Summer 2023 Programming

Rediscover Montreal Through Its Cultures, Its Neighbourhoods and Its Stories

Montreal, May 16, 2023. – DThe McCord Stewart Museum has planned a wide variety of programming from May 21 to October 8. A host of activities will take place next to the Museum in the Urban Forest on Victoria Street (now in its 13th year). Musical Wednesdays are back, and several new activities will shake up the outdoor programming, including two fashion shows by graduates of École supérieure de mode at ESG UQÀM, two eco-lunches and one workshop presented by Fibershed Québec. In June, the Museum will celebrate National Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day with 5 performances of Keir Cutler’s play CIVILIZED, starring Métis actor John D. Huston, and a panel discussion with Indigenous authors Michel Jean and Shayne Michael. Additionally, on June 21, admission to the exhibition Indigenous Voices of Today: Knowledge, Trauma, Resilience will be at the reduced rate of $10. Two new exhibitions will also open in June: the free outdoor exhibition Building Montreal on McGill College Avenue and Becoming Montreal: The 1800s Painted by Duncan in the galleries of the Museum. This summer, like the rest of the year, the Museum is free for children 12 and under, making family visits more affordable.

Urban Forest

Musical Wednesdays, Eco Workshops and Fashion Shows

Starting May 21, the Urban Forest will officially welcome the public in its new summer colours. With its welcoming furniture, bright colours and impressive program of activities, this urban park is a true oasis of relaxation for visitors who want to take full advantage of the summer season. The new Café Notman will serve Italian sodas and box lunches. A great healthy meal option to enjoy in the Urban Forest.

Every Wednesday from July 5 to August 23, the very popular Musical Wednesdays will take over the Urban Forest. These weekly events will introduce the public to artists from various backgrounds, highlighting the rich diversity of Montreal’s culture. The complete list of artists is available on the Museum’s website. Botany lovers will also be able to discover or rediscover the native plant garden. This initiative, which began last year and was carried out in collaboration with the Indigenous Health Centre of Tiohtià:ke, showcases the knowledge and philosophies of First Nations, Métis and Inuit people while enhancing our urban landscape.

Two series of workshops will also be held in July and August. On Thursdays, July 6 and August 24, from 12:15 to 1:15 pm, Fibershed Québec invites the public to spend their lunch break learning about the steps that go into producing wool, an eco-friendly fibre. The Société pour l’action, l’éducation et la sensibilisation environnementale de Montréal (SAESEM) will raise awareness about the environmental impact of our lifestyle with its two eco-lunches (12:15 to 1:15 pm). On the agenda: how to plan a zero-waste lunch (July 18) and the impacts of plastic on biodiversity and human beings (August 15).

New this year, graduates of the Fashion Design program at ESG UQAM’s École supérieure de mode will transform the Urban Forest into a catwalk with the presentation of two fashion shows on July 20 and August 3. Their designs are inspired by nature, visual arts and technology, reflecting the students’ experiences, sense of identity, and social and environmental concerns.
Learn more about the activities presented in the Urban Forest

Urban Forest partners : 

Off-site Activities

Discover the History of Montreal Through Its Historic Neighbourhoods

Building Montreal Exhibition

June 16 to October 15 – McGill College Avenue, between De Maisonneuve Boulevard and President Kennedy Avenue

Building Montreal looks at the transformation of the urban landscape in a constantly evolving metropolis. Often a source of headaches for Montrealers, construction sites are nonetheless a testament to the city’s vitality and growth over the decades. Twenty-five large-format historical photographs from the Museum’s Photography collection will illustrate the major stages and key projects in the development of Montreal’s infrastructure, from the 1850s to the 1980s.

Tracing the evolution of urban planning and technology, these images are also a reminder of the exceptional collective effort that helped build Montreal.

The exhibition is presented by BMO, in collaboration with Astral.

Urban Tours

Perfect for those who enjoy self-guided tours, the Urban Tours are made up of 5 walking routes with different themes. They’re a fun way to learn more about the history of Montreal’s landmarks in 45-minute to 2-hour walks. The app lets you explore areas of the city and view 150 sites in a different era thanks to historical images from the Museum’s Photography collection.

The Urban Tours are presented by Ivanhoe Cambridge.

National Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day

For National Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day, the McCord Stewart Museum is celebrating the knowledge, creativity and traditions of Indigenous peoples with a series of activities in June.

CIVILIZED

Play – At the Museum – June 7 to 11 – Paid

CIVILIZED is a play based on reports, writings and speeches made during the government of Sir Wilfrid Laurier. It features William Blank, a fictional civil servant resurrected from the year 1907, who, with enthusiasm, charm, poetry, song and conviction, tries to defend the indefensible—the residential school system—only to admit what he sensed all along: something horrible was happening. First performed in 2022, the one-man show has been praised during its performances in several cities in Ontario and Manitoba.

Show presented in English. Presented for National Indigenous History Month and the 2023 Montreal Fringe Festival.

