Ottawa 200: What did a day on Rideau Street look like decades ago?

A person walks past Ottawa 200+ Portraits, Places, and People on Rideau Street, on Aug. 21, 2026. Photo by Spencer Colby /POSTMEDIA

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Throughout time, storefronts have been a window into what a community or city can offer, according to Bytown Museum‘s exhibition and collections manager, Chloe Dennis.

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Dennis and a team at the Ottawa Art Gallery spent countless hours flipping through old photos from the museum and the City of Ottawa Archives before inspiration struck: “What did a day on Rideau (Street) look like back then?” Dennis asked.

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To move, to shop, to gather

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In just 10 large black-and-white images displayed on the windows of the iconic building once occupied by Hudson’s Bay, the installation called “Ottawa 200+ Portraits, Places, and People” transports viewers into the city of the past.

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Literally and figuratively, the installation is a window into what Ottawa’s community might have looked like decades ago.

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A person walks past Ottawa 200+ Portraits, Places, and People on Rideau Street, on Aug. 21, 2026. Photo by Spencer Colby /POSTMEDIA

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“The windows themselves act as frames into what the city can offer,” Dennis said. “I kept seeing recurring themes (in the archival photos) of Rideau Street as a place where people came to move, shop or gather.”

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While the curatorial inspirations behind the images focused on the historical value of the essence of what the city was like, Dennis says the process combines and integrates contemporary artists.

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Dennis said the project came to fruition with artists like Emilie Darlington and Pascale Arpin, who were responsible for painting the frames around the images and other signage on the downtown windows.

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Darlington, a well-known Ottawa muralist who has painted many vacant storefronts on Bank Street, says the painting process took 10 days.

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“Using the vibrant modern colours was a nice branch between time periods,” Darlington said. “The contrasted colours work together to help the other stand out.”

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A person walks past Ottawa 200+ Portraits, Places, and People on Rideau Street, on Aug. 21, 2026. Photo by Spencer Colby /POSTMEDIA

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Darlington is known for leaning on nature-based bright colours and detail-oriented techniques in her work as a muralist. The floral details on the gilded frames dovetailed with her personal style.

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“I like going to a local nature area and be inspired by it, and have that bleed into my work,” she said.

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Darlington said she was historically informed in her designs for the project, but used bright and eye-catching colours to bring viewers back to the present to help ground them in the commemoration of the 200th anniversary.

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Artist Pascale painted the sign that reads “What’s in a Frame?” in three different languages, including Anishinaabemowin, French and English. It was painted using gold colours and curved letters, similar to how Ottawa storefronts may have had their own storefronts done in the past.

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A general view of Ottawa 200+ Portraits, Places, and People on Rideau Street. Photo by Spencer Colby /POSTMEDIA

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Ottawa, then and now

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The selected images inside the painted frames complement the Bytown Museum’s own temporary exhibition: “What’s in a Frame: 200+ Years of Community Portraits”, Dennis said.