Museums and Exhibition Sites

Located near Saint-Jean Gate in the very heart of Old Québec, Artillery Park bears witness to the importance that military presence had in forming the character of the city. The French built various fortifications in the 17th and 18th centuries, a fact that underscores the importance of the site in the history of the city.

Around 1750, the site was used for military barracks. The British Royal Artillery Regiment set up its quarters in the area. A cartridge factory was established in 1879 to manufacture ammunition for the Canadian Army, an activity that continued until the factory was closed in 1964. Like the Citadelle, Artillery Park is a national historic site.

2, rue d'Auteuil
www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/qc/artiller/

The Cartier-Brébeuf National Historic Site of Canada, located on the north bank of Rivière Saint-Charles, commemorates the period in 1535 and 1536 when Jacques Cartier and his shipmates first wintered near the village that would become Québec City. It also bears witness to the arrival of the Jesuits in 1625.

Various activities serve as a reminder of the encounter between the European and Amerindian cultures. An exhibit on Cartier’s voyages, the reconstruction of a longhouse (the traditional Iroquois dwelling) and a vegetable garden, as well as a model of a merchant ship lead the visitor back to the very beginnings of the colony. In addition, the site is ideal for sports and outdoor activities all year round.

175, rue de l'Espinay
www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/qc/cartierbrebeuf/

The current building is a reconstruction, fire having destroyed in 1988 what was until then one of Cap Rouge’s oldest residences. In the 19th century, the house served as a hotel and grocery. Later, it was used as a post office. Today, Mouvement d’animation artistique de Cap-Rouge offers drawing and painting classes and manages an exhibition hall, Galerie d’art du Tracel.

4187, côte de Cap-Rouge
www.maisonblanchette.org

Managed by Institut canadien de Québec, the Gabrielle-Roy Library exhibition center presents thematic exhibits in contemporary art and crafts. Thanks to its exhibition program, the Institute promotes public appreciation of arts and culture through collections of cultural items and educational programs.

350, rue Saint-Joseph Est
www.bibliothequesdequebec.qc.ca

The Center seeks to instill a greater understanding and appreciation of urban life in Québec City. Besides its permanent exhibit, Québec ville nouvelle, the center offers a number of activities to raise public awareness of various urban realities: temporary thematic exhibits, discovery circuits, and educational programs.

The interpretation center is housed in Maison Chevalier. Built in 1752, the building represents a fine example of urban architecture in New France.

50, rue du Marché-Champlain
www.spuq-quebec.com

Centre d’interprétation de Place-Royale, opened in 1999, plunges visitors into the 400-year history of one of North America’s oldest neighborhoods through a multimedia show as well as permanent exhibits, guided tours, an impressive archeological collection, and cultural and educational activities.

27, rue Notre-Dame
www.mcq.org/en/cipr/

This interpretation center offers visitors an overview of the park’s many natural and cultural riches.

Fossils, minerals, insects, and historic images invite the visitor to discover different facets of these unique surroundings.

14, rue Saint-Armand
www.chutekabirkouba.com

To enter this magnificent presbytery that dates from 1698 is to relive Saint-Foy’s three hundred years of history, from the humble beginnings of the parish to the creation of the new Québec City. The interactive exhibit leads you through the city’s evolution thanks to accounts by its residents as well as documents recounting the history of the Québec Bridge, the battle of Sainte-Foy, and other milestones in its development. The history interpretation center provides a wonderful opportunity to discover every feature of the city: its history and the customs of its builders, the development of its land (rural to urban), and the workings of municipal life.

2825, chemin Sainte-Foy
www.paricilavisite.qc.ca

The Discovery Pavilion houses a superb scale model of the plains, a tourist information bureau, and a souvenir shop.

The multimedia exhibit Odyssey: A Journey Through History on the Plains of Abraham tells the story of Canada on the very site which saw the birth of the country.

This virtual 400-year journey introduces you to the great men and women who shaped history and lets you relive the historic battle of the Plains of Abraham.

