From June 9th, 2024 to January 7th, 2024
Sixty years ago, the governement of Québec designated Old Québec an "historic quarter". In 1985, UNESCO named Québec City a "World Heritage City". Our capital is rich in history, architecture, surroundings, monuments and archeological sites. In 2023-2024, after presenting "Montréal Landscapes" in 2020-2021, the Château is highlighting the beauty and rich history of Québec City with "Québec City Landscapes - Power Corporation of Canada Artworks Collection".
This exhibition presents 25 paintings produced between 1830 et 1987 by 20 different artists, each of whom illustrated Québec City and environs in their own individual way. Let the Château take you back in time to savour our cherished Québec heritage!
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From March 23rd, 2024 to September 8th, 2024
The seigneurial system was part and parcel of the early days of French colonization in North America in the 17th century. To retrace its history is to return to the origins of the French fact in North America. This system was more than simply a means of organizing space. It was a tangible manifestation of a hierarchical society. - Benoît Grenier, historian, in Brève histoire du régime seigneurial.
We invite you to discover these two exhibitions, one devoted to the history of this system, and the other, showcasing the seigneurs of the Island of Montréal.
Traces and Memories of the Seigneurial System in Quebec was produced by the Musée de la mémoire vivante of Saint-Jean-Port-Joli.
From May 29th to November 3rd 2024
The seigneurial system was a method of land distribution and occupation put in place in 1627 to encourage settlement and to help structure the colony. While it was abolished in 1854, traces of it persist to this day in Quebec.
Discover these traces of the seigneurial system through the aerial photographs of historian and photographer Pierre Lahoud, recipient of the Prix Gérard-Morisset 2023, in this free outdoor exhibition on St-Claude et Le Royer streets.
In the Footsteps of the Seigneurial System is a collaboration with the Manoir Mauvide-Genest de Saint-Jean-de-l'Île-d'Orléans.
From October 5th to November 3rd 2024
Discover the world of squash, with the Pick a Peck of Pumpkins... outdoor exhibition, which will be presented for free in the Governor’s Garden.
Every year, the pumpkin becomes the queen of autumn. However, in so honouring her, we forget about the other members of the squash family that are used in our daily life. They are not only found on our plates, but are also used in beauty products, on stage, as instruments in concerts, and as decorations in dining rooms. Cultivated over 5000 years ago by the Native People, squash are now present in all continents. What a history to discover!
March 10, 2022 to April 9, 2023
Inuit Worlds – the collection of Saladin d’Anglure offers a captivating perspective on a worldview where humans, animals and the invisible live in symbiosis and share the first role. As part of the anthropologist Bernard Saladin d’Anglure, forty Inuit objects will be unveiled as of March 10.
Visitors will have the chance to immerse themselves in the traditional Inuit lifestyle and spirituality by observing clothes, tools and many more objects of daily life. People of all ages are invited to learn more about practices based on sustenance, semi-nomadism and the nordic ecosystem.
Seldom revealed to larger audiences, the artifacts are part of an exceptional donation from the researcher to the Université Laval in Quebec City, the same institution that created the exhibition. Between 1960 and 2000, the renowned anthropologist collected more than 350 pieces during his numerous trips to Nunavik and Nunavut.
Inuit Worlds is produced by the Université Laval’s Library.
Roald Amundsen – Lessons from the Arctic tells the journey of Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. He is the first white person to cross the Northwest Passage (1903-1906) and to reach the South Pole (1910-1912). Curated by the Fram Museum in Oslo, the exhibition presents unique photographs, diary excerpts and texts recounting Amundsen’s perilous expeditions.
This retrospective offers a focus on Amundsay’s stay among the Canadian Inuit. Their ancestral skills were decisive in the Norwegian crew’s successful arrival at the South Pole. A world-renowned exhibit, Lessons from the Arctic has already traveled to Norway, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and Ontario.
Lessons from the Arctic is produced by the FRAM Museum (Oslo, Norway), in collaboration with the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Canada and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.
Once again, the Château Ramezay offers visitors a variety of fun during the festive season! Get the family together and re-acquaint yourselves with old-fashioned holiday traditions thanks to our entertaining exhibits and activities! Stock up on memories and stories you can share with family and friends.
Five of the Château's fireplaces will be sumptuously decorated to explain the origin of certain Christmas traditions: Christmas stockings, Advent calendars and more - there's lots to be learned around the fireside!
October 1 to November 6, 2022
The Pick a Peck of Pumpkins... exhibition is adapted from the Musée-conservatoire ethnologique de Haute-Provence, Prieuré de Salagon.
