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Musee Des Beaux-Arts De Montreal
Category: Arts & Entertainment Museums Museums [Edit]
1380 Rue Sherbrooke OuestMontreal, QC H3G 1J5
(514) 285-1600
- Hours:
Tue-Fri 11 am - 5 pm
Sat-Sun 10 am - 5 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
46 reviews for Musee Des Beaux-Arts De Montreal
Review Highlights
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"...brief bios of both John and Yoko and photos of when they..." In 4 reviews -
"There's usually something for everyone." In 4 reviews -
"The exhibition concludes with a forest of wish trees." In 2 reviews
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42 reviews in English
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Review from Seb A.
2/20/2012
I went on a date here once with a girl I really wanted to get serious with. She was smoking hot. We looked at art, but I spent most of the time walking around trying to hide the distended and rigid state of one of my organs (one that incidentally contains erectile tissue). There was an Andy Warhol exhibit that was pretty interesting. It was my first visit at an art gallery and I enjoyed it. It was a good date.
After the date, the girl and I went back to my place and watched the Shawshank Redemption. She hated it and I couldn't believe she would hate that movie - how could ANYONE hate that movie? We went on a few more dates and then one day I found out that (while we were dating) she had received illegal drugs in exchange of the performance of risky illicit acts, so I stopped dating her. What a stinking shame.
So I called the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal and asked if she wanted to hang out. She said yes but that I had to come alone and pay attention to her. I agreed. I showed up and it wasn't awkward at all. Not like I thought. I paid attention to her. She had a lot to say, and for once I decided to just shut up and listen. I couldn't believe someone like her could even exist. She wasn't the same person I'd met a couple of months earlier. There was so much more to her than Andy Warhol. There was contemporary art and portraits of Napoleon and art older than the oldest creek you can think of. It was spectacular and memorable.
The next time I brought a girl on a date here, the rest of my body was too busy paying attention to art in lieu of ordering itself to stand at attention, and I probably looked a lot more dignified as a result. Je vais t'aimer pour toujours, Musée des Beaux-Arts... -
Review from Paige C.
5/19/2012
There were many reasons why i thought i wouldn't like this museum
1. The layout is super confusing, and I hate feeling dumb
2. The stairs. They're weird.
3. I dragged my southern father here who was huffing and puffing
So yes, there were many challenges facing this museum. I'm not quite sure why I decided to go in the first place.
This museum is elegant. And I CRAVE to be elegant. I am a mess of run on sentences that would terrify my 6th grade English teacher.
The permanent collection is FREE! In a country where I'll must likely pay 15% tax on everything, this was refreshing. I give it a standing ovation, a mighty opus! -
Review from Meghan M.
2/19/2012
Any free art museum that is remotely decent is 5 stars in my book! Get art to the people! But this museum is way more than remotely decent. It has a pretty large permanent collection for a free art museum. You will see a few famous names, but in general, it will be lesser known artists and work, but just as beautiful. The museum is within several buildings so it can be confusing getting around, and it does take some time to see it.
Great activity on a budget in Montreal, and likely a good activity regardless of your budget. -
Review from Greg M.
When I lived in Montreal I was a block away from this museum, and really didn't take advantage of this amazing place. The permanent exhibit is free (or donation..) and is great, and I have never been disappointed by the traveling exhibits. They recently expanded the museum by renovating an old church, and connecting it underground to the two other already existing buildings. Architecturally, the three buildings are beautiful, mixing both o;d and contemporary design. From May-October they are closing a part of du musee which sucks for cars but is great for anyone hwo wants just just relax and enjoy the Montreal summer weather while looking at beautiful outdoor art.
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Review from Risa D.
1/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
The Montreal fine arts museum consists of three amazing buildings connected by an underground hall that runs beneath Sherbrooke. The newest is a gorgeous historic church, modern and bright on the inside with 4 floors of Canadian art compellingly curated and really showing off some of the strengths of the permanent collection. The permanent collection at the fine arts is always free, which is the way public art should be.
There have been some amazing, eye opening, playful, creative shows here over the years: the Hitchcock exhibit, John and Yoko, Gaultier, and most recently Big Bang play with what a fine arts museum can do and I lurve that.Listed in: Culture Vultures, Art Walking Montreal
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Review from GirlintheCity A.
