Montréal Attractions: The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

The Montréal Museum of Fine Arts is one of the city’s finest cultural centers, housing 35,000 pieces of art. This is where art lovers can enjoy objects ranging from prints and drawings to sculptures and paintings spanning hundreds of years – from antiquity to modern day. One of the main missions of the museum is to attract the broadest public possible, and for that reason it follows a policy of free admission for people to view its fine collections of art. Montréal Museum of Fine Arts is also known as Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal.

History

The Art Association of Montréal was founded by a group of art lovers in 1860, out of which grew the idea to construct an art museum. The group was bequeathed land, a sum of money and a small but significant collection of art by the merchant Andrew Gibb in 1877. Over the years, the museum has moved several times from its original location to its present one on the south side of Sherbrooke Street. Designed by renowned architect Moshe Safdie, the building houses one of the most prominent collections of art in the world and attracts a substantial number of visitors – 500,000 - each year.

The Architecture

Safdie created a museum that would complement the previous building on Sherbrooke Street with its neoclassical portico, yet with a nod to a new era. A huge white marble arch beckons visitors into the building, into the sunlit entrance hall at street level. A series of underground tunnels links the two buildings on Sherbrooke Street, allowing easy transportation of artwork.

Collections

The Montréal Museum of Fine Arts houses an excellent collection of work, 85% of which was either donated or purchased with money given as a gift for that express purpose.

The collections include:

• Ancient Cultures – including relief fragments, pottery and sculptures from ancient Asia, Africa, Ocenia and the Islamic world.
• European Art – An eclectic but powerful collection of art from the Continent, including 14th century religious scenes, 18th century Masters and 20th century greats such as Picasso and Matisse.
• Canadian Art – The collection traces the course of Canadian history through a magnificent series of decorative art, painting and sculpture.
• Contemporary Art – A small but significant collection of local and international contemporary artwork, including installation pieces and minimalist art.
• Decorative Art – A collection of work from the Renaissance until today, including no less than 900 pieces of American industrial design objects.
• Mediterranean Archaeology – The majority of this collection represents Central and East Mediterranean, through pieces of sculpture, organic materials and bronze works.

Montréal Musuem of Fine Arts

Besides its permanent collections, the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts offers regular changing exhibitions that draw a huge number of people throughout the year. The museum is always acquiring new works of art and expanding its collections, thanks to the continued generosity of its donors. The museum’s continued policy to allow free access to visitors ensures that no commercial interest is the driving factor behind decisions made by museum management and allows for the pure passion of art to shine through.

Location:
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts - Jean-Noël Desmarais Pavilion
1380 rue Sherbrooke Ouest
Montreal, Quebec
Phone: 1-800-899-MUSE

Click here to visit Montréal Museum of Fine Arts official website.