Exploring Montreal, Canada: History, Gardens, Shopping and Dining

1. Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

One of the most prominent museums in Canada and one of the best things to do in Montreal, this esteemed facility is the largest of its kind in the province of Quebec. The museum’s Sherbrooke Street location is significant for its inclusion in the Golden Square Mile, a prestigious stretch of road within the city’s widely acclaimed historic district. The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts' permanent collection houses over 40,000 pieces ranging in style and medium. The museum offers both permanent and temporary displays, with touring exhibits visiting the center on a rotating basis. Additionally, the site boasts an elaborate concert venue. All exhibit and concert information is available on the museum’s website calendar.

Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, 1380 Rue Sherbrooke O, Montreal, Canada, Phone: 514-285-2000

2. Montreal Botanical Garden

The Montreal Botanical Garden is considered one of the most significant and important contributions to the horticultural world and one of the top Montreal attractions. The Garden’s expansive and diverse collections and comprehensive facilities contribute to its valuable reputation. The 190-acre site features 10 themed greenhouses and a Chinese lantern garden, along with numerous exhibits, gardens, sculptures, and examples of plant life.

An onsite planetarium and insectarium add additional interest and educational opportunities, and in the warmer months the Garden hosts a summer concert series. A rotating series of educational and interactive activities, groups, and lessons occur throughout the year based on the seasonal activities of the Garden and featured exhibits.

Montreal Botanical Garden, 4101 Rue Sherbrooke E, Montreal, Canada, Phone: 514-872-1400

3. Jean-Talon Market

The Jean-Talon Market is an expansive and bustling farmer’s market located in the Little Italy district of Montreal. Encompassing several blocks, the market is a year round staple in the Montreal food scene, and it allows vendors to sell an array of produce, hand made goods, and local farm fresh ingredients. The multicultural variety of ingredients and products lends itself to the appeal of the market, and everything from spices to fresh cut flowers to locally raised meats are available for sale in the open air stalls.

In the winter, the market is smaller and moved to internal or closed stalls, but remains open for the sale of seasonal goods. In the warmer months, the market becomes a lively hub of shoppers and vendors.

Jean-Talon Market, Montreal, 7070 Avenue Henri Julien, Montreal, Canada, Phone: 514-277-1588

4. Old Port of Montreal

Once the primary functioning port for the city of Montreal, Old Port of Montreal is now a historic preservation site and recreational area. Originally used for Montreal’s importation and exportation of goods, the port dates back as early as 1611 when it was used as a trading post by French fur traders. However, in the 1970’s, the Port’s economic and functional purposes were transferred to a new location, and this site became a tourism based recreational district.

Today, visitors can walk up and down the mile long stretch of docks and see an expansive collection of attractions. If you are looking for things to do in Montreal today, this is a great place to start exploring. While the riverfront is often used for walking, roller-blading, or biking, it is also home to several event venues, an urban beach called Plage de l’Horloge, or Clock Beach, the IMAX theatre, and the Montreal Science Centre.

Old Port of Montreal, 333 Rue de la Commune O, Montreal, Canada, Phone: 514-496-7678

5. Montreal Biodome

Housed in the facility that once hosted the 1976 Montreal Olympics, the Montreal Biodome is now a natural science epicenter. Visitors to the Biodome are able to contemplate replicas of each of the four unique ecosystems found within the continents of North and South America.

They have the unique opportunity of coming into contact with the geographical patterns and plant and animal life that inhabit these regions. The Tropical Forest exhibit, for example, allows visitors to walk through a replica of South American rainforests.

The Laurentian Forest exhibit displays the North American wilderness, while the Saint Lawrence Marine Eco-system comprises a habitat created around an estuary modeled after the Gulf of Saint Laurence. Finally, an expansive polar section is designed to provide insight into both the Arctic and Antarctic regions.

Biodome de Montreal , 4777 Avenue Pierre-de Coubertin, Montreal, Canada, Phone: 514-868-3000

6. Pointe-a-Calliere Museum

The Pointe-a-Calliere Museum is a museum of history and archaeology situated in Old Town Montreal.

The museum was founded as a celebration of Montreal’s 350th birthday in 1992, and it showcases an expansive range of artifacts and exhibits, beginning with exhibits dedicated to the First Nations.

They illustrate the coexistence and interactions of the earliest known population of the area.

Additionally, the museum demonstrates the influence of the British and French historical presence, and the resulting impact on the area’s history and modern status. Three distinct archaeological sites are located within the museum complex, and they feature archaeological remains from every distinct period in the city’s past.

Pointe-a-Calliere Museum, 350 Place Royale, Montreal, Canada, Phone: 514-872-9150