Montréal, QC
4/4/2012
Very nice museum. Plenty of free exhibits and they have these Walky talky machines you can borrow for free which adds commentary to the different pieces of art.
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Review from Jennifer B.
CLARENCEVILLE, QC
1/21/2012 3 photos
Dragging a 30 year old man to see the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit at the Musee des Beaux-Arts de Montreal might not have been the wisest decision on my part, but not even his foot dragging and uninterested attitude was able to ruin the experience for me.
It was my first time visiting the museum of fine art and I can't say that I have plans to go back in the near future, but the JPG exhibit was spectacular, though very busy and it was hard to find space to snap good photos of all the beautiful fashions.
My only complaint is that at the time we went there was a lot of construction going on and the only way for us to get over to the building housing the JPG exhibit meant making the huge hike through the whole museum, including numerous stairs to climb and if you have been to the museum you KNOW which stairs I mean. Those horrid, badly designed by the devil stairs that make you either walk awkwardly in small baby steps or make you take disturbingly large steps to skip every other step (impossible in a tight mid calf skirt, by the way). -
Review from Michael E.
2/18/2012
Not huge, but an interesting collection.
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Review from Kristen M.
1/3/2012
Beautiful exhibits (some pieces were recently at the MoMA nyc) The top floor was closed which was a little disappointing but well worth the trip.
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Review from F. C.
7/22/2011
Simply outstanding. The permanent collection is a fantastic mix of ancient, classic, and modern art. The collection is balanced and totally engaging. I went with my sister, who typically gets bored in large museums, and on the way out she marveled that she loved everything and wasn't bored at all. Trust me, that's high praise coming from her.
I was lucky enough to be in town while the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit was in town. It was SPECTACULAR. The special exhibit cost $15, but it was worth every cent.
Best thing? The magnificent and huge permanent collection is FREE. World class art for free? Yes, please!Listed in: Montreal!
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Review from Randy H.
Montréal, QC
11/11/2011
In terms of the fashion world, I'm the first to admit that I pretty much know nothing. Nonetheless, in the spirit of openness, I went to the JPG Exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts in Montreal. It was the second last day of the exhibit and there was a an hour line-up to get in. At least I now understand that fashion shows are meant as art and not really clothing. Apparently JPG paid the museum to showcase his work and contribution to the arts. A little bit of blowing his own horn but then again, I imagine that's what fashion designers are all about.
- Madonna's pointy bra and some concept art by JPG
- Cool concept on display in which the mannequins had a face projected on it. It made the mannequins look freaky and robotic
- A leopard dress...or so it seems, 1,060 hours to create
- Dress made of movie film
- Umbrella and dress made of hair
- Costumes for Depeche Mode, Nirvana and not surprisingly Lady Gaga -
Review from Joe D.
Montréal, QC
Updated - 2/5/2012
Saw the Lyonel Feininger exhibit today. One of the best shows I've seen in years - a superbly presently career overview of a remarkable artist and craftsman
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/1/2012
Love both the new Canadian galleries in the old Church and the refurbishment of the other pavilions.… Read more »
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Review from Sam H.
8/8/2011
We kept showing up too late to get into their permanent collection but the third time was the charm. They've got a nice little collection running from European landscapes to modern/abstaract pieces. we stayed for about an hour which is all you really need to go through the 4 floors. We didn't spring for the special exhibition but most of the visitors seemed pleased with what they saw.
Beware of the very awkward stair/ramp walkway between floors and check out the giftshop which has a nice range of selections and always has something on sale. -
Review from Devin L.
3/24/2011
3 blocks from my hotel? Sweet!
The terracotta Chinese warriors were here and so was I. I was so glad this exhibit was here when I arrived. The place was packed nice and early, but I got in no problem. I loved the layout of the warriors. The history and descriptions were great. The overall experience was fantastic.
I also enjoyed the Christian religious paintings, but not the contemporary art. It's just not my thing.
Easily accessable and cheap. Free for permanent exhibits. -
Review from May N.
10/23/2010 1 photo
This place is awesome, and not just because it has free admission to the permanent collections. (Half-price to special exhibits on Wednesday evenings.)