December 3, 2022 to January 8, 2023
July 11, 2020 to September 6, 2021
Here is Bonsecours Market, there, Notre Dame Basilica; over here, bystanders are dwarfed by towering silos and passing steam boats. Plunge into the world of Adrien Hébert, George Delfosse, John Little et and many others, without even leaving the Château !
Thirty paintings of Montréal pictured between 1870 and 1972 by 15 different Canadian artists will be on display at the Château Ramezay until September 6, 2021. This is a unique chance to see paintings from one of the finest corporate collections in the country, the Power Corporation of Canada Artworks Collection.
October 4 to November 8, 2021
December 11, 2021 to January 9, 2022
September 23 to November 1, 2020
The Pick a Peck of Pumpkins... exhibition is adapted from the
From October 24, 2018 to January 5, 2020
Link to this exhibit website
During the First World War (1914-18) Canadian soldier Lieutenant-Colonel George Stephen Cantlie picked flowers from the fields and gardens of war-torn Europe, pressing and drying them within a book. Every day, he sent one flower home, along with a short, affectionate note to one of his children, including his one-year-old baby daughter Celia in Montreal, so that, as she grew up, she would have something to remember him by in the event he didn’t survive that terrible war.
“WAR Flowers”, developed by exhibition curator Melki and produced by Les Jardins de Métis/Reford Gardens (Alexander Reford, director) in Grand-Métis, Quebec, is an art show presenting Cantlie’s original century-old preserved letters and flowers, but only as a starting point. From that, Melki has created a multi-sensorial, emotionally-involving vision of the effects of war on all who experience it personally. The exhibition provides visitors with a unique, immersive experience centred around Melki’s intense personal belief in the resilience of the human spirit.
Other members of the WAR Flowers creative team are Céline Arseneault, botanist and librarian for over three decades at the Montreal Botanical Garden, who oversaw the conservation and mounting of the fragile 100-year-old flowers and letters; Normand Dumont; the exhibition’s designer, who transformed Melki’s creative vision into a unique, sensory and physical reality for exhibition visitors; Marie-Claire Saindon, the exhibition’s music composer; and Claude Langlois, creator of the sound montage.
July 18 to November 3, 2019
This summer, discover the daily lives of Montrealers in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, through carefully selected photographs by photographer Conrad Poirier.
Let the photographs of Conrad Poirier immerse you in his Montréal, the city before, during and after the Second World War. Discover works illustrating sports and cultural scenes, and other more intimate and ephemeral moments of Montrealers of all ages and social classes. You’ll meet the gaze of Jackie Robinson, imagine you can hear the songs of Charles Trenet, and surprise Montrealers in the middle of their move, with comments by historian Jean-François Nadeau.
This free outdoor photo exhibition runs until November 3, 2019, behind the Château’s garden, between Place Jacques-Cartier and Marché Bonsecours.
September 21 to November 3, 2019
November 30, 2019 to January 5, 2020
This Holiday season, five of the Château’s fireplaces will be sumptuously decorated according to a particular theme. Each mantelpiece will explain the origin of a specific Christmas tradition: Christmas cards, Christmas stockings, advent calendars and more – it’ll be well worth gathering around the fireside!
December 1st, 2018 to January 6, 2019
See also our family-friendly programme of activities.
September 22 to November 4, 2018
July 31, 2018 to September 3, 2018
Inspired by the publication Lumières sous la ville : Quand l’archéologie raconte Montréal, and for the City’s 375th anniversary, the Château Ramezay is presenting an exhibit featuring the archeology of Montréal. Visitors will have an opportunity to get a close-up look at some of the artifacts which illustrate the lives of those who have lived on this island, from prehistoric Aboriginal peoples to industrial era Montrealers.
This book, published in fall 2016 by Recherches amérindiennes du Québec, was written under the direction of archeologists Anne-Marie Balac and François C. Bélanger.
The book is available for purchase at the Château Ramezay's bookstore.
July 20 to November 18, 2018
To mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War, the Château Ramezay – Historic Site and Museum of Montréal invited Terry Copp and Alexander Maavara to create an outdoor exhibition on Montréal during the years 1914 to 1918. Archival photographs illustrate how the population of Montréal experienced this period. The exhibition is presented free of charge on Le Royer and Saint-Claude streets, behind the Château Ramezay Garden, from July 20 to November 18, 2018.
Drawing from Terry Copp and Alexander Maavara’s digital book Montreal at Wat 1914-1918, the exhibition features a series of carefully chosen archival photographs to tell the story of how Montrealers of all classes experienced the war that was supposed to “end all wars.” From Champ-de-Mars to the Lachine Canal, the public will discover some of the evocative moments in Montréal’s wartime history: an anti-conscription march, women manufacturing shells in a munitions plant in the Rosemont district, and more.
