The Canadian War Museum functions as a history museum, and as a "palace of memory," resulting in many of the museum's permanent exhibitions serving the purpose of being educational exhibits, and a memorial.
Permanent exhibitions at the museum include the Canadian Experience Galleries, Memorial Hall, Regeneration Hall, and the Royal Canadian Legion Hall of Honour.
The Canadian Experience Galleries are a series of four Canadian military history galleries arranged chronologically.
Memorial Hall is the only exhibition that is free to the public, with Memorial Hall being accessible through the lobby.

The permanent exhibitions at the museum were designed by Haley Sharpe Design, based in Leicester, UK, and Origin Studios, based in Ottawa.
The design team, together with museum historians, crafted its exhibits in which the themes of brutality, geography, politics, and survival are woven throughout most of the exhibitions in the museum.
The museum permanent exhibitions are divided into seven zones, and further sub-divided into 25 themed clusters.
Graphic interpretive information is spread throughout the exhibits in order to convey textual and visual information to visitors.

Exhibition design teams worked in conjunction with the architectural team for the new museum building, providing the exhibition design team with greater influence in how the exhibitions were arranged, positioned, and shaped; a degree of architectural influence not available to exhibition design teams working to fit exhibits in a pre-existing space.
The exhibit structures, like the building itself, is angular and trapezoidal, reflecting the museum's theme of regeneration, in addition to enhancing the themes of the exhibits.
The exhibition areas in the museum feature austere lines of galvanized steel, concrete, wood, and other hard surfaces with strong, and deep colours.
The exhibition areas' design was intended to provide visitors with "little comfort or respite," with the "fragmented structure of the exhibits," intended to the story of war.
Although angular lines are prevalent throughout the design of the building and exhibitions, coloured curved structures are strategically placed throughout the galleries, acting as a counterpoint to the angular design of the building.

In addition to permanent exhibitions the museum also organizes and hosts special and travelling exhibitions.
The Canadian War Museum functions as a history museum, and as a "palace of memory," resulting in many of the museum's permanent exhibitions serving the purpose of being educational exhibits, and a memorial. Permanent exhibitions at the museum include the Canadian Experience Galleries, Memorial Hall, Regeneration Hall, and the Royal Canadian Legion Hall of Honour. The Canadian Experience Galleries are a series of four Canadian military history galleries arranged chronologically. Memorial Hall is the only exhibition that is free to the public, with Memorial Hall being accessible through the lobby. 
The permanent exhibitions at the museum were designed by Haley Sharpe Design, based in Leicester, UK, and Origin Studios, based in Ottawa. The design team, together with museum historians, crafted its exhibits in which the themes of brutality, geography, politics, and survival are woven throughout most of the exhibitions in the museum. The museum permanent exhibitions are divided into seven zones, and further sub-divided into 25 themed clusters. Graphic interpretive information is spread throughout the exhibits in order to convey textual and visual information to visitors. 
Exhibition design teams worked in conjunction with the architectural team for the new museum building, providing the exhibition design team with greater influence in how the exhibitions were arranged, positioned, and shaped; a degree of architectural influence not available to exhibition design teams working to fit exhibits in a pre-existing space. The exhibit structures, like the building itself, is angular and trapezoidal, reflecting the museum's theme of regeneration, in addition to enhancing the themes of the exhibits. The exhibition areas in the museum feature austere lines of galvanized steel, concrete, wood, and other hard surfaces with strong, and deep colours. The exhibition areas' design was intended to provide visitors with "little comfort or respite," with the "fragmented structure of the exhibits," intended to the story of war. Although angular lines are prevalent throughout the design of the building and exhibitions, coloured curved structures are strategically placed throughout the galleries, acting as a counterpoint to the angular design of the building. 
In addition to permanent exhibitions the museum also organizes and hosts special and travelling exhibitions.
Canadian War Museum