The museum's permanent collection includes Impressionist paintings by Cézanne, Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, and Sisley; modern art by Picasso, Matisse, and Dalí. They recently acquired pieces about and owned by Napolean. Their permanent colleciton also includes interior design pieces reminiscent of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. There are some fantastic sculptures. They even have some contemporary art as well.
Not only could you spend a day or more escaping the cold and wind here, but see some great art, too. -
Review from Zac S.
1/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great exhibit of Otto Dix. Glad we were able to make it before the exhibit closed. well curated and put together. Very heavy on the text though, which was interesting given the first quote from Dix when walking in. It said something like: I won't talk about my work--if you have eyes, look.
One great feature about the museum is the one point where there is what looks to be a frame on the wall, but it's just a cut out that looks into the next gallery, so you can see people looking at the art. Totally gives the museum character and a sense of humor that you don't ever find elsewhere.
Great touch. -
Review from Dan G.
8/2/2010
Really enjoyed this museum of fine arts during my tour of Montreal. First off, it's free. That is unless you want to see one of the special exhibits. It was $15 to see the "We Want Miles" Miles Davis exhibit. No worries at all on that. Money well spent. It was a big exhibit that plays videos and sound clips all throughout as you progressed through the growth and times of this legendary jazzman. As with every museum exploration I have, I learned something too. While I knew that Miles went through his junkie phase, I did not know that he jammed with the Grateful Dead. How about that? Lots of cool trumpets, pictures, posters and paintings all around. Who knew Miles was so talented with a brush too?
As for the rest of the museum, eh. Very few pieces from the impressionists and a lot of weird modern art. The cannibal monkeys and the pics of people plunging to their death from the twin towers were a bit much. And what is up with the tiny stairs? Everyone walking around seemed full scale. -
Review from Krsna V.
8/25/2008
I have to admit, I don't know much about art. You can put a Monet in front of me and I'll be thinking what kind of food I can make with those water lilies. You can show me "the scream" and I'll think what must have that person seen that made him/her scream like that? Perhaps, one of the hot strippers in Montreal? If it does not relate to health care in anyway, I have no idea what is going on. That is why I got myself an artsy partner.
Anyway, getting to the review... this is one museum that I've enjoyed a lot. Lots of Renaissance art. My man, who is an art history major, and had art galleries before, was thoroughly impressed. He usually jets in and out of museums but he stayed for a good 2 hours looking at stuff. Now, that is a record. This is a man who did the Field Museum (Chicago) in 20 mins, and Metropolitan Museum of Art (NYC) in 4 hours. I took 2 days to see the Met.
That's gotta mean something. I mean, I have to tie a ball and chain to stop him from leaving me in museums. I like to read every sign and take my own time. At this museum, he stayed till I was done with reading all the signs. That alone gets 5 stars in my book.
There is a great cafe downstairs for having a light lunch.Listed in: Montreal - The land of hot…
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Review from Mochi M.
2/16/2011
I'm so sad this place looks like it is going out of business (as of Feb 15th 2011).
Everything was kind of half off, sloppily placed on the shelves in disarray and the selection wasn't as awesome as it was in 2010.
At any rate, if they manage to make it through or merge with the art/book store beside it, you should drop by here and take a look around. There were a lot of cool things you couldn't find anywhere else, and they sold some of the coolest bags... -
Review from Julie K.
6/8/2009
This review is for the exhibition "Imagine: The Peace Ballad of John and Yoko" (April 2 - June 21, 2009) only.
Imagine love.
Imagine a love story of two people: a man named John Lennon and a woman named Yoko Ono. It is a tale of two misfits who somehow found each other, and who fit together to present peace and love to the world.
Imagine peace.
I don't know why, really, but the love story of John and Yoko has always been dear to my heart. So when I planned my trip to Montreal and booked a room at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth, I was excited to learn that this hotel was the very site of one of the couple's famous bed-ins for peace, in 1969.
In the lobby of the hotel I saw a poster promoting an exhibition called "Imagine Peace" at the Museum of Fine Arts (or Musee des Beaux-Arts de Montreal)--a tribute to John and Yoko's vision of world peace.