835, avenue Wilfrid-Laurier
www.ccbn-nbc.gc.ca

Located southeast of the Trait-Carré, Éphraïm-Bédard House was built around 1828 using the log construction method. The structure is a typical example of an average farmhouse of the time. Restoration work has uncovered evidence of different modifications the house has undergone, notably the addition of overhangs and dormers and replacement of the summer kitchen by a shed.

7655, chemin Samuel
www.trait-carre.org

Québec City is the only remaining fortified city in North America.

Built under the French and English regimes to protect the city, the imposing walls exemplify the development of defensive systems in use from the 17th to the 19th centuries. The ramparts, declared a historic monument in 1957, have become a national historic site. They surround the city over a distance of 4 to 6 kilometers. A trail with interpretation panels makes it possible for visitors to walk atop the walls and gates.

100, rue Saint-Louis
www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/qc/fortifications/

Visitors cannot walk by François-Xavier Garneau House without noticing the distinctive features of this old 19th century bourgeois residence. Among other things, visitors can view rich private collections that reflect the intellectual activity of an era that was profoundly influenced by this famous historian.

14, rue Saint-Flavien
www.louisgarneau.com

This economuseum, recreating the workshop of a true craftsman, leads the visitor through the various stages of fur processing, from pelts to coats. Kinds of animals and hunting methods, the Canadian fur industry, and the uses of furs over the ages are but a few of the subjects whose myriad secrets are revealed here. In our boutique, visitors can admire unique creations and purchase fur clothing and accessories.

Richard Robitaille, fourrures
329, rue Saint-Paul
www.economusees.com/richard_robitaille_en.cfm

Set up in a former patient care unit, this permanent exhibit features objects and archives which testify to the daily life of patients and the institution since 1845. Occupying fifteen rooms, the historic gallery presents a unique and original collection belonging to the first psychiatric hospital in Québec Province. Appointments are required and can be made by calling 418-663-5321.

Centre hospitalier Robert-Giffard
2601, chemin de la Canardière
www.institutsmq.qc.ca

Girardin House exemplifies the beauties of Beauport’s historic district. Built in 1675, the house contains furniture and a large number of objects that bear witness to the way of life of New France’s first inhabitants. Visiting the Girardin House takes you to the heart of the area’s heritage and architecture.

The grounds can also be used for festivals and various special events.

600, avenue Royale
www.paricilavisite.qc.ca

This charming building that reflects the romantic spirit of the 19th century, allows visitors to admire an historical home built around 1857 and discover a center for the promotion of culture that is unique to Québec City. Recognized for its high quality exhibits and cultural activities, the House also occasionally features scientific topics. Hamel-Bruneau House is a charming site conducive to interaction, creativity, and reflection.

2608, chemin Saint-Louis
www.paricilavisite.qc.ca

Built in the English cottage style, this house dates from 1849. In accordance with the preferences of the times, the landscaping is as impressive as the residence itself. A visit to the rose garden is an absolute must.

82, Grande Allée Ouest
www.cmsq.qc.ca/mhs/accueil.htm

Léon-Provancher House is an interpretation center for natural and historic environments. It recalls the life and work of priest and naturalist Léon Provancher, who lived here from 1870 until his death in 1892.

1435, rue Provancher
www.paricilavisite.qc.ca

The typical Québec-style house appeared in the early 19th century. A raised central portion, the symmetric distribution of doors and windows, porches, and the gradual slope of the roof are among its distinctive features. Magella-Paradis House, built in 1833, is a fine example of this architectural type.

7970, rue Trait-Carré Est
Phone : 418 623-1877

Built in the first third of the 18th century, Maison des Jésuites de Sillery was leased to British merchants at the end of the Seven Years War (1756–1763). In 1929 the home was classified a historic monument. Managed and developed by the Borough of Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge, it houses a collection of hundreds of archeological and ethnological objects of aboriginal, French, and English origin. It also features a permanent exhibition, Mission en Nouvelle-France, that tells the story of the arrival of Jesuit missionaries, the ways of life of the aboriginals, and the upheaval brought on by their encounter with Europeans.

