The McCord Stewart Museum offers a vibrant window into Montreal’s social history, capturing the city’s evolving identity through an impressive collection of 1.5 million artifacts. Located across from McGill University’s main campus, this mid-sized museum covers everything from fashion and textiles to photographs and decorative arts. Its crown jewel, the Notman Photographic Archives, offers a sweeping visual history of Montreal, while temporary exhibitions draw crowds year-round.
For those seeking a deeper dive, the museum’s extensive archives and historical walking tours provide immersive explorations of Montreal’s heritage. Don’t miss the seasonal Urban Forest, an outdoor space that brings artistically simulated nature to downtown Montreal each summer.
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Art, history, oddities, curiosities: The best museums in Montreal
Together, the best museums in Montreal make up an eclectic scene that tells the city’s stories with living, breathing spaces. From botany and art to avant-garde architecture and archeology, expect a mix of high culture and grit that challenges you to rethink what a museum can be.
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