Imagine joy.
The exhibit begins with brief bios of both John and Yoko and photos of when they were younger, before they met. The entryway is filled with the sound of John and Yoko calling each other's names, one of their "experimental" recordings. The next gallery documents their meeting, relationship, and subsequent marriage in Gibraltar, with many multimedia artworks interspersed throughout: an interactive artwork of Yoko's that encourages visitors to hammer a nail into a wooden board, a voice recording of Yoko reading her poetry, and videos of the couple.
But it wasn't until I entered the next gallery that I had that rare realization that I had been exactly where I was supposed to be exactly when I was supposed to be there in Montreal. In the introductory text for this gallery, I read that John and Yoko had their bed-in for peace on June 1st, 1969, and recorded "Give Peace a Chance"--exactly 40 years earlier to the day that I checked into the Fairmont.
The exhibition's curators did a fantastic job of staying true to John and Yoko's aesthetic of making art accessible and interactive. The bed-in gallery is actually dominated by a real bed, and visitors are encouraged to pose on the bed and take photos (in fact, photography is allowed throughout the exhibit).
The next gallery focuses on the "War is Over" years, with a forest of video monitors showing footage of the protests against the Vietnam War. Another gallery is dedicated to the song "Imagine," which was written by John but heavily influenced by some of Yoko's earlier poetry. In contrast to the other galleries, almost everything in this one is white--including the famous white Baldwin piano, at which people can play along to "Imagine" as it sounds throughout the gallery.
The exhibition concludes with a forest of wish trees. Taking inspiration from a Japanese tradition of writing messages on small pieces of paper at shrines, this interactive piece asks people to write their own wishes and then hang the inscribed paper tags from the branches of the trees clustered in the gallery.
Imagine hope.
Note: Admission to the exhibition is free, but there is a donation box at the exit to the exhibition. I encourage people to make even a small donation to help to fund equally wonderful exhibits in the future. -
Review from Denis S.
9/18/2009
I was not a huge fan of this museum.
Here's the good:
Free! That's always great for those of us on a tight budget!
Pretty big...
Nice...
Really cool Napoleon Exhibit
Here the not-so good:
Even thought it's mainly free, some of the visiting exhibits you have to pay for
Most of it was modern art, which I am not a fan of. I'm sorry, two overlapping squares of different shades of green is not art. Furniture that can be seen in last year's Ikea catalog is not art!
Even the real art, like Monet, were all pretty small collections and definitely not some of the more famous or better pieces of work.
I hate giving only three stars to a museum, especially a free one, but I definitely wouldn't come back to this one unless they completely changed their exhibits.Listed in: My Trip to Canada
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Review from Janelle W.
8/8/2008 2 photos
A true gem! This fine art museum is often overlooked for the more popular Musée D'Art Contemporain De Montréal. But the permanent collection is an impressively eclectic mix of modern art and ancient artifacts, European paintings and Canadian art, canvases and sculptures. They have some beautiful Renaissance and Impressionist pieces--my favorite styles.
The museum itself is an architectural wonder! The bright, glassy, open floor plan is so modern, and it offers an interesting contrast to the Neoclassical exterior.
Best of all, viewing the permanent collection is free! There is a charge for the special collections and expos, but being my stingy self, I didn't spend the money. There is also a nice cafe in the museum, where you can grab a light lunch or a latte after walking through the exhibits. -
Review from Sunny M.
3/14/2009 1 photo
When I visited my friend in Montreal, one of the things that caught my eye while walking on the streets of Downtown Montreal was the Galerie D'art Du Musee Des Beaux Arts De Montreal.
There was Yves Saint Laurent collection, the All Time designs through decades that changed the fashion world forever by YSL. The entrance of the museum is free for the regular collection, but for this exhibition was only $7 (Canadian). Besides the collection that was mind-blowing, I liked how they had made the rooms for the design, every decade was in one room, and in one of the rooms, you would here in the soundtrack one of YSL's interviews which was very touching. Unfortunately didn't have much time to check the regular collection.
Definitely will check it again when I visit Montreal. -
Review from Lindsey J.
