Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal
Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal
4.5
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
The MMFA is one of Canada’s most visited museums and the eighth-most visited museum in North America, boasting more than 1.3 million visitors. The MMFA's original temporary exhibitions combine various artistic disciplines – fine arts, music, film, fashion and design – and are exported around the world. Its rich encyclopedic collection, distributed among five pavilions, includes international art, world cultures, decorative arts and design, and Quebec and Canadian art. The Museum has seen exceptional growth in recent years with the addition of two new pavilions: the Claire and Marc Bourgie Pavilion, in 2011, and the Michal and Renata Hornstein Pavilion for Peace, in 2016. The MMFA complex includes Bourgie Hall, a 460-seat concert hall. The Museum also houses the Michel de la Chenelière International Atelier for Education and Art Therapy, the largest educational complex in a North American art museum, enabling the MMFA to offer innovative educational, wellness and art therapy programmes
Suggested duration
More than 3 hours
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Address
Neighborhood: Ville-Marie
How to get there
- Peel • 5 min walk
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See what travelers are saying
- Howard SAlbany, New York798 contributionsLarge Collection of art created throughout the agesThis musuem has a large collection of Canadain art including that from Quebec and the Inuits. When were were there, they had their first major multidisciplinary exhibition devoted to the place of music in the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat, considered one of of the most innovative artists of the second half of the 20th century . However, he was not Canadian, but was from Brooklyn. I liked the fact that we could see the large portrait of Leonard Cohen drawn pn the side of a buidling from the windows of the museum. Leonard Cohen on the other hand was Canadian.Visited December 2022Written December 13, 2022
- carb424Medway, Massachusetts117 contributionsBeautiful works of artWe spent a great afternoon here today with kids who are 15 and 19. Under 20 get in free everyday but today they were letting everyone in free so we didn’t spend any money and had a wonderful time looking at amazing art. There are three different buildings to visit and about 12 total floors of paintings, sculptures, and other objects. Highly recommend even if you have to payVisited December 2022Traveled with familyWritten December 27, 2022
- victoriafoodyVictoria, Canada311 contributionsBeautiful ArtThis is a great museum with a wide variety of art spread out across multiple buildings. There is the ethnic art from Asia and First Nation, as well as the more traditional Western Art. We especially enjoyed the gallery on Japanese art and the modern design furniture. We would definitely go back as there's lots of interesting and beautiful art to explore. If there's one complaint, it's that there is no cloakroom or anywhere secure to leave coats or bags whilst inside.Visited July 2022Written January 18, 2023
- jahhpLos Angeles, California634 contributionsWorld Class Museum!Great special exhibits, great permanent exhibits, it's very easy to get lost here and spend a good portion of time. It's very clean, modern and well-laid out. There are so many exhibits, it's best to check out their website...or just GO! If you're a museum lover (like I am), you won't be disappointed.Visited October 2022Written February 10, 2023
- Film GNew England973 contributionsGood, Not Great.A few great pieces, some plain weird, this large museum features Canadian artists. Much of the artwork is 'Meh'. There is also a substantial amount of indigenous artworks, mostly Inuit. They're good, but need more context. The explanatory notices are often difficult to understand. Assume 5-6 hours for a visit. Good toilets and WiFi.Visited February 2023Written February 19, 2023
- LadydocInvercargill, New Zealand102 contributionsNice visit on a snowy Saturday in MontrealThe exhibits of Canadian artists in particular were really interesting. The museum layout is a bit confusing with various buildings and floors, so I borrowed a laminated map to carry with me. I ended up not finding the featured History of Women in Design exhibit until well past my scheduled time so I didn’t see that, but I spent 2.5 hours enjoying different galleries. I also didn’t get to the cafe until after it closed, but I had a late lunch a few blocks away so it was not a big deal. One suggestion I have would be to have a good selection of Canadian prints in the museum gift shop. The selection was quite limited, with most of the offerings on hand being postcards or items that were not Canada-specific (many not even at the museum). I had hoped to bring home a Cullen or Harris print to frame. The museum was busy but did not feel overcrowded. They offer tours in both English and French, and they also had children’s activities on the day of my visit. A hidden gem is Sea Change by Shary Boyle, tucked away in a corner of the Inuit gallery.Visited March 2023Traveled soloWritten March 26, 2023
- Trevor ANew York City, New York77 contributionsGreat museum. Awful stairs.The exhibits were great. I liked the mix of modern with older pieces in some exhibits. The size is good. It can be viewed leisurely and take hours if you want, but it’s not so big that you can’t see most things in one visit. My one complain is the staircases with tiny tiny stairs. Yes, they are visually interesting, but awkward to walk on in either direction. I also overheard other people commenting similarly as we walked near each other. These stairs are so small they they could ALMOST be universally designed ramps that all people could use, but they end up being inaccessible to some people and an inconvenience and annoyance to others.Visited April 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten April 2, 2023