July 3rd to November 18, 2018
As part of the 10th edition of the event Métis-sur-Montréal, the Château Ramezay – Historic Site and Museum of Montréal and Reford Gardens is presenting the installation Fields of Memory. This work, by artist Dominique Blain, provides an opportunity to reflect on the First World War.
Fields of Memory commemorates the 100th anniversary of the 1918 Armistice, which marked the end of the First World War. The installation is inspired by the story of George Stephen Cantlie, a soldier from Montréal who picked flowers in the gardens, fields and hedges of war-torn Europe and sent them to his granddaughter in Montréal. By evoking a landscape damaged by war, the work prompts a reflection on today’s reality, with a message that is both poetic and political. In the heart of Montréal’s historic district, the public is invited to admire how beauty can emerge from destruction.
Dominique Blain is a Canadian artist who lives and works in Montréal. For over 30 years, her work has explored the relationship between civilization and oppression, History and the amnesia, using the evocative power of aesthetics. Internationally renowned, Blain has exhibited her work in several North American and European cities as well as in Australia. She won the Prix Paul-Émile-Borduas in 2014 and the Prix Les Elles de l’Art in 2009.
The installation Fields of Memory is presented free of charge from July 3 to November 18, 2018, at Place De La Dauversière, situated between the Château Ramezay and Place Jacques-Cartier, across from Montréal City Hall. The same history that inspired this work also served as inspiration for the travelling exhibition WAR Flowers, which will be presented from October 24, 2018 to March 31, 2019 at the Château Ramezay.
December 2, 2017 to January 7, 2018
See our family-friendly programme of activities. Find all the details on our Activities and animation page.
Presented July 3, 2017 to October 9, 2017
Just a few metres from the clamour of Place Jacques-Cartier, in the heart of the historic quarter, travel back in time. Let the meticulously selected photographs elicit in you the sounds, smells and feelings that they evoke: those of a young Montréal, a multifaceted Montréal that has evolved along with those who inhabit it, who live it, who are inhabited by it. It’s a rendezvous with moments in the history of Montreal, an intimate encounter with its residents of all ages and diverse origins. Multiple histories captured in the streets or in the studio by photographers—known and anonymous—from the early beginnings of photography right through to the mid-1970s.
Traces – First Waterways, inspired by garden mazes, channels the multiple streams that wound through the island of Montréal before the arrival of Europeans. These rivulets, long since erased from the landscape by urbanization, infrastructure, and drought, are etched into the grass of Place De La Dauversière. The artist hopes to inspire those who experience the piece to ponder, “what the pre-colonial territory looked like when the Amerindians crossed the island of Montréal by river on a web of waterways.” Visitors to this installation at the heart of historic Old Montréal are encouraged to meander these paths that once flowed from the island.
Presented November 19, 2014 to November 20, 2015 - Extended to March 12, 2017
Produced in collaboration with historian and archivist Michel Langlois, the exhibition traces the lives of officers and soldiers from the Carignan-Salières regiment and De Tracy's troops as they set out to carve a nation. Follow them on this great human adventure that marked not only Québec’s place names but also its patronyms and its people. Why did they come? What did they achieve? How were they equipped to face the Iroquois, not to mention Québec’s winters? Learn the answers to these questions and find out whether you are a descendant of one of these soldiers, by consulting our genealogical database.
The Carignan-Salières Regiment
The arrival of the Carignan-Salières Regiment, accompanied by De Tracy’s companies, marks an important moment in Canadian history. In 1665, 1300 soldiers landed in the small colony of barely 3000 inhabitants to establish peace with the Iroquois who were terrorizing the colonists. But this was not their sole aim: Louis XIV hoped the soldiers would settle in New France. Indeed, some 400 elected to stay, thereby saving the colony and becoming the forefathers of thousands of Quebecers and other North Americans.
A whole year of festivities and commemorations
More than 20 Québec municipalities owe their names to soldiers in the Carignan-Salières Regiment. In 2015 and 2016, activities were offered across the province to highlight their role in Québec’s history. This event was also celebrated in France, the homeland of the soldiers who came to protect the colony and further its development. Follow our Facebook page on the 350th anniversary as well as our website for the latest news and the complete program of the festivities.
Publication
Few books feature the Carignan-Salières Regiment. As part of this anniversary, Marcel Fournier and Michel Langlois have written a concise book that assembles the most up-to-date historical and genealogical facts about the Regiment and De Tracy’s troops. It is the perfect reference book for anyone interested in Québec genealogy or history, published by Éditions Histoire-Québec.
Was your ancestor part of the Carignan-Salières regiment or the De Tracy's companies?
Click here to find out on the directory of all military officers and soldiers of the Regiments.