6/10/2009
Built over three galleries and their underground connections, the museum is moderately sized for a city of 4 million people. It's got collections covering the antiquities to contemporary art and sculpture, but the focus is Canadian art (as it should be) and contemporary Canadian art at that. It's got a lot of RIopelle, Paul-Emile Borduas, Ozias Leduc as well as an impressive permanent exhibit on the Old Masters. It does feature temporary traveling exhibits (sometimes for an extra fee).
The museum is free but donations are encouraged, and you can easily spend an entire afternoon in the museum (3-4 hours). It's best to pick up a map of the museum at the entrance so as to direct your self-guided tour. There are wheelchairs and coat check available if you need them. There is also a museum restaurant in the Demarais Pavillion (the newest gallery) if you want to eat. It's no Met, but I loved it, and I would put it on my "Must See" list for any art lover visiting the city. -
Review from Elle W.
11/6/2010
Inuit stone sculptures, pre-Colombian pottery and African tribal masks. Woohoo!
Go to the Musee de l'Orangerie for "famous" Monets. -
Review from Julie k.
3/11/2009 4 photos
This museum had tons of things to look at. From furniture and appliances dating back from the 20's-70's to a mummy sargophagus!
Lots of European and Canadian artists and even a section of Innuit sculptures! Plus, it was free! unless you want to check out the current exhibition.
My advice, unless you know the artist that is on exhibit, just take a stroll around the rest of the museum and check out their permanent collection, this will keep you plenty busy. -
Review from Greta K.
7/14/2010 1 photo
Wow! My jazz-loving and playing husband and I were thrilled to go to the Miles Davis exhibit, "We Want Miles." This special exhibit featured sound clips, paintings by Miles Davis (yes, he painted) and others, Miles's trumpets and accessories, and awesome photographs of Miles Davis and his band. This was actually a really large exhibit and took some time to get through. We really enjoyed this; it may have been our favorite part of our trip to Montreal.
The museum is free if you do not go to the special exhibit and $15 Canadian if you do. There are special rates for students/seniors/youth. The rest of the museum is also great and deserves to be looked at.
The small steps between floors were kind of weird though and we preferred to take the elevator. That's my only complaint. -
Review from Brian L.
9/10/2009
An excellent museum. And FREE admission!!
I didn't like the Hornstein/Stewart Pavilion because they housed art that I don't particularly like. There were some paintings, but they housed stained glass, some chairs, etc. I know it is art to some, but not me.
I did enjoy the Desmarais Pavilion though. There were a lot of interesting pieces from artists that I have never heard of. They had Bonaparte's portrait of a young man and one of his hats he wore during his conquering.
It was quiet, modern, and in a nice area. Stop by and enjoy the culture, it'll be worth it. -
Review from Amy S.
7/30/2010 8 photos
In every city I visit, I HAVE to go to at least 1 art museum. I have an art background and I love to wander around the halls pretending that I am even 1/2 as good as the artists hanging on the walls.
The Musee Des Beaux-Arts is located on both sides of the street with one looking more classical (but housing the more modern artwork) and one that is more modern (but houses the more classical works). I was really impressed by the variety of pieces that they had as some fine arts museums have not quite embraced the modern fine arts movement. It was nice to see some of the newer artists and see that they had a proper place within fine arts.
One of the nicer rooms in the Classical looking side (Hornstein/Stewart Pavilion) is hidden off to the side of the upper floor where the art is interactive. You can sit on the furniture, listen to waterfalls and music, and even sit out on the balcony if you need some inspiration for your own artwork.
I agree with one of the other reviewers that the very shallow and long steps in the Desmarais Pavilion were a bit difficult to walk on. Either take very small steps or really long steps. Or I took two at a time. Really worked those glutes!
Best of all FREE!!! -
Review from Luke A.
Toronto, ON
10/18/2008
The Musée des Beaux-Arts is made up of a number of pavilions on Sherbrooke West, both neo-classical and modern, which reflects the wide range of its permanent collection. There's usually something for everyone.
They have a lot of fascinating special exhibitions. When I first visited Montreal as a kid, I saw a fantastic show of cars here--they controversially moved all the art out and filled the galleries with cool, often one-of-a-kind cars from automotive history. More recently, I saw an exhibit of Jacques Callot prints (as well as many exquisite, original plates), which, coincidentally, occurred a few months after I did a French history term paper on his "Miseries of War" series. -
Review from Anthony K.