- AlanaMikeRossland, Canada137 contributionsIt’s fineThis is a fine museum that really needs to improve its gift shop. Genuinely we just have been to so many museums that this was okay. Just a lot of what we saw we felt Chicago did a lot better. There were a lot of tour groups that would completely fill sections and/or rooms and we were encountering them on nearly every level of every wing and would have to wait. We were lucky that admission was offered with our room so we still felt positive about this. We enjoyed seeing the section about Quebec’s answer to the group of 7. The shop is filled with products related to items not in their museum. It was a challenge even finding postcards that were actually shown in the museum. It seems like there may have been more the month before since there was a lot of Basquiat merch but the one regular piece of his they had wasn’t on display at the time.Visited March 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten April 9, 2023
- Tricia HBeverly, Massachusetts39 contributionsMcQueen and Innuit Exhibits are totally worth the visit!First, know that the museum is currently undergoing renovations and only 1 of the 4 buildings is open. Having said that, the Andrew Lee McQueen exhibit is exceptional and worth the price of admission and time. We also really enjoyed the permanent Innuit art exhibit. We were not disappointed at all.Visited June 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten June 17, 2023
- kathnelsonHaverford, Pennsylvania8 contributionsOne of the best art museums I have visitedThis museum is wonderful. The building itself is marvelous. You move smoothly from purchasing ticket to the galleries. At the time of our visit, the Dempsey Bob exhibit was featured. What a treat. The collection was extensive and the captions really helped to both describe the artist’s process and evolution. Provided insight into the both the Pacific NW and Pacific Island indigenous cultures. Very moving. The permanent exhibits were also really well exhibited in beautiful galleries. Definitely worth the price of admission, and there is a free option on Weds. evenings.Visited June 2023Written June 18, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.5
4,569 reviews
Excellent
2,939
Very good
1,280
Average
269
Poor
57
Terrible
24
Frank Sories
San Francisco, CA243 contributions
Dec 2019
I came to see the exhibit "Egyptian Mummies: Exploring Ancient Lives" I was surprised at their pricing policy; I saw it online but wanted to double check because I couldn't believe that there were no discounts for students or seniors. The discounts are given to visitors under 30, who might well have lucrative careers. Yes, it's nice to encourage millennials to put down their phones for a couple of hours to engage with art. However, there are students in that same age group who more than likely don't have much disposable income. I just don't get it. Seniors who have been paying to visit or be members of museums their entire lives seem to be victims of age discrimination. Very few museums offer NOTHING to seniors, but this one does and seems to be quite proud of it. When I asked the woman at the admissions desk whether there were any discounts for seniors, who said "No" in a very surly tone. I asked about discounts for students and I got the same answer and the same tone. I felt that I was being discounted.
I would have felt totally ripped off had I not found out the next day that they had, on that very day, returned to an old policy of allowing visitors to view the permanent collection for free. I only knew this because I called to ask whether paying the fee one day entitled a guest to return the next day without paying again. (The Met in NYC offers three days admission for one fee.) Since I'd seen the special exhibit the day before, I was happy to be able to see more without having to pay again.
The mummy exhibit included a large number of artifacts in addition to the mummies themselves. It was very interesting and well curated. I also got to see the entire contemporary art collection on the lower level, as well as two levels of the decorative arts collection, up to the jewelry section. The permanent collection consists primarily of local Quebec artists, so it's not really a world-class museum, but it's still an interesting place to spend a day. Hopefully museum management will rethink their indulgence of millennials who should have some motivation to expand their horizons without misguided "incentives." The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco are working to expand their outreach to younger museum goers by mounting exhibitions that will be particularly appealing to them, such as the recent Ed Hardy exhibition, and to infrequent museum goers via free admission on Saturdays. These might be better strategies in that they won't alienate senior visitors.
I would have felt totally ripped off had I not found out the next day that they had, on that very day, returned to an old policy of allowing visitors to view the permanent collection for free. I only knew this because I called to ask whether paying the fee one day entitled a guest to return the next day without paying again. (The Met in NYC offers three days admission for one fee.) Since I'd seen the special exhibit the day before, I was happy to be able to see more without having to pay again.
The mummy exhibit included a large number of artifacts in addition to the mummies themselves. It was very interesting and well curated. I also got to see the entire contemporary art collection on the lower level, as well as two levels of the decorative arts collection, up to the jewelry section. The permanent collection consists primarily of local Quebec artists, so it's not really a world-class museum, but it's still an interesting place to spend a day. Hopefully museum management will rethink their indulgence of millennials who should have some motivation to expand their horizons without misguided "incentives." The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco are working to expand their outreach to younger museum goers by mounting exhibitions that will be particularly appealing to them, such as the recent Ed Hardy exhibition, and to infrequent museum goers via free admission on Saturdays. These might be better strategies in that they won't alienate senior visitors.
