Montréal Museum of Fine Arts

Montréal Museum of Fine Arts (Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal) encompasses four pavilions, with the main entrance at 1380 Sherbrooke St. W. (M: Guy-Concordia or Peel). Founded in 1860, this was one of the first public art galleries in Canada. The museum offers exhibitions from an extensive holding, some 41,000 objects representing the main trends in art from antiquity to the present day, and impressive temporary displays. The original 1912 Beaux Arts building and the Moshe Safdie-designed Jean-Noël Desmarais Pavilion, added in 1991, face each other and are connected by a network of underground exhibition galleries. A renovation and expansion of an 1894 stone church produced the Claire and Marc Bourgie Pavilion of Québec and Canadian Art, which chronicles six historical periods through its 600-piece collection. Exhibited on six levels are works by Paul-Émile Borduas, Alfred Pellan and Jean-Paul Riopelle; notable Inuit artists; and the Group of Seven landscape painters. Featuring beautifully restored Tiffany stained glass windows, the historic portion of the structure encompasses the Bourgie Concert Hall, which offers programming by the Arte Musica Foundation, in residence at the museum, and other area music organizations. The Liliane and David M. Stewart Pavilion features decorative arts. In late 2016, the Michal and Renata Hornstein Pavilion for Peace opened to mark the city’s 375th anniversary. It houses 750 works, including Old Masters (100 of which were donated by the Hornsteins), modern European art and a Napoleonic collection. Guided tours are available. Food is available. Time: Allow 2 hours minimum.