doorsopen@ottawa.ca.
The Doors Open Ottawa Advisory Council works with the City of Ottawa to maintain the vision of this two-day celebration of Ottawa's architectural excellence and built heritage.
Which building would you like to see participate in Doors Open Ottawa 2023?
To recommend a building, please e-mail doorsopen@ottawa.ca. Provide as much information as possible to assist us in our research.
