Canada Day firework show behind the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa

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Cheers to Canada!. Canada Day

As the sky darkens on Canada Day, a sense of anticipation fills the air over the country. Behind the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, crowds start to gather. Eyes lift toward the sky, waiting for the annual firework show, like the one in today's image, that celebrates the birth of a nation. July 1 commemorates the passing of the British North America Act, 1867, which joined together three British colonies, the Union of Canada, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, under the self-governing country of Canada. The anniversary of the Confederation was called Dominion Day until 1982, when Canada became fully independent of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and the celebration was officially renamed Canada Day.

The National Gallery of Canada, founded in 1880, covers 46,621 square metres, making it one of the largest museums in North America. Within its glass and granite façade, the gallery houses a collection of over 93,000 artworks, including masterpieces of Canadian and Indigenous art, European classics and more. As you wander through the grand halls, you'll come across the 'Voice of Fire' by Barnett Newman and the Group of Seven's captivating landscapes. So, if you are an art lover celebrate here, where art and sky unite in an ode to Canada’s splendid legacy.