Written January 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Azza H
New York City, NY13 contributions
Jul 2021
First time I visited this museum was on a Wednesday after 5 p.m. which is when the reduced fare is. Many sections of the museum were closed off then and I was left very disappointed at how little there was to see! On a second visit, I arrived earlier so I was able to visit many more areas of the museum and I was pleasantly surprised. Paintings and sculptures by Canadian artists, and a floor dedicated to first nations art. The museum is small but worth a visit.
Written August 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
andypandaNashville
Nashville, TN1,940 contributions
Aug 2022 • Solo
I spend half of a day in this Museum and the Staff were Helpful related to Me being in an Electric Wheelchair. A few Ramps were scary going Up and down but only one, but some of the Elevator doors were Very narrow as well as the Bathroom Doors. Fortunately for the Kindness of Strangers helped Me. I enjoyed the Variety of Art and things in this Museum. The cost of getting in was the most beside The Boston Museum except any Museums have free or cheap for Seniors or Handicapped Patrons. Enjoyed My Day at the Museum.
Written August 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Deanosaur89
Edmonton, Canada2,047 contributions
Jul 2022 • Friends
We spent a lot of time here as it goes through a few buildings in the same area. Our favourites included the furniture displays and the Nicolas Party exhibition. Many displays are permanent but they have a large area for the Party art that is there until mid October and the artist came to Montreal and helped design the space.
The closest metro station is Guy Concordia but Lucien-L'Allier isn't too far away either. The cost varies depending on age and is free for 20 and under, 16 for 21 to 30 and 24 for everyone else. This is a great way to stay indoors for rainy or hot Montreal weather.
I don't know if it is the best place for children but there is an area near the furniture exhibit that has a Nicolas Party craft and there are some interactive components in the rooms though not too many.
Some of the bathrooms here needed maintenance and I hope they can be fixed soon. The area outside is very walkable and there are some pieces outside including a street mural which can be viewed from the fourth floor.
The closest metro station is Guy Concordia but Lucien-L'Allier isn't too far away either. The cost varies depending on age and is free for 20 and under, 16 for 21 to 30 and 24 for everyone else. This is a great way to stay indoors for rainy or hot Montreal weather.
I don't know if it is the best place for children but there is an area near the furniture exhibit that has a Nicolas Party craft and there are some interactive components in the rooms though not too many.
Some of the bathrooms here needed maintenance and I hope they can be fixed soon. The area outside is very walkable and there are some pieces outside including a street mural which can be viewed from the fourth floor.
Written July 19, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MomRocco
Chicago, IL540 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
Very disappointing visit as more than half of museum buildings/galleries were off view/closed and what remained was disjointed and poorly curated. It felt like whoever was in charge felt it was good enough to give a disclaimer saying that things were a mess, make what you would of the exhibit, and move along. The entry price was not insignificant and we had to use Uber both ways to visit, so it was not inexpensive. I am an admirer of the Group of Seven painters and the museum was supposed to have a fine collection, which it did not. I think there may have been 5 or 6 paintings, but certainly not the best or a good representation. Until this museum has more of its works on view, I would definitely not recommend spending your time and money here.
Written September 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael
Los Angeles, CA5 contributions
Sep 2019
Musée des beaux-arts de Montreal is what museums should be: interesting, vibrant, funny, filled with curiosities and anedoctes, as well as History!
It has too many visitors, but it's easy not to feel too crowded.
We stopped there after our tour with Throwback Tours in a nice vintage convertible Cadillac from the 60's. It was so cool ! It was quite an entry at the musée !
It has too many visitors, but it's easy not to feel too crowded.
We stopped there after our tour with Throwback Tours in a nice vintage convertible Cadillac from the 60's. It was so cool ! It was quite an entry at the musée !
Written February 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sharronc413
Findlay, OH301 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
This is a great place to spend a few hours
One Rembrandt
A room full of impressionists
Inuit and Canadian art
A nice exhibit of Egyptian art
Two places to eat. One cafeteria like. One is sit down. As expected. A very nice gift shop
Well maintained. Nice.
One Rembrandt
A room full of impressionists
Inuit and Canadian art
A nice exhibit of Egyptian art
Two places to eat. One cafeteria like. One is sit down. As expected. A very nice gift shop
Well maintained. Nice.
Written January 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jean-claude M
Paris, France70 contributions
Jan 2020
The Montreal fine arts museum does not have an exceptional permanent collection on par with the European of some US cities museums. But they often manage to organize some amazing exhibitions. The last one I visited was an exhibition on Egyptian mommies organized with the British museum. The British museum owns a large collection of Egyptian mommies that have never been opened. Thanks to extraordinary technology, they have been able to image the interior of the mommies, and discover much about the life and death of ancient Egyptians. From the images, it is possible the age at the time of death, the diseases and wounds they suffered, their diet. A fascinating story! Do not miss it.
