What Makes Canada Cool?

Giant Spider now resides in Ottawa
Photo courtesy of National Gallery of Canada.
 Ottawa, Ontario - Do you have a 12-year-old boy who thinks spiders are really, really cool? Here’s an introduction to art that will get his attention. The National Gallery of Canada recently acquired Maman, a 9.27 metre (30-foot) spider sculpture, which is now on display at the Gallery’s Plaza. The gargantuan bronze spider, by Louise Bourgeois, weighs 8,165 kg (or 18,000 lbs) and carries a sac of 20 pure white marble eggs under her belly. Spiders, with their ability to fabricate complex and calculated webs, serve as a natural metaphor for creativity. This artist intended this sculpture to be an ode to the artist’s mother, who was a restorer of tapestries. The National Gallery is home to more than 35,000 works of art, with displays in spacious galleries, a luminous Great Hall, quiet courtyards and beautiful gardens.

Where: The glittering towers of National Gallery overlook the Ottawa River and the Parliment buildings (here's a live look at Parliment Hill: Ottawa Webcam). Quick Tip: Time your visit to Ottawa for early May and you'll see the city burst into bloom: more than three million tulips are planted throughout the Capital Region.

More cool facts about Ottawa: World's largest skating rink I Karsh's Churchill photograph I hospital room that joined The Netherlands I Ottawa native & Senators fan Matthew Perry I the jail that's become a youth hostel I Ottawa-born Paul Anka - composer of more than 900 songs I Sandra Oh I the first sunglasses

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Lucy Izon Travel Journalist
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World's largest skating rink in Chinese
World's largest skating rink in French
World's largest skating rink in Japanese Worlds largest skating rink in German
World's largest skating rink in Italian World's largest skating rink in Spanish
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