Ontario has a deep connection to bush flying and aviation history. Across the province, several museums celebrate the role of bushplanes in remote travel, firefighting, and industry. These museums preserve historic aircraft, tell the stories of pioneering pilots, and offer interactive experiences for visitors. If you love aviation history, these bushplane history museums are worth a visit.
The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre, also known as the Bushplane Museum, is the most well-known bushplane museum in Ontario. Located in a former Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources hangar, the museum sits on the St. Marys River waterfront in Sault Ste. Marie.
This museum showcases over 30 aircraft, including bushplanes and water bombers used for forest firefighting. The collection includes the famous de Havilland Beaver, a rugged aircraft built for flying into Canada’s most remote areas. Another highlight is the CL-215 water bomber, which played a critical role in fighting wildfires.
Visitors can explore interactive exhibits like “Wildfires! A Firefighting Adventure”, where they can experience what it’s like to battle forest fires. The museum also has a Flight Adventure Simulator, giving visitors the chance to “fly” a bushplane.
With hands-on activities, real aircraft, and a focus on Northern Ontario’s aviation past, the Bushplane Museum is a must-visit destination.
While primarily focused on military aircraft, the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum also showcases bushplanes that supported Canada’s northern industries. The museum features more than 40 aircraft, including World War II bombers, Cold War jets, and bushplanes used for transport and firefighting.
One of the highlights is the Noorduyn Norseman, a Canadian-built aircraft used in bush flying operations. Designed in the 1930s, it was used for transporting goods, medical supplies, and passengers to remote locations.
For a truly unique experience, visitors can book a flight in a historic aircraft, including some used in early bush flying.
While not in Ontario, The Hangar Flight Museum in Calgary features aircraft with strong ties to Ontario’s bush flying history. The museum’s collection includes the de Havilland Tiger Moth and Beechcraft Expeditor, both used in training and bush flying operations across Canada.
Many of these aircraft were first tested and flown in Ontario before being used across the country. The museum also has artifacts related to Canada’s early bush pilots and the challenges they faced flying in remote regions.
Toronto was once home to the Toronto Aerospace Museum, which housed bushplanes and early Canadian aircraft. While the museum closed in 2011, it played a key role in preserving aviation history in Ontario. Some of its exhibits, including the Avro Arrow replica, have since moved to other museums.
Many of the bushplanes that were once displayed here can now be found in other aviation museums across Ontario.
Ontario’s vast wilderness made bushplanes essential for transportation, exploration, and firefighting. From the early days of the de Havilland Beaver to modern water bombers, these aircraft helped shape the province’s forestry, mining, and tourism industries.
Museums like the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre preserve this history by offering interactive exhibits, historical aircraft, and engaging experiences for visitors of all ages.
If you’re interested in aviation history, a trip to one of these museums will give you a deeper appreciation for bush flying in Canada.
But we happen to think ours is one of the best Bushplane History Museums in Ontario….if not the BEST! 😉
Canada has a rich aviation history, from bush planes to military aircraft. Across the country, museums showcase this history with interactive exhibits and impressive aircraft collections. Whether you’re an aviation enthusiast or a casual visitor, these museums offer a fascinating experience. Here are some of the best aviation museums in Canada.
The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre, known as the Bushplane Museum, highlights Canada’s bush flying and firefighting history. Located in a former hangar on the St. Marys River, the museum houses over 30 aircraft used for remote area access and firefighting. Visitors can explore iconic planes like the de Havilland Beaver and CL-215 water bomber.
The museum features interactive exhibits, including a flight simulator and a hands-on kids’ area. One of its most exciting attractions is the Wildfires! A Firefighting Adventure exhibit lets visitors experience a forest firefighter’s life.
With its mix of history, technology, and hands-on learning, the Bushplane Museum is a must-visit destination in Northern Ontario.
Located in the nation’s capital, the Canada Aviation and Space Museum houses the country’s largest collection of aircraft. The museum covers military and civilian aviation history, from early flight to modern space exploration.
Visitors can see rare aircraft like the Avro Arrow, the Silver Dart, and World War II fighters like the Supermarine Spitfire and Messerschmitt Bf 109. The museum also has a strong focus on Canada’s role in space, with artifacts from astronaut Chris Hadfield’s missions.
For a special experience, visitors can take a biplane or helicopter ride from the museum’s own airfield.
Housed in a historic World War II hangar, the Alberta Aviation Museum tells the story of Alberta’s aviation pioneers. The museum’s collection includes more than 30 aircraft, from bush planes to military jets.
One of the highlights is the Avro Anson, a bomber trainer from World War II. The museum also features interactive exhibits on flight training, aircraft restoration, and aviation careers. Visitors can walk through a replica control tower and learn how pilots communicate with air traffic controllers.
The museum’s restoration area allows guests to see aircraft being rebuilt, offering a behind-the-scenes look at aviation preservation.
Calgary’s Hangar Flight Museum celebrates the history of aviation in Western Canada. Located in a former British Commonwealth Air Training Plan hangar, the museum houses aircraft from World War I to the Cold War.
Key exhibits include the Hawker Hurricane, Bristol Blenheim bomber, and Beechcraft Expeditor. The museum also displays artifacts from Canadian astronauts and information about Canada’s role in space exploration.
In the summer, visitors can take part in outdoor aircraft tours and events celebrating aviation history.
Located near Victoria International Airport, the British Columbia Aviation Museum focuses on aviation in British Columbia. The collection includes aircraft used for coastal patrol, firefighting, and passenger flights.
Visitors can see aircraft like the Consolidated PBY Catalina, used for search-and-rescue missions, and the Fleet Finch, a Canadian-built biplane. The museum also has a dedicated restoration team that works on vintage aircraft, bringing them back to life.
The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum specializes in Canada’s military aviation history. It features one of the country’s most impressive collections of airworthy World War II aircraft.
The museum’s most famous aircraft is the Avro Lancaster bomber, one of only two still flying in the world. Visitors can also see the B-25 Mitchell, Hawker Hurricane, and de Havilland Vampire.
For an unforgettable experience, visitors can book a flight in some of these historic aircraft, including the Lancaster and Harvard trainers.
The Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum is the only aviation museum in the region. It highlights the history of flight in Eastern Canada, from early bush planes to military aircraft.
Notable aircraft include the CF-101 Voodoo, a Cold War-era interceptor, and the Lockheed JetStar, one of the world’s first business jets. The museum also displays artifacts from Canada’s role in transatlantic flight.
From bushplanes to bombers, Canada’s aviation museums showcase the country’s rich flight history. Whether you want to see rare aircraft, experience a simulator, or even take a flight, these museums offer something for everyone.
If you’re in Northern Ontario, don’t miss one of the Best Aviation Museums in Canada – the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre – a true highlight of Canada’s aviation past.
50 Pim Street Sault Ste. Marie, ON Canada P6A 3G4