December 3, 2016 to January 8, 2017
September 17 to November 12, 2016
Presented from December 5, 2015 to January 3, 2016
Throughout the Holiday season, five fireplaces at the Château Ramezay will be sumptuously decorated according to a particular theme. Each mantelpiece will explain the origin of a specific Christmas tradition: Christmas cards, Christmas stockings, advent calendars and more – it’ll be well worth gathering around the fireside!
September 12 to November 1st, 2015
To come and discover the world of squash, with the Pick a Peck of Pumpkins... outdoor exhibition, which will be presented for free in the Governor’s Garden.
Every year, the pumpkin becomes the queen of autumn. However, in so honouring her, we forget about the other members of the squash family that are used in our daily life. They are not only found on our plates, but are also used in beauty products, on stage, as instruments in concerts, and as decorations in dining rooms. Cultivated over 5 000 years ago by the Native People, squash are now present in all continents. What a history to discover!
For the children...
With a tour designed especially for them, children will get to meet many members of the squash family. With an activity booklet, they will get to meet Reddie, the friendly red pumpkin, and his many cousins. Cucumbers, zucchinis, and patty-pan squash will reveal their secrets to the young botanists to help them fulfill their mission...to follow the clues and solve the mystery!
Squash Tasting
While your kids roam in the garden, taste the diversity offered by the large Cucurbitacea family. Every Sunday of October, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., four uncommon and intriguing squash are waiting to be tasted. Can you recognize the pulp of the Hungarian blue? Or the surprising taste of the potiron galeux of Eysines? Complete your visit by trying some of the delicious pumpkin soup.
Until October 12, 2015
The exhibition covers the development of tourism from the advent of the automobile in the early 20th century, until the 1970’s. A car trip today is a routine event but a century ago, the switch from the train to the automobile offered heady new freedom! Automobiles redefined the notion of travel by presenting a vast choice of itineraries. Suddenly, you could tour at your own speed and stop wherever you felt like it. Importantly, automobiles introduced Quebecers to a new sort of travel: self-guided tourism!
The exhibition’s themes and content are based on the doctoral thesis of Maude-Emmanuelle Lambert, À travers le pare-brise : la création des territoires touristiques à l’ère de l’automobile (Québec et Ontario, 1920 – 1967), (Through the Windscreen: the Creation of Regional Tourism in the Automobile Era). It was completed in 2013 under the direction of Professor Michèle Dagenais, University of Montréal.
Tourism in Québec in the Era of the Automobile is presented free of charge on Place De La Dauversière, between the Château Ramezay and Place Jacques-Cartier, opposite Montréal City Hall, until October 12, 2015.
From May 23 to October 12, 2015
As part of the 7th edition of Métis-sur-Montréal, the Château Ramezay – Historic Site and Museum of Montréal and the Reford Gardens present ‟The Sheep Mowers”, a series of installations at once practical and amusing. These agricultural accessories will enhance the well-being of the sheep who will mow the lawns previously maintained by a fleet of lawnmowers and Reford Gardens staff.
This project was conceived and built by 2nd year students in the Bachelor Industrial Design from ECAL/Ecole cantonale d'art de Lausanne, Switzerland. A selection of the installations and photographs by Nicolas Haeni will be exhibited in the open air on the place De La Dauversière in Old Montréal.
Presented from December 6, 2014 to January 4, 2015
Presented from September 13 to November 2, 2014
Every year, the pumpkin becomes the queen of autumn. However, in so honoring her, we forget about the other members of the squash family that are used in our daily life. They are not only found on our plates, but are also used in beauty products, on stage, as instruments in concerts, and as decorations in dining rooms. Cultivated over 5000 years ago by the Native People, squashes are now present in all continents. What a history to discover!
From November 26, 2013 to October 13, 2014
The Château Ramezay’s exhibition – Crime and Punishment – Justice in New France – will give visitors the opportunity to play judge and enforce laws used in the colony in the 17th and 18th centuries. Meet some notorious figures from Quebec’s legal past and learn how they met their fate.
This interactive exhibition will familiarize you with the French justice system of the time. In New France, criminal law complied with the ‘Customs of Paris’ instituted by Louis XIV in 1667. The accused were presumed guilty unless they could prove their innocence, quite the reverse of our system today.
As an ‘apprentice judge’, you’ll hear several criminal cases that shocked the colony – that of Marie-Josephe-Angelique, for example, a Montreal slave accused of setting fire to 46 houses and the Hotel-Dieu Hospital in 1734. Consider whether the punishments fit the crimes. Compare the sentences of colonial criminals with those imposed nowadays under the Canadian Criminal Code.
On display will be various punishment devices such as a hanging cage, an iron collar, a branding iron and other torture instruments commonly used by the executioner.
