Centre d'histoire de Montréal facts for kids
The exterior of the Centre d'histoire de Montréal
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| Established | 1983 |
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| Location | 335, place d'Youville Montreal, Quebec H2Y 3T1 |
| Type | History museum |
| Visitors | 60,258 (2011) |
The Centre d'histoire de Montréal is a cool museum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is located in a historic area called Old Montreal, at 335 Place d'Youville. This museum is all about telling the amazing story of Montreal's history. It helps visitors discover how the city grew and changed over time.
Contents
History of the Building
The museum is located in a very special building. It used to be Montreal's main fire station! It was built on Place d'Youville between 1903 and 1904. The architects, Joseph Perrault and Simon Lesage, designed it to look like buildings from Flanders, a region in Europe. This made it very unique in Montreal at the time.
From Fire Station to Museum
The building's front is made of light brown sandstone and red brick. It has a special roof called a mansard roof with windows that stick out, known as skylights. There is also a square tower with a pointed roof. When it opened in 1904, the fire station used both horses and steam-powered pumps to fight fires.
In 1908, it became a smaller neighborhood fire station. By 1931, motor vehicles replaced the horses. The fire station finally closed its doors in 1972.
Becoming a Museum
In the 1970s, the City of Montreal and the Quebec government worked together. They wanted to bring new life to the historic area. This included digging up old artifacts and improving the western part of the city.
As part of this plan, the Centre d'histoire de Montréal was created in 1983. At first, a group called the Archaeological and Numismatic Society of Montreal managed it. But in 1987, the museum became part of the City of Montreal's cultural network.
What You Can See: The Collection
On the ground floor, you can explore the main exhibition called "Montreal en cinq temps" (Montreal in Five Eras). This exhibit shows you the important events, places, and people that shaped Montreal's history. You'll see copies of old maps, lots of photographs, and a cool collection of unique objects. You can also watch short films and listen to songs and stories about the city.
The top two floors of the museum are used for temporary exhibitions. These shows change regularly, so there's always something new to discover!
The museum's collection has more than 4,000 items. Most of these objects are from the 20th century. You can find items from famous events like Expo 67 and from Montreal's 350th anniversary celebration. You can even see some of these collections online through the Artefacts Canada website.
