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Morrin Centre
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Morrin Centre

See all things to do
See all things to do
Morrin Centre
4.5
737 reviews
#5 of 256 things to do in Quebec City
Historic Sites • Libraries
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12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Friday
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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About
Discover the secrets of our National Historic Site. Step back in time while walking through the sinister jail cells and decipher the graffiti carved into the floor by former inmates. Visit the intriguing chemistry Lab hidden upstairs, as well as the other classrooms of the Morrin College open from 1868 - 1902. Then, let yourself be spellbound by the haunting stories surrounding the Victorian Library, home to a collection of literary gems, some of which date back to the 16th century. The Morrin Centre offers: Experiences and tours for groups and individuals, various cultural activities, or consider renting one of our spaces as the perfect place to hold your event!
Suggested duration
< 1 hour
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: Downtown Quebec City
Best nearby
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741 within 3 miles
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Attractions
272 within 6 miles
Literary and Historical Society of Quebec
29
0 ftLibraries
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37
152 ftArchitectural Buildings • Libraries
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15
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97
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280
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3,668
0.2 miNeighborhoods • Historic Walking Areas
Librairie Pantoute
18
448 ftPoints of Interest & Landmarks
Fortifications of Quebec National Historic Site
1,062
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
737 reviews
Excellent
489
Very good
205
Average
34
Poor
6
Terrible
3
fredsquared
New Mexico37 contributions
Much more than it seems and lots of fun
May 2023 • Couples
An exceptionally entertaining tour of what at first glance does not appear to be an interesting building. The library has a long and dark history that is brought to life by the creative and talented guide. We were introduced to the last of the many men who were hanged above the front door. We saw his face, we heard the song that the children sang of him that day, and did he reach out to us? Some in our tour group would say he did or maybe it was the skill of the tour guide. Either way, it was highly entertaining.
Written May 29, 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.
Danielle T
23 contributions
Came for the library, wound up doing the tour
Dec 2021
This building features prominently in the Louise Penny book "Bury Your Dead" and I was eager to see the library as I loved the way it was described in the book.

I dropped by and was disappointed to find out that the library is closed to the general public during Covid (I visited in December 2021).

However, in talking to the front desk attendant I learned there was a tour of the Morrin Centre leaving in about 5 minutes from my arrival. I joined the tour on a whim and enjoyed it thoroughly!

The tour was about an hour long and covered the history of the building as a jail, college and now literary and historical society. The guide was engaging and enthusiastic and I learned a lot about the history of Quebec City. I would definitely recommend it!
Written December 27, 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.
KQ
1 contribution
It's all about the tour guide! Anthony!
Aug 2021 • Family
Awesome! Booking the tour over the phone was easy and efficient. They told us before we confirmed booking what the limitations were because of COVID.
The tour was about 45 minutes. Very informative with history but not too much as to keep the kids attention. The best part was ANTHONY, great communicator, very knowledgeable and great sense of humour to make it even more enjoyable.
Written August 24, 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.
Stefanie J
Hello Jo L, We are so glad you and your group enjoyed the tour! Anthony is, indeed, an awesome guide and collegue! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review! Hope you enjoyed your trip to Quebec City and please come back and visit us again.
Written August 28, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Karen G
Vancouver, Canada486 contributions
Lack of communication
Sep 2020 • Couples
I walked in today, there was a sign saying “come in and make a reservation for your visit”. So we did, they asked my name and phone number and that’s it. They didn’t say anything else, so I thought we were making reservations to limit the quantity of people because of COVID. But when we arrived for our reservation we had to actually pay for a tour. I only wanted to see the library, I asked if we could just walk around and they said no. Ok, I paid and after around 10 minutes listening to the tour guide outside, he showed us a picture of the library and said we couldn’t go there because it’s closed. I got extremely disappointed and interrupted the tour, so he offered me a refund.
I only gave 2 stars because the the staff were really friendly, because I think this is a huge fault. The tour was actually being interesting, cool information, but if you are not getting the entire tour, they should tell you from the beginning, especially when you’ll miss the most interesting part.
Written September 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.
Stefanie J
Hello Karen. Thank you for your comment. I am sorry to hear that you were not given enough information. As the health and safety of our visitors, members and staff is our top priority, the library had been closed since Mid-March (2020) due to Covid-19. Part of our mission is to interpret the Centre and as such we do not offer self-guided tours, however visitors are invited to experience living history by taking our Go To Jail and The Hanging of William Pouden tours which do cost 8$ per adult, per tour. Since July 2021, members may reserve a time and check out books in the library. For more information on what can and cannot be visited, as well as our health & safety protocols, please visit our website as updates are posted regularly. You are also more than welcome to email or phone us and it would be our pleasure to answer any questions you may have. Thank you!
Written August 28, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
amrevu
Matthews, NC26 contributions
Extremely Entertaining
Feb 2023
Go to the Morrin Centre when a guided tour is offered and hope Fiona is giving it. She made every aspect of the centre interesting and entertained with dramatic gusto. A memorable experience. Good for all ages.
Written March 6, 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.
rlmptl
Lloydminster, Canada1,086 contributions
Excellent tour of the old jail
Oct 2021 • Couples
Excellent experience and a very interesting thing to see. It's important that you have a reservation. The tour guide was very animated and made sure to explain things and answer all of our questions it was very interesting to see what the jail looked like and imagine what it must have been like ..it would have been terrible for people there but they were there for a reason. I think it's worth taking the time to see
Written October 26, 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.
Randy
Albany, NY590 contributions
You should check this place out!
Sep 2022 • Couples
We loved this unique place. So much history contained inside from jail, school, to library!

This is a great rainy day activity and certainly worth exploring. Take the tour and prepare to be amazed.

It is a well preserved example of the early roots of Quebec City.
Written October 8, 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.
Pia N
Pointe Claire, Canada55 contributions
Trip to old Quebec with friends v.2021
Dec 2021 • Friends
We did the jail tour with Fiona. She is a wonderful, animated guide, she made it a lot of fun and also very interesting. She had many little stories to tell of days gone by. I’d recommend this short tour to everyone. It takes about one hour and is centrally located in vieux Quebec.
Written December 18, 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.
Hsteinmiller
Yorktown, VA519 contributions
Amazing place!
Jul 2022 • Solo
I purchased a membership prior to my trip specifically so I could visit outside of "regular" tour hours. Amazing place, beautifully organized, fascinating secret displays. I wish I'd had time for a longer stay. Friendly, courteous staff. Definitely book a tour if you can!
Written July 13, 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.
Amanda W
Seaforth, Canada183 contributions
Fascinating history, great tour
May 2022 • Solo
This is a hidden gem. The one hour tour of the original Goal that became a university and contributed significantly to medicine and the advancement of women in medicine is absolutely fascinating. The Goal history and seeing the carved graffiti in the cell floors and walls is great. Highly recommend.
Written May 22, 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.
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Morrin Centre (Quebec City) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Frequently Asked Questions about Morrin Centre
Morrin Centre is open:
  • Wed - Fri 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
  • Sat - Sun 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
We recommend booking Morrin Centre tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 7 Morrin Centre tours on Tripadvisor

Morrin Centre Information

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