Montréal, QC
4/26/2011
Montreal's major art museum--the place where most of its blockbuster shows take place, some of which (like the John & Yoko show) can be surprisingly/refreshingly challenging
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Review from Vanessa W.
2/16/2009
An excellent, and quite large museum - the first of its kind in Canada. Something for everyone here including old, modern, decorative and Canadian arts. You could easily spend a good part of a day.
Only thing that rubbed me the wrong way was the lobby woman insisted on a "donation" when everywhere it was advertised as "free." I didn't donate, flashing my museum pass, and my husband chucked a buck in the bin which satisfied her. -
Review from Jenni B.
5/14/2009
I am not a museum person and I don't often pretend to be; however travelling with someone who was interested in looking at art I compromised and agreed to check it out.
Admission is by donation - be generous to keep the arts alive. I was impressed by the relic collections from numerous civilizations, the furniture display. Yes, they have paintings on the wall and some are lovely - but I was much more captured and actually enjoyed the other installations.
I also spent a good amount of time in the Imagine Exhibition (John Lennon and Yoko Ono). I wasn't aware of Yoko's contributions to this museum and her living installations (hammering nails into a block, nails and hammer provided, as well as the wish trees) were incredibly interesting - and the thrill of my visit was seeing John Lennon's piano.
So kudos to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts - as someone who "doesn't get it" and have self imposed a museum ban typically I throughly enjoyed my afternoon there. -
Review from Helen Adilia A.
Westmount, QC
4/28/2011
What is often missed at the Montreal museum of fine art is the permanent collection. If you are short on cash, check out the the collection, its totally free! From Napoleon's hat to Kent Monkman's eye opening painting there is something for everyone!
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Review from Rebecca L.
12/30/2008
The good news is the permanent collection is free.
The bad news is the layout of the museum's collections is super confusing.
I found myself both disappointed (spoiled by living in brooklyn/nyc) and extremely interested in several artists that I had NEVER seen here in the states.
I've found that at both the Contemporary Art Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Montreal there are always artists whom I would have never heard of or discovered without the Canadians spotlighting them, so Bravo on that. But where's the Robert Longo that was recently aquired? Couldn't find it. And what about a floor plan? I found myself in an elevator with two other people who were utterly confused and lost.
But they end on a good note with a nice selection of mags in the gift shop. -
Review from a t.
3/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
The 90 years and 90 objects exhibit was very interesting. They had General Wolf's lock of hair and journal. The photo exhibit of the history of Montreal on the third floor was also quite fascinating. Especially the ice cutting. The history of photographic printing was also worthwhile.
Overall, 2-3 hr well spent. -
Review from Gregor G.
6/1/2010
I was lucky enough to catch the Tiffany exhibit in this amazing museum space, which is practically a piece of art in and of itself. It can be a little confusing, as it is comprised of more than one building, but they're helpful about pointing you in the right direction (for me, it was across the street), if necessary. This was by far my favorite cultural experience while in Montreal. World-class collections and just a fabulous place to get lost in for the day.
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Review from Michelle W.
Pierrefonds, QC
1/5/2011
One of my favourite places to spend an afternoon
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Review from Ayanna B.
12/31/2009 1 photo
Not the best collection of masters, but still a good way to spend a day. And by 'a day' I mean you will spend a good couple of hours in there. The permanent collection is free to the public, but special collections were $16/ adult. Seems a bit much, but whatever, sometimes it's worth it (I guess). I have not been there any of those times. This past December it was Waterhouse. meh. The cafe is a good place for a break, but it's not cheap. I especially love the contemporary and decorative arts sections. But there's something for everyone, even kids! Get your culture on there.
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Review from Sarah A.
3/16/2009
Very nice place. We were here for the van Dongen exhibition and also took the time to scope the small but interesting Mediterranean collection. This is not to be missed! They have some surprisingly nice sculptures from ancient Greece and Rome, Greek vases, an Egyptian mummy and some fabulous Roman glass that you will not believed survived intact for 2,000 years. The gift shop across the street also has a nice selection of art postcards and books.
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