From July 3 to October 13, 2014
The Château Ramezay – Historic Site and Museum of Montréal invites you to discover the evolution of Montréal’s public markets. Produced in collaboration with Marchés Publics de Montréal and the Université du Québec à Montréal, the free exhibition The History of Public Markets in Montréal is receiving visitors on Place De La Dauversière from July 3 to October 13, 2014.
Since 1676, public markets have played a key role in the Montréal community. First introduced at the time of New France, markets multiplied, reaching the height of their popularity in the 1800s. In addition to being a preferred location for obtaining supplies, they were a favourite place for gathering and entertainment. The public management of the City’s markets contributed to their unique character, which in turn shaped Montréal’s identity. Today, marketplaces are gradually regaining popularity after a decline in favour of supermarkets a few decades ago.
Through maps, illustrations and old photographs, you will discover the layout of the City’s first marketplaces and the traces they have left behind in today’s urban organization. This backlit outdoor exhibition is free and open day and night, from July 3 to October 13 on Place De La Dauversière, located between the Château Ramezay and Place Jacques-Cartier, across from City Hall.
As part of the 6th edition of Métis-sur-Montréal, the Château Ramezay – Historic Site and Museum of Montréal and Reford Gardens present Itinerant Pods. This installation created by North Design Office invites you to rest and leisure in the peaceful décor of the place De La Dauversière from July 3 to October 13, 2014.
Itinerant Pods evokes a herd gathered in a pasture in the heart of Montréal’s historic district. These futuristic beasts seem to be lumbering across the site. Their gentle presence encourages passers-by to pause for a moment and appreciate the green oasis around them. Over the seasons, the installation intensifies the connection to surrounding elements through a play of shadows, textures and reflections. The installation becomes an ideal place for conversation, a meditative stroll, a picnic with friends or a festive celebration.
Founded by Pete and Alissa North, North Design Office is a landscape architecture, urbanism and design firm established in Toronto in 2005. Starting from a profound understanding of space, context and community, the firm designs urban environments that have garnered it several prizes across Canada and the United States.
Presented from December 7, 2013 to January 5, 2014
Presented from September 14 to November 10, 2013
From May 20th to November 3rd, 2013
What do a wooden weather vane, an eggshell painting and a grader made of bottle caps have in common? Starting from May 20th to November 3rd 2013, you can find out in a lively exhibition on Quebec folk art. Produced by the Canadian Museum of Civilization, Heart and Soul: Quebec Folk Art takes you on a journey through more than sixty remarkable pieces.
Heart and Soul brings together a variety of impressive works — sculptures, paintings, ceramics and more — that demonstrate the talent of folk artists, past and present. There are antique and contemporary pieces, traditional and non-conformist works.
From June 29 to October 20
The Château Ramezay – Museum and historic site of Montréal and the Redford Gardens present Jardins M, the 5th incarnation of Métis-sur-Montréal. In the heart of Old Montreal, this installation by the Atelier Pierre Thibault blends nature with the city, and fuses the boundaries between interior and exterior, providing an intriguing respite in the shadow of the Château Ramezay.
The five architectural forms of the Jardins M (Métis, Mobile, Montréal), situated in the open space of Place de la Dauversière, evoke the city. Each is a unique shelter for a unique garden; five spaces that invite contemplation, relaxation, and discovery. Leave the city behind to walk on a pebble beach in the stone house. Glide between the tree trunks of the forest house. Come and go all summer long, contemplating evolution and growth in the field house. Sit for a moment in the rest house. Delight in magnificent flowers, fragile and resplendent, in the shelter house.
Inspired by the interaction between humans and nature, Pierre Thibault’s studio has created many projects, including several maisons-nature such as the Abbaye Val Notre-Dame in Saint-Jean-de-Matha, and received numerous awards in Quebec and elsewhere.
Jardins M is presented without charge from July 3 to October 20 in Place de la Dauversière, situated between the Château Ramezay and Place Jacques-Cartier, across from Montréal City Hall.
From June 29 to October 14, 2013
Did you think that urban gardening was a new trend? Think again! Since its foundation, Montréal has been covered in gardens. Everyone had one: from governors and intendants to religious communities and private citizens. They were first and foremost utilitarian vegetable gardens, but also a place for relaxation, conversation and gatherings.
Like clothing or a house, a garden was a way of displaying the owner’s prestige. Based on maps of several gardens in the colony, discover the development of our very first urban gardens. This exhibition is also a wonderful opportunity to view the magnificent floral photographs of Louise Tanguay at the Place De La Dauversière.