2320, chemin du Foulon
www.paricilavisite.qc.ca

Housing the Québec City English-speaking community’s cultural center, this historic site features many vestiges of a highly colorful past. Guided tours take visitors through the dark cells of Québec City’s common jail (1813–1868), the Morrin College lecture room and scientific laboratory (1868–1900), as well as the library of the Literary and Historical Society of Québec (1824 to the present).

44, chaussée des Écossais
www.morrin.org

Built by the Jesuits around 1740, this water mill is located to the east of the Charlesbourg district. Traditional in appearance, the mill measures 10 by 18 meters and comprises two levels, each with attic space, as well as two chimneys. The mill is city-owned property and has been open to the public since 1991. It offers various cultural and artistic activities.

7960, boulevard Henri-Bourassa
www.trait-carre.org

Occupying a magnificent building dating back to 1878, Musée Bon-Pasteur tells the fascinating story of the first religious community founded in Québec City, the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, whose mission was to help women in difficulty and abandoned children. In an elegant setting adorned with art work and period furniture, educational activities and sometimes moving experiences round out a visit to this unique museum.

14, rue Couillard
Phone : 418 694-0243

Considered to be the only museum of its kind in Québec Province, Musée de géologie René-Bureau displays more than 40,000 rock, mineral, and fossil specimens in 35 different wall cases that can be viewed at any time. In a single visit, you can discover the geological heritage of the whole world. Intended primarily for university teaching, the museum is also open to the general public and school groups, with guided tours available on request.

Pavillon Adrien-Pouliot, 4^e étage
Université Laval
www.ggl.ulaval.ca/musee/

Considered to be the oldest museum in Canada, Musée de l’Amérique française tells the story of the introduction, establishment, and dynamism of French culture in North America. Taking an essentially historical approach, the museum features exhibits and activities dedicated to the arrival and the development of French culture on the North American continent. It also reflects a new openness to other peoples and early exchanges between North American French speakers and those of other cultures. The development and preservation of its heritage has made it one of the finest museums in the province.

2, côte de la Fabrique
www.mcq.org/en/maf/

Inaugurated in 1988, Musée de la civilisation is a modern state-run museum located in Québec City near the Place Royale historic site. Known as one of the most popular museums in Canada, it is distinguished from others by its innovative and bold museology dealing with current, historical, esoteric, or even controversial subjects. Its thematic programming using the latest interactive technologies and multimedia projections invites the visitor to discover and explore through interactive workshops and some ten exhibits, two of which are permanent: Encounter with the First Nations and People of Québec… Then and Now. Musée de la civilisation appeals to all the senses and to hearts and minds of all ages.

85, rue Dalhousie
www.mcq.org/en/mcq/

Located in the vaulted cellars of the old monastery of the Augustinian Sisters of Québec City’s Hôtel-Dieu (hospital), this small museum recounts the lives of nuns who came from France in 1639 to found the first hospital in America north of Mexico. The exhibit covers a period of three centuries and features a collection of medical instruments from the 17th century to the present day, furniture that typifies the sisters’ way of life, as well as religious and ethnological art objects bearing witness to their continuous ties with the community: paintings, tin, gold and silver ware, waxes, etc.

32, rue Charlevoix
www.patrimoine-religieux.com

The one-of-a-kind Musée du Fort is a good starting point for any guided tour of the city. Its original sound and light reenactment—recounting the rich civil and military history of Québec City from the time of its founding—takes place on a vast 36 square meter model of the city as it was around 1750. Visitors will better understand how Québec City earned its reputation as an impregnable site.

