The collections of the Canadian War Museum originated from the collections of the Cartier Square Military Museum, established through a general order on 5 November 1880.
Established with the intention to be museum of national interest, the institution sought to preserve historical records and materials relating to the Canadian Militia, and any of its colonial predecessors.
A proposal to establish a library operated by the museum was made in 1882, although these plans never came to fruition.
As the museum continued to solicit donations for its collection the museum quickly outgrew its space in the drill hall, and appeals for a new facility were made by 1886.
The museum was eventually closed in 1896, with militia units that used the drill hall requiring more space, and to make room to accommodate a new shipments of Lee-Enfield rifles.

The militia office originally planned to relocate the museum, storing its collections in an old military warehouse below Parliament Hill (present location of the Bytown Museum).
In July 1901, the Department of Militia and Defence negotiated a lease to house the museum in another building in Ottawa, although no progress towards reestablishing the museum was made by the time the lease expired in 1905.
On 26 January 1907, the Militia Council was informed by Eugène Fiset, the Quartermaster-General of the Canadian Militia, that there was "no interest being taken by the officers of the garrison" for a museum, and that he did not recommend pursuing reopening one.
The collection from the Cartier Square Military Museum remained at the warehouse until Dominion Archivist, Arthur Doughty, requested the transference of the items to the archives for the purposes of displaying some of them.
The militia approved the request, and transferred 105 items to the archives between 1910 and 1919; although in doing so, the militia assumed that the Dominion Archives had assumed responsibility for establishing a new military museum.
By the 1910s, the militia began to redirect potential donors of military artifacts to the Dominion Archives.
 
These works, in addition to captured German weapons, were exhibited for the first time in a travelling exhibition in 1916.
In December 1918, the Commission on War Records and Trophies was established to distribute the materials to memorials across Canada.
However, the Commission retained a number of pieces at the Dominion Archives with the hope they would eventually be exhibited in a national museum.
In 1924, the War Trophy Building was built adjacent to the original Dominion Archives building to house the military collection.
In 1935, Doughty struck a deal with General Andrew McNaughton, the Chief of General Staff, for the militia to support the establishment of the museum.
A War Trophies Review Board was established between the archives and militia, charged with selecting the best items to preserve for a future museum.
The collections of the Canadian War Museum originated from the collections of the Cartier Square Military Museum, established through a general order on 5 November 1880. Established with the intention to be museum of national interest, the institution sought to preserve historical records and materials relating to the Canadian Militia, and any of its colonial predecessors. A proposal to establish a library operated by the museum was made in 1882, although these plans never came to fruition. As the museum continued to solicit donations for its collection the museum quickly outgrew its space in the drill hall, and appeals for a new facility were made by 1886. The museum was eventually closed in 1896, with militia units that used the drill hall requiring more space, and to make room to accommodate a new shipments of Lee-Enfield rifles. 
The militia office originally planned to relocate the museum, storing its collections in an old military warehouse below Parliament Hill (present location of the Bytown Museum). In July 1901, the Department of Militia and Defence negotiated a lease to house the museum in another building in Ottawa, although no progress towards reestablishing the museum was made by the time the lease expired in 1905. On 26 January 1907, the Militia Council was informed by Eugène Fiset, the Quartermaster-General of the Canadian Militia, that there was "no interest being taken by the officers of the garrison" for a museum, and that he did not recommend pursuing reopening one. The collection from the Cartier Square Military Museum remained at the warehouse until Dominion Archivist, Arthur Doughty, requested the transference of the items to the archives for the purposes of displaying some of them. The militia approved the request, and transferred 105 items to the archives between 1910 and 1919; although in doing so, the militia assumed that the Dominion Archives had assumed responsibility for establishing a new military museum. By the 1910s, the militia began to redirect potential donors of military artifacts to the Dominion Archives.  
These works, in addition to captured German weapons, were exhibited for the first time in a travelling exhibition in 1916. In December 1918, the Commission on War Records and Trophies was established to distribute the materials to memorials across Canada. However, the Commission retained a number of pieces at the Dominion Archives with the hope they would eventually be exhibited in a national museum. In 1924, the War Trophy Building was built adjacent to the original Dominion Archives building to house the military collection. In 1935, Doughty struck a deal with General Andrew McNaughton, the Chief of General Staff, for the militia to support the establishment of the museum. A War Trophies Review Board was established between the archives and militia, charged with selecting the best items to preserve for a future museum.
Canadian War Museum