The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) is one of Canada’s most visited art museums. Its multi-pavilion campus also make it one of the country’s largest, providing visitors with access to in-person and online works of art in many forms and styles.
Linda’s Pick of the Exhibits
I loved the imaginative creations of Worlds of Wonder: The Surrealist Journey of Alan Glass. A temporary exhibition, it was the first solo museum exhibit in Canada devoted to the works of the Montreal artist (1921 – 2023), Alan Glass. From the 2001 piece, Delft Bees, to Flies in the Buttermilk: Shu, Shu, Shu, the art created from found objects was distinctive!
While the exhibit has closed, the museum has nine Alan Glass pieces in the permanent exhibit. Find them if you can!
But back to the permanent collection. There, I kept going back to the blue and white wall mural for Sharing the Museum. I’m a “blue” kind of person, so part of my interest was in the color shades that ranged from turquoise to navy. And part was in the cartoon-like characters and objects.
You may be wondering what Sharing the Museum is all about–I know I was. I learned that it’s a 20+ year-old program providing accessibility to the museum. With lots of free art activities, the program fosters inclusion through guided tours, art therapy, and group workshops.
Fast Fact: The program, Sharing the Museum, partners with 600+ organizations to make art accessible to everyone. Nearly 300,000 have participated in the community program.
What’s in the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts?
The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts has a collection of 40,000+ works. Of these, about 6,000 can be viewed in the museum’s digital collection online.
With its beginnings as the Art Association of Montreal back in 1860, the museum collection has a strong historical and contemporary collection. Its evolution has covered three basic periods:
- Early Origins (1860 – 1912). A key development here was the bequest from Benaiah Gibb in 1877 that enabled the association to build Canada’s first purpose-built art gallery. It opened in 1879.
- Mid-Century Expansion & Institutional Change (1913 to end of 1960s). The collection expanded to include European masters and decorative arts as well as Canadian works.
- Multi-Pavilion Museum (1970s on). Physical growth expanded the museum, adding pavilions connected by underground passageways. One of these features was the inclusion of integrated, chronological displays of Quebec, Canadian and Indigenous art.
The MMFA groups its holdings into collection areas that include Quebec & Canadian art, Early to Modern International art, Arts of One World, Decorative Arts & Design, Contemorary Art, and Graphic & Photographic Arts. There’s also a library with documentary archives, artists’ papers, references for research, and more.
Fast Fact: See Dale Chihuly's monumental glass sculpture, The Sun, at the heart of the From the Functional to the Fabulous: 600 Years of Decorative Arts and Design display. The display consists of 800 objects.
One of its popular additional attractions includes the Cinéma du Musée. The theatre shows first-run, current independent and international films in their original screenings.
Linda’s Road Trip Tips
Some might say Montreal has it all! From historic neighbourhoods and architecture in Old Montreal, to its urban outdoors and Expo 67 landmarks (Biosphere and Habitat 67), to its mix of European flair and French language, there’s something for everyone.
On my visit, I had a few priorities. The first was The Biosphere — Montreal’s Environment Museum.
I was just a kid when Expo 67 celebrated Canada’s 100th birthday by holding the World’s Fair.
I’d dreamed of going but never got there, so seeing this former U.S. pavilion was a big plus for me.
The second? Visiting Chinatown along with an Asian friend who could introduce me all the authentic must-taste dining specialties.
Soup Dumplings were definitly a hit with me!
Also, Montreal’s Chinatown is an official provincial heritage site, protecting the area’s unique 19th century architecture and culture.
And of course, who doesn’t want to spend some time in Montreal’s Underground City? While I was escaping an extremely hot heat wave, cold snowy days are another reason to head on down. While I didn’t cover the whole 33 km (20.5 miles), I still enjoyed this amazing pedestrian network of shops and activities.
Who Should Visit the Montreal Museum of Fine Art?
The Montreal Museum of Fine Art is the perfect spot for art lovers, no matter the era or style of art they enjoy. For visitors outside of Quebec, the art does a great job of showcasing “La Belle Province” (Beautiful Province).
With ever-changing permanent exhibits and special exhibitions, you can visit the museum time after time and still find something new to enjoy.
When it comes to interactive and immersive experiences, they’re usually program based or exhibition-specific to add another dimension to your visit.
The MMFA also has accessibility covered.
All pavilions are wheelchair-accessible, and there are even some metered parking spaces reserved for disabled parking permit holders on Avenue du Musée.
You’ll also find services for hearing and visually impaired visitors, providing support for sensory and communication accessibility.
How Do You Visit the Montreal Museum of Fine Art?
The MMFA is in downtown Montreal, in the Golden Square Mile area on Sherbrooke Street West.
Getting There & Parking: The museum's main entrance is near Peel and Guy-Concordia metro stations. If you're driving, there's limited street parking along with nearby garages. Le Mount Stephen garage is about a 5-minute walk away, or try Le Chatel Parking, or 1010 Sherbrooke Street West Lot (Lot 854).
Street Address: 1380 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
The museum is open year-round. Check days and hours open, as well as admission costs on the MMFA website.
Check out what’s happening at the museum on the Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal Facebook page.
Plan your visit with Google Maps.
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