Fascinating and Unique. This is how one describes the Pointe-A-Calliere Museum. From the design of the buildings— which was built over the old ruins of the city— to the display of the prehistoric artifacts, one will leave with a deep understanding of the historic aspect of Montreal and some its different social facets.
The visit started with a movie that directly projects over the original ruins located in the middle of the theatre. It then proceeded to a brief history of the surrounding neighborhoods— especially the Plateau— and the way of living of its inhabitants. Through the 15-20 minutes movie, one can see the progression of the city of Montreal through the ages.
The basement reveals the archeological foundations of an old cemetery used until the 1640’s and the ruins of the first Amerindian settlement, long before the French migrated to the city.
There also was a contemporary exhibition of the Beatles based on their trip to Montreal in 1965. It showcases the social impact that the nine hour visit had on Montrealers and the iconic image of the Beatles during that time period.
The visit allowed me to better appreciate Montreal, its history and its development. The work that has been done to keep the ruins intact is unbelievable. Pointe-A-Calliere Museum should be on the to-do list of any Montreal Visitors.
– Billy St-Louis, International Business Major, Spring 2014