The themes addressed as well as most of the information in the exhibition were drawn from the book Les jardins d’agrément en Nouvelle-France. Étude historique et cartographique, [The Pleasure Grounds of New France. A History and Cartographic Study] by Marie-Josée Fortier, published in December 2012.
From November 16, 2011 to April 28, 2013
Explore various aspects of the "health care system" during the 17th and 18th centuries in the exhibition In the Time of Smallpox -Physicians, Surgeons and Apothecaries in New France.
Epidemics regularly threatened the colony of New France. Smallpox was the most common and deadliest infectious disease. At the time, public health problems were rife and personal hygiene was basic at best. To learn more, take a number! To learn more, take a number! You will be paired up with a historical figure, like Governor de Ramezay, whose health woes you will assess as you move through the exhibition.
In the Time of Smallpox brings together 250 objects, which are privileged witnesses of drastically different practices in bygone days. These relics are from various museums, including the Stewart Museum collections. From a trepanation kit to an enema syringe, chamber pot, clothes beater, forceps, apothecary’s chest and virility belt, these obsolete objects will make you appreciate modern practices!
Thanks to a special collaboration with the Ville de Montréal and the Department of Anthropology of Université de Montréal, visitors will get a rare glimpse of bones from the cemetery of the first Notre-Dame church. These relics open a window into the lives of the first Montrealers and their ailments as well as the treatments and surgical procedures of the period.
Presented from December 1st, 2012 to January 6, 2013
Presented from October 24 to November 25, 2012
Realist painter Françoise Pascals recreates the world as she sees it. Like the Flemish and Italian painters of the 15th and 16th centuries, her still-lifes and trompe-l’oeils magnificently capture the complexity of reality and the subtlety of detail. For this exhibition, Pascals has produced 23 pictorial ensembles composed of artefacts from the Château Ramezay’s collections. This art exhibition and sale is a unique opportunity to purchase a work by a talented artist, while supporting the Museum. It is also an original way to acquire works from the Château Ramezay collection.
Presented from September 15 to November 4, 2012
Presented from June 18 to October 8, 2012.
As part of the celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of its founding Society, Château Ramezay – Historic Site and Museum of Montréal, in partnership with the Heritage Montreal Foundation, presents the exhibition 150 years of action: Montréal’s evolving heritage. This retrospective in images focuses on the theme of urban heritage and the actions taken to protect and enhance it.
The walls of Château Ramezay can still tell their story thanks to the citizens who saved the building from demolition in their quest to preserve and give voice to this testament of the past. This is a wonderful example of the many actions that have been taken in Montréal to protect our heritage.
Through a series of photographic reproductions backlit at night, the exhibition 150 years of action presents all the wealth and diversity of Montréal’s built heritage. From the “Faubourg à m’lasse” to the Louis Cyr monument, silo no. 5, Habitat 67 and Place Ville Marie, this exhibition recounts what was, what still is and what could have been…
This free exhibition is presented at Place De La Dauversière located between Château Ramezay and Place Jacques-Cartier.
The examples selected for the exhibition tell the story of how dedicated citizens and their associations are to protecting and revitalizing our city’s very diverse heritage. It also captures a society’s evolving view of its heritage as well as the visionary and generous efforts of individuals to whom Montréal owes much of what it is today. In 2012, the goal is not so much to look back at the past as it is to draw lessons and inspiration in order to better imagine and create the Montréal that we wish to leave for future generations. - Dinu Bumbaru
As part of the event Métis-sur-Montréal presented for a fourth consecutive year, Château Ramezay and present the exhibit Tisse Métis Égal created by Collectif PLUX.5. An imposing architectural structure, this vivid work offers a surprising and novel perspective on the urban landscape of the city. Audacious in design and form, this new ephemeral space transforms the experience of anyone who enters it, offering an original look at Old Montréal!
Erected in the heart of the historical district, this contemporary installation acts as a coloured filter that transforms our perception of the surrounding environment. Its walls, perforated with a scatter of triangular patterns—cleverly evocative of traditional weaving, particularly the ornamentation of the arrowhead sash—draw a striking parallel with Québec’s past. Inside, visitors are immersed in a play of shadows and light that modifies their understanding of the work and its surrounding elements. Tisse Métis Égal pays tribute to Québec history, offering a brilliant interpretation of its traditions through a contemporary lens.
This free exhibit is presented at Place De La Dauversière located between Château Ramezay and Place Jacques-Cartier.
Presented from June 7 to June 11, 2012.
As part of the Grand Prix of Canada, the Château Ramezay presents the exhibition Plates, Headlights and Dragon Horns Ring in the Automobile. High-speed race car fans and history buffs are invited to discover the impact of the automobile’s arrival and the upheaval caused by this “horseless carriage.”
