Visit the best museums in Quebec City

The history of Quebec is complex and multi-continental. Europeans arrived in Quebec in the 16th century, when the territory was inhabited by Amerindians. In 1534, French explorer Jacques Cartier took control of the region on behalf of France. Quebec was the first city to be built, in 1608. Over the centuries that followed, the French and British fought to determine who would reclaim and inhabit these new lands.

Today, Quebec is one of Canada's largest and only French-speaking provinces. Its dense and eventful history has led to the construction of many museums. They pass on to new generations the story of the country's creation and help visitors discover it.

This museum opened its doors in 1988. It relates the human and social sciences through objects, archives and books of ethnographic and historical interest.

It's a modern, attractive museum offering classic guided tours as well as interactive exhibitions, a delicious restaurant and a lounge where you can relax after a hard day's walking. The temporary exhibitions are interesting and offbeat, such as "O shit, an excrementally rich exhibition that's not boring at all". Children love to come and discover the history of the pharaohs and the interactive exhibitions on artificial intelligence.

Find out about past exhibitions, the programme and events on the mcq website.

🍴 Le Café du Monde

With its French bistro feel, this restaurant is certainly not out of this world, but the food is exquisite and the view undeniably pleasant.

📍 Address: 84 Rue Dalhousie, Québec, QC G1K 8M5, Canada

⏰ Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday, 11.30am to 9.30pm. Saturday from 9 am to 9:30 pm and Sunday from 9 am to 2 pm.

The Musée des Beaux-arts presents works by Quebec artists, but not only! Concerts, children's workshops and lectures are regularly organised. The museum is innovative and offers all kinds of unusual guided tours, such as the muséo-poussette, an artistic stroll with your baby and a guide.

With over 42,000 works of art, the museum's mission is to preserve the memory of Quebec artists, each more talented than the last.

Find out what exhibitions to see during your holiday in Quebec City on the mnbaq website.

The Morrin Centre is a museum that will appeal to young and old alike! 200 years after its construction, one of the city's first prisons now houses an impressive Victorian-style library, reminiscent of fantasy films. This English-language library contains over 27,000 books, carefully protected from the passage of time. To visit it, you need to join the Morrin Centre when you arrive at the museum.

You can also visit the old cells, still engraved with mysterious inscriptions, during the discovery tours of this historic monument. Free tours are organised for the general public on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, at 11am, 2pm and 4pm for tours in French.

Find out more about the tours on the Morrin centre website.