11+ Exciting Montreal Museums to Visit this Year!
There’s nothing like learning some new facts and taking in some art on a leisurely Sunday afternoon spent at a Montreal museum. Museums are especially great for escaping a rainy day or taking advantage of their air conditioning. We’ve compiled a list of Montreal’s best museums to visit, whether you enjoy art, history, science, architecture or any other topic!
Beyond museums, there are so many Super Exciting Things to Do in Montreal that are worth checking out this season.
Pointe-à-Callière Museum
This Old Montreal museum explores the history behind Quebec’s populations, from its Indigenous peoples to the present day. The museum is located on the very site where the French settlers first stepped foot on the island of Montreal. Thanks to its historic location, you’ll even have the chance to go underneath the building to see the old fortifications that used to stand in Old Montreal.
350 Place Royale
pacmusee.qc.ca/en/
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
Montreal’s Fine Arts museum welcomes over 1 million visitors per year and is the 12th most popular art museum in North America. It covers a wide range of disciplines such as music, art, cinema and design, so there’s truly something for everyone. Visit for an immersive look at visual art from old masters to contemporary innovators.
1380 Sherbrooke St W
www.mbam.qc.ca
Biodome of Montreal
Montreal’s Biodome, located at the Olympic park, offers visitors a look into the different habitats of animals across the globe. As you travel from the tropics to sub-zero climates, the Biodome invites you to explore our planet’s wildlife in their diverse habitats. See the penguins off the Labrador coast, the monkeys of the tropical rainforest, the beavers in the Laurentian maple forest, and much more!
4777 Pierre-de Coubertin Ave
http://espacepourlavie.ca/en/biodome
Biosphere Environmental Museum
The Biosphere was built by the American architect Buckminster Fuller and is located in the Jean-Drapeau park. There, you’re invited to learn about the major environmental issues that our planet faces today and to imagine more sustainable futures. They offer engaging activities to help guests dive deep on issues relating to air, water, biodiversity, climate change, sustainable development and more. Then, they offer solutions to the complicated hurdles the planet needs to overcome, starting with the city of Montreal.
160 Chemin du Tour de l’isle
www.ec.gc.ca/biosphere/
Redpath Museum
Belonging to McGill University, the Redpath museum boasts a collection of findings in natural history from taxidermy animals to dinosaur skeletons to stunning gems and minerals. The museum explores the fields of palaeontology, zoology, mineralogy and ethnology allowing you to see novelties such as the skeleton of a Gorgosaurus dinosaur and Egyptian mummies from circa 1500 BCE.
859 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal
http://www.mcgill.ca/redpath/redpath-museum
Montreal Science Centre
This museum is dedicated to science and technology and makes these fields accessible to guests through their fun, interactive exhibits. They also feature the latest IMAX movies in their state of the art theatre. While some exhibitions are designed specifically for kids, many are ready to inspire minds of all ages.
2 de la Commune St W
http://www.montrealsciencecentre.com/
Arsenal Montreal
Arsenal is a vast contemporary art galley located in the old industrial district of Montreal called Griffintown. The space was built in 1853 as a shipyard workspace but now features 50,000 square feet of exhibition space for local and international contemporary artists who’s work interrogates today’s world in a myriad of different ways.
2020 William St
www.arsenalmontreal.com/en/
Museum of Jewish Montreal + Fletchers
The space that houses The Museum of Jewish Montreal has both a museum and a lunch counter. The museum part looks at the impact that Jewish communities had on Montreal, especially in the Plateau area where it’s located. Fletcher’s invites visitors to try traditional Jewish food and learn about its history while you savour the flavours of the community.
#R01 4040 Saint Laurent Boulevard
http://imjm.ca/
The Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art
Located in the Place des festivals, at the heart of Montreal’s entertainment district, the MAC houses the works of local and international contemporary artists in a sleek, modern setting that allows for an immersive look at the intriguing field of work.
Temporarily closed
185 Saint-Catherine St W
http://www.macm.org/en/
McCord Museum
This quaint museum is dedicated to researching and teaching about Canada’s rich history from its Indigenous people to its colonial settlements. For example, one permanent exhibition features pieces of Indigenous dress and how it plays a role in expressing their identity.
Current exhibitions: On the other end of things, “Griffintown – Evolving Montreal” is a photographer’s look at this changing city through one distinct and colourful neighbourhood, and revealing the tension between its development and those who have historic ties to the area.
690 Sherbrooke St W
http://www.musee-mccord.qc.ca/en/
Canadian Centre for Architecture
This research institution invites guests to learn about the role that architecture plays in our society. The CCA building itself was built in the 1980s on a road that leads to one of the city’s major highways, which is a bit of an unusual place. It also features a garden with interesting sculptures to check out.
1920 Baile St
http://www.cca.qc.ca/en/