10, rue Sainte-Anne
www.museedufort.com

Québec City’s general hospital was founded in 1693. Its monastery and vaulted cellars date back to 1695. The hospital houses a museum featuring a rich collection of invaluable treasures from the 17th and 18th centuries including sculptures by the artist Levasseur. It also features a permanent exhibit of ethnological and art works as well as familiar and medical objects recounting the history of the hospital, the first in North America north of Mexico. Furniture, paintings, tins, coppers, gold and silver art, waxes, embroidery, household objects, and more have been gathered over a period of three and a half centuries.

260, boulevard Langelier
Phone : 418 529-0931

Inaugurated in 1933, Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec has become the living memory of art and artists of Québec Province. It features more than 30,000 works and art objects from the 17th century to the present day. In all, the national museum collection preserves vestiges of the activities of some 3,000 artists and craftsmen—the largest and most complete art collection of the province, from its beginnings to the present day.

Parc des Champs-de-Bataille
www.mnba.qc.ca

The Naval Museum of Québec relates the military history of the St. Lawrence River and the Canadian Naval Reserve in an unusual way through historic accounts and little-known stories. Visitors will marvel at the large collection of unusual objects and photos allowing them to learn about the traditions of the Canadian Navy and the naval history of the river, and better understand the lives of sailors then and now.

170, rue Dalhousie
www.mnq-nmq.org

Located at a height of 221 meters, the highest point in the city, the immense glass panels of Observatoire de la Capitale afford a view of Québec City and area, thus revealing four centuries of history through geography, nature, and architecture.

1037, De La Chevrotière, 31^e étage
www.observatoirecapitale.org

O’Neill House, a typical example of Québec architecture, is located near walkways in the Parc des Saules. Visitors can see a permanent historical exhibit recounting the arrival of the O’Neills, an immigrant family, in the mid-19th century. During the summer season, various shows are presented at its outdoor kiosk.

3160, boulevard Wilfrid-Hamel
www.lamaisononeill.org

Pierre-Lefebvre House, built in 1824 on land belonging to one of the first inhabitants of the Trait-Carré, shows the first signs of adapting the country house to Québec climatic conditions.

7985, Trait-Carré Est

Since 1984, the stained glass craftsmen have opened the doors of their workshop in the Old Limoilou district. These dedicated and passionate workers tell the story of stained glass over the ages while visitors watch craftsmen ply their trade before their eyes. At the economuseum, visitors interested in learning this art can find all the tools they need for designing and making their own pieces.

1017, 3^e Avenue
www.artisansduvitrail.com

The story of Tessier-Dit-Laplante House goes back to 1867. After belonging to the Hall-Peterson family, the residence was acquired in 1874 by François-Xavier Laplante, also known as Isaï Tessier. A stone building of neoclassical inspiration, it now houses a cultural center and an interpretation center dedicated to the seigniorial system.

2328, avenue Royale
www.paricilavisite.qc.ca

Built atop Cap Diamant, the Citadelle is the largest fortification built in Canada during the English regime. Begun in 1820, the outer walls were built in the form of a polygon with four angles, a distinctive trait of the French engineer Vauban. The Royal 22e Regiment Museum, founded in 1950, maintains a collection of historic documents, cannons, and portable weapons as well as collections of insignias, medals, and uniforms.

Côte de la Citadelle
www.lacitadelle.qc.ca

This splendid museum in Old Québec illustrates the life and the teaching mission of the Ursuline Sisters from their arrival in Québec City in 1639, and explains the religious and social history of the city. The permanent exhibit showcases one of the richest ethnographic and artistic collections in North America and develops four themes starting with the arrival of the Ursuline Sisters in 1639 and the religious context of that time, including their artistic activity as seen through a wide variety of art works.

12, rue Donnaconna
Phone : 418 694-0694

A visit to Villa Bagatelle is a journey back in time to the 19th century, when wealthy Québec V.I.P.s were making their homes on the cliff at Sillery and installing magnificent English-style gardens. The choice of rare plants and undergrowth highlight the potential of indigenous plants. Various thematic exhibits will captivate visitors. Villa Bagatelle: a happy blend of nature and culture, an exciting learning experience!

1563, chemin Saint-Louis
www.paricilavisite.qc.ca