Literary Evening – Double Bill with Michel Jean and Shayne Michael

Panel discussion – At the Museum – June 14 – Paid

Dive into Indigenous literature with the Museum and Éditions Hannenorak. This evening of talks, presented as part of National Indigenous History Month, Je lis autochtone, and the Nouveau chapitre series, hosted by Samuel Rainville, will open the doors to the literary universe of Michel Jean and his book Tiohtiá:ke, as well as Shayne Michael and his volume Fif et sauvage.

Activity presented in French followed by a public Q&A in French and English.

Visites de l’exposition Voix autochtones d’aujourd’hui : savoir, trauma, résilience

June 21 – Paid

For National Indigenous Peoples Day, the Museum is offering the public the chance to visit the permanent exhibition Indigenous Voices of Today: Knowledge, Trauma, Resilience at the reduced rate of $10 (10 am to 5 pm).

Gratuit pour les Membres du Musée, les membres des communautés autochtones et les enfants de moins de 12 ans.

Guided tours of Indigenous Voices of Today: Knowledge, Trauma, Resilience

June 21 – Paid

Two 60-minute guided tours of the exhibition will be available at 5 p.m. (in French) and 7 p.m. (in English).

Tickets: Adult: $10 | Students (13 to 30): 5.00 | Museum members and members of Indigenous communities: Free

Visitors wishing to join a guided tour must reserve their spot on the Museum’s website.

Event presented by TD Bank Group in collaboration with Ubisoft.

INSITU App – Montréal en histoires

The McCord Stewart Museum is one of 17 institutions presented in the INSITU digital cultural circuit by Montréal en histoires. The free application proposes to discover two objects from the Indigenous Cultures collection in augmented reality, on Sherbrooke Street West in the vicinity of the Museum, via an original interactive and playful immersive experience.

The INSITU app is a creation of Michel Lemieux. It is available for free on iOS and Android app store.

New Exhibitions

Becoming Montreal: The 1800s Painted by Duncan

June 2, 2023, to April 21, 2024

Step back in time with the delicate watercolours of James Duncan. A true chronicler of his time, the artist documented the evolution of Montreal during the five decades he was active there, from 1830 to 1880. Gathered together for the first time, a hundred of his works offer a unique insight into the 19th century city. As an epilogue, a digital work by digital art studio Iregular offers a rereading of Duncan’s paintings, in the form of AI-generated images, presenting a recomposed universe and dreamed landscapes of a Montreal that is no longer.

The exhibition is presented by La Presse.

The McCord Stewart Museum gratefully acknowledges the support of the Canada Council for the Arts in the production of the digital artwork presented in this exhibition.

Momenta, biennale de l’image – Séamus Gallagher

September 8, 2023, to February 4, 2024

Exhibitions to (Re)visit

Hochelaga – Evolving Montreal by Joannie Lafrenière

Until September 10, 2023

For this second part of the Evolving Montreal photographic commission, the photographer and filmmaker Joannie Lafrenière offers an glimpse into the Hochelaga neighbourhood, where she has lived for 18 years. This exhibition of videos, photographs and poetry is an invitation to explore the artist’s view of what constitutes the essence of Hochelaga today, through encounters with the characters who embody it.

Activity related to the exhibition:

• Hochelaga invited to the McCord Stewart Museum – Poésie croisée x Joannie Lafrenière
  At the Museum – June 3 – 12pm to 5 pm
• Tour of the Hochelaga neighbourhood guided by Joannie Lafrenière
  Meeting point at Préfontaine metro station – June 4 and 10
• Cin’Hoch outdoor screening: Colorama by Joannie Lafrenière
  Dairy-Queen parking lot – September 1st – At sunset

Swallowing Mountains – An Exhibition by Karen Tam

Until August 13, 2023

In an immersive installation consisting of objects from the McCord Stewart Museum’s collection, works created by Karen Tam, objects belonging to members of the Chinatown community, and photographs, the exhibition sheds much-needed light on a little-known chapter in the history of the Chinese diaspora in Canada and particularly in Montreal. The exhibition explores the discrepancy between the Western attraction to chinoiseries and Japonism and the experiences of Chinese women who emigrated to Canada, since the late 19th century. Swallowing Mountains is presented as part of the McCord Stewart Museum’s Artist-in-Residence program.

Activity related to the exhibition:

• Women of the Chinese-Montreal Community: Historical Reflections and Future Hopes
  At the Museum – May 31
• Creative Workshop: collective wishing tree with Artist Karen Tam
  Urban Forest – July 8
• Sunday Workshop: Looking After Our Stories in Montreal/Tiohtià:ke
  Every Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. – Free – At the Museum

Indigenous Voices of Today: Knowledge, Trauma, Resilience – Permanent exhibition

The exhibition bears witness to the still unrecognized knowledge of Indigenous peoples in Quebec and Canada as well as the deep wounds they carry and their incredible resilience. Visitors will discover about one hundred carefully selected objects combined with many powerful inspiring stories, allowing them to learn more about the knowledge, traditions, and lived reality of members of the 11 Indigenous nations of Quebec.

This exhibition, presented by ICI Radio-Canada in collaboration with TD Bank Group, has been produced through a financial contribution from the program Aide aux projets pour le soutien des expositions permanentes of the Québec Cultural Heritage Fund of the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec.

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