Despite this being Montreal’s archeological museum, built around the original city center, the temporary exhibits are what entices repeat visits. My favourite was an Easter Island exhibit, which included a large concrete replica of an Easter Island head in front of the museum and an incredible documentary about Westerners removing some of the massive statues from the island on barges, which ended with the haunting phrase along the lines of “the women sang songs lamenting their stolen gods.” The brand new samurai exhibit is just as enthralling, with an impressive array of samurai armor, weaponry, and cultural paraphernalia. The temporary space is not large, but the space is well-used. Construction for expanding the museum is underway. The museum also organizes two worthwhile outdoor events during the spring and summer – the Cultural Feast in May and the 18th Century Market in August.
Visitors can watch a short and somewhat corny introductory video to Montreal history, and can tour the ruins in the bottom level, which stretches under the street to exit at the gift shop. This makes the museum a popular destination for student field trips.
The belvédère at the top of the museum, which is accessible via the elevator and stairs without a museum pass, provides a nice view of the old port and has view holes which point out landmarks. The view is especially nice on a clear day. The cafe, l’Arrivage, is also accessible without a museum pass, and is worth a visit, especially for brunch. I would recommend having brunch around 11am before the restaurant gets crowded, and then enjoying the rest of the museum.
Metro: Place d’Armes
350 Place Royale and De la Commune