Bank of Canada Museum

Bank of Canada Museum Bank of Canada Museum brings our economy front and centre—where visitors can see it, touch it and discover their role it in. Museum

It’s stimulating, immersive and, best of all, fun.

😕 Our nickel wasn’t always a nickel…🪙It was simply a 5-cent coin — and made of silver ✨. But at just over three-quarters...
08/30/2026

😕 Our nickel wasn’t always a nickel…🪙

It was simply a 5-cent coin — and made of silver ✨. But at just over three-quarters the size of a dime, it was easy to lose.👀

There was only one solution: remove the silver and make it bigger. Like the American nickel.📏

Read the story of how the nickel evolved in our blog “The First Canadian Nickel.”
👉 https://bit.ly/4493zu7

5 cents, Canada, 1921

🏦 The Consolidated Bank of Canada was formed through the merger of the City Bank of Montreal and the Royal Canadian Bank...
08/29/2026

🏦 The Consolidated Bank of Canada was formed through the merger of the City Bank of Montreal and the Royal Canadian Bank.

One was financially weak, the other faced corruption — resulting in a “stronger,” but still controversial institution. 💰⚖️

Despite being old and infirm, ex-Minister of Finance Sir Francis Hincks was appointed President in 1875. His incompetence got him into trouble, and he became embroiled in scandal.🧾👀 In 1879, he and several directors were investigated and found guilty. Yet they avoided jail.

A striking reminder that Canada’s banking history is not always straightforward.

5 dollars, Consolidated Bank of Canada, 1876

08/28/2026

🗓 Mark your calendars

The Bank of Canada's next scheduled interest rate decision is on September 2.

🔎 Metal detectorists often find pennies like this🪙, but they aren’t very valuable — even in good condition.Back in 1881,...
08/28/2026

🔎 Metal detectorists often find pennies like this🪙, but they aren’t very valuable — even in good condition.

Back in 1881, a one-cent coin had real purchasing power💰📜 — you could even buy a newspaper with a penny.

Today, the same kind of reading might cost a few dollars per week for an online subscription.💻📰

A simple coin, but a powerful reminder of how value changes over time.⏳✨

1 cent, coin, Canada, 1881

08/27/2026

📣 On September 3, the Bank of Canada will unveil the new vertical $20 note!

🍎📚 Heading back to the classroom this fall?If you’re a high school teacher looking for engaging, curriculum-linked resou...
08/27/2026

🍎📚 Heading back to the classroom this fall?

If you’re a high school teacher looking for engaging, curriculum-linked resources, check out “You Are the Economy”!💡

Our FREE lesson plans and classroom activities help students explore:

💵 Inflation
🏦 Interest rates
📈 The economy
🛒 Everyday financial decisions

Designed to spark discussion and connect economics to real life, these resources are ready to use throughout the school year.

🔗 Explore the lesson plans: https://bit.ly/3TOJWCX


🍎📚 Elementary teachers — looking for engaging money math activities this school year?Our FREE lesson plans help students...
08/26/2026

🍎📚 Elementary teachers — looking for engaging money math activities this school year?

Our FREE lesson plans help students build math and financial literacy skills through fun, classroom-ready activities! 💰➕✏️

Students can explore:
🪙 Counting money
🛒 Spending and saving
📊 Budgeting basics
➗ Real-world math skills

Designed to make learning practical, interactive and fun for young learners. 🌟

🔗 Explore the lesson plans: https://bit.ly/4g5tlXJ



✨ We’re hiring! Museum Visitor Services Coordinator (Permanent/Indeterminate) ✨ Do you love museums and thrive on making...
08/25/2026

✨ We’re hiring! Museum Visitor Services Coordinator (Permanent/Indeterminate) ✨

Do you love museums and thrive on making the visitor experience smooth and welcoming? Join the Bank of Canada Museum and support daily operations, visitor service standards, staff training, and real-time problem-solving.

📍 Ottawa (Downtown)
🗓️ Apply by September 21, 2026
🔗 Apply at https://bit.ly/46odWvg

🏦 A “Bank of Canada” was founded in 1818…But not the one you might be thinking of. 😄Alongside the Bank of Montreal and...
08/25/2026

🏦 A “Bank of Canada” was founded in 1818…

But not the one you might be thinking of. 😄

Alongside the Bank of Montreal and the Quebec Bank, it was one of Canada’s earliest chartered banks. It didn’t receive official permission to operate until it was granted a charter in 1822 — yet it began business anyway, with assets of £200,000 .💷

Our collection includes several of these early notes, many of which are either counterfeit or suspected to be so.👀

A fascinating glimpse into the early and sometimes messy world of Canadian banking.💰

5 dollars, Bank of Canada, Canada, 1823

08/24/2026

We can't wait to see the design for the vertical $20!

Address

30 Bank Street
Ottawa, ON
K1A0G9

Telephone

+16137828914

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