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From March 23rd 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.
Current exhibition
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.
Back to our temporary exhibitions