When it appeared in the late 19th century, the automobile did not receive widespread acceptance: its appearance disturbed the established order.
Despite initial resistance, the vehicle became a permanent part of the urban landscape and affected various aspects of day-to-day life.
The exhibition immerses visitors in the motoring world. Learn how humans adapted to the “machine.”
This exhibition is presented in collaboration with and thanks to Mr. Guy Thibault’s collections.
Presented from May 17 to October 2, 2011.
Profit and Ambition: The Canadian Fur Trade, 1779–1821 draws a riveting portrait of the fur trade’s cutthroat business practices and its physically demanding way of life. It also traces the fierce rivalry between the North West Company, and the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC).
Profit and Ambition profiles the North West Company, an extraordinary consortium of Montréal entrepreneurs, Scottish explorers, French-Canadian voyageurs, Métis bison hunters, Aboriginal trappers and “country wives”. Together, they created a commercial empire, opened new routes across the continent and laid the groundwork for the Canada we know today.
It is to compete with the HCB, who dominated the Canadian fur trade for over 100 years that the North West Company forged new trade routes in the south, reaching out to Aboriginal traders on their way to Hudson Bay. Using ruthless tactics, it took just over 15 years to the North West Company to gain control of nearly 80 per cent of the Canadian fur trade but the competition was ruinous to both companies, eventually leading to their amalgamation.
A UNIQUE COLLECTION Profit and Ambition features about 90 artifacts and works of art. Among the many notable items are trade goods — such as muskets, metal tools, jewellery and ornaments — and rare articles of Aboriginal and European clothing. Many of the objects date from the late 1700s. The exhibition also features original North West Company documents such as voyageur contracts. Works of art include paintings by Frances Anne Hopkins, an extraordinary English woman who travelled with her husband by voyageur canoe in the mid-1800s, recording iconic scenes of the fur trade.
Most of the artifacts are drawn from the Canadian Museum of Civilization’s own collections, but some come from a variety of other institutions such as the Canadian War Museum, Library and Archives Canada, the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives, Parks Canada, and the Musée de la civilisation in Quebec City.
Profit and Ambition is a travelling exhibition produced by the Canadian Museum of Civilization. This exhibitionwas seen by more than 100,000 visitors when presented at the Canadian Museum of Civilization, in Gatineau (Quebec) from September 2009 to February 2011.
Presented from June 6 to June 26, 2011.
Sharing the road has greatly evolved since the advent of the car. Throughout the years, horse-drawn carriages gave way to the car causing a rapid change in social behavior and pushing the limits of distance and accessibility. Motoring, winter gear, road signs, laws... Let the exhibition drive you through more than 100 years of license plate history!
You will be stricken by certain aspects of automotive history. Did you know that some Quebec license plates offered very peculiar privileges? Indeed, the numbered license plates followed by a "B" were issued to friends of Prime Minister Duplessis...granting them immunity to traffic tickets!
Do not miss the famous De Dion-Bouton of Mr Ucal-Henri Dandurand, the first car to have been registered in Quebec in 1906. At the time, the owner of a motor vehicle would inscribe his registration number on his vehicle himself. Thus, the Q1 number assigned to the De Dion-Bouton of Mr. Dandurand was painted directly onto the vehicle.
Presented from June 21 to October 2, 2011.
The famous photographer Louise Tanguay returns this year with a brand new floral macro photography exhibition, Colors in Bloom. The dazzling sensuality of the shapes, textures and colors of these fascinating and spectacular photographs will leave you entranced.
Ms. Tanguay, a renowned photographer, has traveled the world for four decades to perpetuate such ephemeral lives. From deserts to lush islands, through the boreal forest and volcanoes, flowers transcend time through her lens.
Colors in Bloom will be displayed, free of charge, at Place De La Dauversière, between Château Ramezay and Place Jacques-Cartier. The presentation of this contemporary art installation is made possible thanks to the financial participation of Ville-Marie, SDC Vieux-Montréal and Desjardins.
The Fir is a Tree is an unconventional creation of the graphic design collective Rita, presented in collaboration with the Reford Gardens as part of the Métis-sur-Montréal event. Rita reinterprets the reforestation theme in an amazing and unique way by introducing the "little tree" car air freshener into our environment.
The iconic pine tree is also a reference to the Place De La Dauversière’s history, which has been a parking lot from 1956 to 1997.
The Fir is a Tree will be displayed, free of charge, at Place De La Dauversière, between Château Ramezay and Place Jacques-Cartier. The presentation of this contemporary art installation is made possible thanks to the financial participation of Ville-Marie, SDC Vieux-Montréal and Reford Gardens.
Presented from November 10, 2009 to April 27, 2011.
