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's located in a historic area called Old Montreal, specifically at 335 Place d'Youville. This museum is all about telling the amazing story of Montreal and its past.
Contents
History of the Museum Building
The museum is inside an old building that used to be a central 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. This style was quite unique in Montreal back then.
The Old Fire Station
The building's front is made of light brown sandstone and red brick. It has a special roof called a mansard roof with windows built into it. There's also a square tower with a pointed roof on top.
The fire station opened in 1904. It used to have horses to pull the fire engines and steam 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.
How the Museum Started
In the 1970s, the City of Montreal and the Quebec Ministry of Cultural Affairs worked together. They wanted to fix up the historic area where the fire station was. This plan included digging up old artifacts and making the western part of the district lively again.
To give the old fire station a new purpose, they decided to open the Centre d'histoire de Montréal there in 1983. At first, a group called the Archaeological and Numismatic Society of Montreal managed the museum. Then, in 1987, it became part of the City of Montreal's network of cultural centers.
What You Can See
On the first floor, there's a main exhibition called "Montreal en cinq temps" (Montreal in Five Times). This exhibit shows important events, places, and people that shaped Montreal's history. You can see copies of old maps, lots of photographs, and a collection of special objects. Visitors can also watch short films and listen to songs and stories about the city.
The top two floors of the museum are for temporary exhibitions. These shows change regularly, so there's always something new to discover.
Museum Collections
The Centre d'histoire de Montreal has more than 4,000 artifacts in its collection. Most of these items are from the 20th century. You can find objects from Expo 67, which was a big world's fair held in Montreal in 1967. There are also items from Montreal's 350th anniversary celebration. You can even see these collections online on the Artefacts Canada website.
