Hidden in plain sight in the Plateau, Ceci n’est pas un musée offers a surreal escape crafted by retired architects Natalija Subotincic and Mark West. Part atelier, part public cabinet of curiosities, this intimate space blurs the line between art and life, transforming everyday objects into curious displays. Inspired by Freud’s Vienna office, it features poetic sculptures like vegan taxidermy made from branches, dioramas depicting dreamlike urban scenes, and even a kitchen table crafted from seven years of saved chicken bones.

Beyond its whimsical displays, Ceci n’est pas un musée is a gift to Montreal’s community—a quiet, almost secretive invitation to encounter beauty in the mundane. Unadvertised and marked only by a subtle sign, it’s a space for the curious, where visitors discover a unique blend of imagination, history, and introspection.

logo

Buy-right. Shop local. Support small business. Choose from a hand-picked selection of prints from local photographers, makers and artisans.

Want to know what’s happening in Montreal?

We curate local content into a weekly news bulletin so you can find out what’s going on around town in one place. Sign up to stay informed.

    We use cookies on our site.