Steak, corn, potatoes... While digging in a traditional shepherd’s pie, have you ever noticed that these three ingredients recall the different cultures which forged the first eating habits in Québec? Indeed, corn can be attributed to the First Nations, and beef, to the French colonists, while potatoes remind us of the British presence.
In the last few years, historians have made surprising discoveries about eating habits of the past and how they have influenced our present day food-heritage.
For example, did you know that...
Let’s Eat! explores different facets of the culinary culture in Québec, from the arrival of the first colonists to the modern days. Not only will this exhibit reveal what was served in 17th century plate-bowls or 19th century china saucers, but it will also show food preservation methods, meal preparation, the impact of agricultural techniques on food, dining etiquette and customs, food stuff importations, as well as the more recent contributions of newcomers to the Québécois culinary repertoire.
More than one hundred artefacts will show the evolution of consumption habits, from the cider press and the toothpick case, to the ginger beer bottle, the chocolate maker, and even Schwartz’s own smoked meat knife!
Let’s Eat! is a great opportunity to test your knowledge of so-called traditional meals and discover the cultural influences which have shaped our culinary repertoire through the centuries.
Who would have thought your spoon could stir up to much history?
Presented from May 5 to September 7, 2009.
The Château Ramezay is proud to present a new exhibition The Great Bike Tour in conjunction with the festivities surrounding the 25th anniversary of the Tour de l’Île de Montréal. From May 5 to September 7, 2009, any bicycle enthusiasts will enjoy discovering the many facets of the bike, from the Penny Farthing to the BIXI.
Each year amateur cyclists devour countless kilometers of bicycle trails. Enthusiasm for biking which is one of Canadians favourite pastimes dates back to more than a century ago. The bike rapidly became popular ever since it’s arrival on Montréal’s horizon around 1860.
More economical than a horse, or automobile, and more satisfying than public transport, with the ever growing number of citizens taking to the bike, Montréal now hosts a substantial network of bicycle trails. With the sea of cyclists who descend on the city each year for the Tour de l’Île, the popularity of the bike is no longer an issue.
Counting upwards to 30,000 participants, entering the event, this constitutes the largest cycling event of the continent, making Montréal the biking metropolis of North America.This exhibition explains the importance of biking in the lives of North Americans. Be it transport, or sport, our notion of the bike has always been associated with pleasure. From the penny farthing, unicycle, and even a bright red tricycle which will be loved by many children, to biking permits, license plates, and repair tools for bike maintenance, all from the 19th century, more than sixty objects witness the many different aspects of biking.
Presented from November 7, 2008 to March 29, 2009.
All sports, history, and winter enthusiasts will enjoy stepping back into time, to discover the evolution of this age old activity which is as much a national sport as it is ingrained in our culture.
Including hockey, figure skating and speed skating, this exhibition delves into the European origins of this activity and shows to what extent skating rapidly spread throughout our society. Through a network of clubs, and organizations, to building skating rinks and developing carnivals and festivals, skating was heartily embraced.
To illustrate one of winter's great pleasures more than thirty artefacts are on display, including a great collection of antique skates, beautiful costumes, and precious medals each dedicated to skating.
Lace Up is a travelling exhibition created in collaboration with the Canadian Museum of Civilization.
Presented from May 21 to October 19, 2008.
The love-hate relationship between people and the sea, from the 15th century to today, is the fascinating subject of the exhibition Here be Monsters presented by Château Ramezay. This exhibition is presented as a contribution to the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the founding of the first French colony in the New World.
Adapted from an exhibition created by La Corderie Royale - Centre international de la Mer in Rochefort, France, Here be Monsters takes you on a voyage that plumbs the depths of human imagination and the deep blue sea. To early explorers, the sea was a world without landmarks, inhabited by monsters, threatening tempest, sickness and piracy.
As the first obstacle to be overcome when venturing to settle in the Americas, the sea put its stamp on the cultural identity of Québec. From the shores of Europe to the barks of the St. Lawrence, maps, charts, travel accounts, cutlass, figurehead and much else reveal the secrets of this hostile universe.
Presented from September 19 to November 25, 2007.
Who traced out the first streets of Montréal? Who had the Notre-Dame Basilica and the Grand Séminaire constructed? The credit goes to the Sulpicians of Montréal.
To mark the 350th anniversary of the first Sulpicians arrival in New France, the Château Ramezay will show a fascinating portrait of this religious order. Their roles as missionaries, explorers, priests, landowners and seigneurs left a profound mark on Montréal’s architecture and layout. The Sulpicians were not only involved in religious life: they also played an active role in the city’s economy, land management and application of the law.
Christine Brisson, Head – Collections and Exhibitions collections@chateauramezay.qc.ca