Canada Aviation Museum to get huge glazed extension

Ottawa's Canada Aviation Museum is set for a $7 million renovation that will see visitors greeted with a huge glazed reception area.

The glass extension will be aimed at giving guests a taste of things to come as they walk through a landscaped entrance into the new foyer.

As part of the extension the museum will also get a new auditorium, classrooms, lookout tower, retail space and cafeteria, according to the Ottawa Citizen.

"Aviation is embedded in the fabric of the Canadian experience, but currently we look like a hangar for aircraft rather than a museum," said Stephen Quick, the associate director-general.

"The purpose of this expansion is to show to the visitor to Ottawa that we are really a museum.

"When you come into the museum, it will have what we call a 'wow factor'. You begin your experience as you enter the door."

It is the latest example of how glass can be used to make a positive impression on guests.

Another such example is the new 'glass cube' Armani store set to open on New York's Fifth Avenue.