To make the best of Montréal’s cultural offerings, the Montréal Museums Pass is the way to go. This three-day pass, unlimited bus and métro travel included, opens doors to 31 museums in metropolitan Montréal.
Start your cultural tour by taking the métro, whose stations are themselves works of art. Get off near one of the oldest museums in Canada, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. The museum has magnificent permanent exhibits that explore every form of art, and includes an impressive encyclopedic collection. Some 33,000 objects, from ancient cultures to decorative and contemporary art, is an unforgettable look into the imagination of various peoples. Also of note is the space dedicated to landscape painter Marc-Aurèle Fortin (1888-1970).
Afterward, have lunch in one of the many downtown restaurants you’ll see on your way to the McCord Museum of Canadian history. Founded in 1921, this institution is home to an abundant collection of Amerindian works, costumes and Canadian textiles, as well as a world-renowned photographic archives depicting the history of Montréal, Québec and Canada since 1840. Just a few blocks away is the Vitrine culturelle, a good place to start when planning an evening of fine entertainment. This “window on the arts” takes the pulse on all cultural happenings in Greater Montréal. It’s the place to go to for information, promotions and sales of events and shows happening in the city, as well as for last-minute tickets and special deals.
Next, get together at one of Old Montréal’s restaurants, where you can choose from a vast selection of gastronomic offerings, such as the delicious cuisine de terroir, a culinary style based on local produce. Spend the perfect ending to a perfect day at Place des Arts for a performance by the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, the Opéra de Montréal or one of the ci