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Want to learn more about Canada’s history? Visit a museum or national historic site!
Through artifacts,
works of art, stories, images and documents, museums explore the diverse events and accomplishments
that formed Canada’s history. Museums can be found in almost every city and town across Canada.
National historic sites are located in all provinces and territories and include such diverse places as
battlefields, archaeological sites, buildings and sacred spaces. To find a museum or national historic site
in your community or region, visit the websites of the Virtual Museum of Canada and Parks Canada listed
at the end of this guide.
Great Canadian discoveries and
inventions
Canadians have made various discoveries and
inventions. Some of the most famous are listed
below.
•
Alexander Graham Bell
— hit on the idea
of the telephone at his summer house in
Canada.
•
Joseph-Armand Bombardier
— invented the
snowmobile, a light-weight winter vehicle.
•
Sir Sandford Fleming
— invented the
worldwide system of standard time zones.
•
Matthew Evans and Henry Woodward
—
together invented the first electric light bulb
and later sold the patent to Thomas Edison
who, more famously, commercialized the light
bulb.
•
Reginald Fessenden
— contributed to the
invention of radio, sending the first wireless
voice message in the world.
•
Dr. Wilder Penfield
— was a pioneering brain
surgeon at McGill University in Montreal, and
was known as “the greatest living Canadian.”
•
Dr. John A. Hopps
— invented the first cardiac
pacemaker, used today to save the lives of
people with heart disorders.
•
SPAR Aerospace / National Research Council
— invented the Canadarm, a robotic arm used
in outer space.
•
Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie
— of Research
in Motion (RIM) — a wireless communications
company known for its most famous
invention: the BlackBerry.
Scientific innovation at
work: Canadarm2
Sir Frederick Banting of
Toronto and Charles Best
discovered insulin,
a hormone to treat
diabetes that has
saved 16 million lives
worldwide
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Discover Canada
The prosperity and diversity of our country
depend on all Canadians working together to
face challenges of the future. In seeking to
become a citizen, you are joining a country that,
with your active participation, will continue to
grow and thrive.
How will you make your contribution to Canada?