Written February 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
travelsOK
Tulsa, OK318 contributions
Aug 2019
The museum is a group of buildings some of which are connected tot he new modern addition. We spent most of our time in the temporary exhibit of the costumes designed by Thierry Mugler. It was a real eye opener and very enjoyable. .
Written February 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AlanaMike
Rossland, Canada137 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
This is a fine museum that really needs to improve its gift shop. Genuinely we just have been to so many museums that this was okay. Just a lot of what we saw we felt Chicago did a lot better.
There were a lot of tour groups that would completely fill sections and/or rooms and we were encountering them on nearly every level of every wing and would have to wait.
We were lucky that admission was offered with our room so we still felt positive about this. We enjoyed seeing the section about Quebec’s answer to the group of 7.
The shop is filled with products related to items not in their museum. It was a challenge even finding postcards that were actually shown in the museum. It seems like there may have been more the month before since there was a lot of Basquiat merch but the one regular piece of his they had wasn’t on display at the time.
There were a lot of tour groups that would completely fill sections and/or rooms and we were encountering them on nearly every level of every wing and would have to wait.
We were lucky that admission was offered with our room so we still felt positive about this. We enjoyed seeing the section about Quebec’s answer to the group of 7.
The shop is filled with products related to items not in their museum. It was a challenge even finding postcards that were actually shown in the museum. It seems like there may have been more the month before since there was a lot of Basquiat merch but the one regular piece of his they had wasn’t on display at the time.
Written April 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Phillip
Melbourne, Australia2 contributions
I see the Wednesday night ticket is $12, but the permanent collections are not open to the public in that night. So is it worthy to visit ? can anyone recently come in Wednesday night provide me some feedback?
And what is the most worthy/ must-see exhibition currently if I have limit time ?
State82
3 contributions
Hi,
How does Musee Des Beaux-arts De Montreal reprimand it's staff members when they're racially profiling customers?
State82
3 contributions
@fclg u don't get to tell me what's appropriate or not, or which forum to go on. I posted this question because I wanted to know if others experienced this type harassment from this museum. If u don't agree with the question, fine, but it is better to hold those types of opinions to yourself.
Nate1954
Provincetown, MA15 contributions
What is the entry fee?
citytraveler70
New York City, NY2 contributions
The entrance fee to the entire permanent collection is free. The only extra charge is if you wish to view whatever special exhibition would be currently on when you are visiting Montreal.
MMHoneymooner
New York104 contributions
Is the Chagall exhibit still on?
Ellen M
Montreal, Canada25 contributions
No. There's a Calder exhibition until the end of February. Well worth the visit.
Beausoliel
Ontario, Canada69 contributions
Are you sure the Leonard Cohen exhibit reviewed by Michel S is listed for the correct museum? I went to the Museum of Fine Arts to see the exhibit, and was told it is taking place at the Museum of Contemporary Art. However, by this time, I no longer had time to travel up the correct Museum which is several metro stops away. Please have this corrected so someone else doesn’t make the same mistake, thank you
Adam M
Ballston Lake, NY340 contributions
It is not.
Tiny Person
234 contributions
About how long would you need to tour the Revolution exhibit and a few others? I only have one day to visit Montreal. Which exhibits are the most descriptive of the culture at Montreal? Which exhibits are worth really going to?
sreiter2017
Las Vegas, NV140 contributions
I would plan about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Emil H
Mississauga, Canada1 contribution
How much is the ticket for the museum only?
Edneyelias J
State of Sao Paulo27 contributions
Around $15 or $20 Canadian dollars of course depends what and how much you want to see...but it worth it
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Claim your listingMusée des beaux-arts de Montréal - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal
- Hotels near Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal:
- (0.12 mi) The Ritz-Carlton, Montreal
- (0.13 mi) Four Seasons Hotel Montreal
- (0.16 mi) Sonder Maisonneuve
- (0.18 mi) Le Mount Stephen
- (0.18 mi) Vogue Hotel Montreal Downtown, Curio Collection by Hilton
- Restaurants near Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal:
- (0.03 mi) Brass Door Pub
- (0.11 mi) Burger Bar Crescent
- (0.11 mi) Maison Boulud
- (0.07 mi) Insiders - Café & Cowork
- (0.11 mi) Eggspectation
- Attractions near Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal:
- (0.01 mi) Salle Bourgie
- (0.02 mi) Benelo Spa & Salon
- (0.02 mi) Divine Chocolatier
- (0.02 mi) La Guilde
- (0.12 mi) Spa St. James at the Ritz Carlton
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