The
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is a major
museumA museum is a building or institution which houses a collection of artifacts.Museums collect and care for objects of scientific, artistic, or historical importance and make them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary...
in
MontréalMontreal is the second-largest city in Canada and the largest city in the province of Quebec. Originally called Ville-Marie , the city takes its present name from Mont-Royal, the triple-peaked hill located in the heart of the city, whose name was also initially given to the island on which the...
, Québec, Canada. It was founded in 1860, making it Canada's oldest art institution.
It is Montreal's largest museum and is amongst the most prominent in Canada. The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is a member of the International Group of Organizers of Large-scale Exhibitions, also known as the Bizot Group, a forum which allows the leaders of the largest museums in the world to exchange works and exhibitions.
The museum is located on the historic
Golden Square MileThe Golden Square Mile was the name of a luxurious neighbourhood at the foot of Mount Royal in the west-central section of downtown Montreal, Canada...
stretch of
Sherbrooke StreetSherbrooke Street is a major east-west artery and at in length, is the second longest street on the Island of Montreal. The street begins in the town of Montreal West and ends on the extreme tip of the island in Pointe-aux-Trembles, intersecting Gouin Boulevard and joining up with Notre-Dame...
.
The museum is partitioned into three pavilions: a 1912
Beaux ArtsBeaux-Arts architecture denotes the academic neoclassical architectural style that was taught at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. The style "Beaux Arts" is above all the cumulative product of two and a half centuries of instruction under the authority, first of the Académie royale...
building designed by
William Sutherland MaxwellWilliam Sutherland Maxwell is a well-known Canadian architect and a Hand of the Cause in the Bahá'í Faith. He was born in Montreal, Canada to parents Edward John Maxwell and Johan MacBean.-Education:...
, now named the Michal and Renata Hornstein Pavilion, the modernist Jean-Noël Desmarais Pavilion across the street, designed by
Moshe SafdieMoshe Safdie, CC is an architect and urban designer. He was born in the city of Haifa, British Mandate for Palestine. He moved with his family to Montreal, Canada when he was a teenager.- Career :...
, built in 1991, and the Liliane and David M.
The
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is a major
museumA museum is a building or institution which houses a collection of artifacts.Museums collect and care for objects of scientific, artistic, or historical importance and make them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary...
in
MontréalMontreal is the second-largest city in Canada and the largest city in the province of Quebec. Originally called Ville-Marie , the city takes its present name from Mont-Royal, the triple-peaked hill located in the heart of the city, whose name was also initially given to the island on which the...
, Québec, Canada. It was founded in 1860, making it Canada's oldest art institution.
It is Montreal's largest museum and is amongst the most prominent in Canada. The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is a member of the International Group of Organizers of Large-scale Exhibitions, also known as the Bizot Group, a forum which allows the leaders of the largest museums in the world to exchange works and exhibitions.
The museum is located on the historic
Golden Square MileThe Golden Square Mile was the name of a luxurious neighbourhood at the foot of Mount Royal in the west-central section of downtown Montreal, Canada...
stretch of
Sherbrooke StreetSherbrooke Street is a major east-west artery and at in length, is the second longest street on the Island of Montreal. The street begins in the town of Montreal West and ends on the extreme tip of the island in Pointe-aux-Trembles, intersecting Gouin Boulevard and joining up with Notre-Dame...
.
Pavilions
The museum is partitioned into three pavilions: a 1912
Beaux ArtsBeaux-Arts architecture denotes the academic neoclassical architectural style that was taught at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. The style "Beaux Arts" is above all the cumulative product of two and a half centuries of instruction under the authority, first of the Académie royale...
building designed by
William Sutherland MaxwellWilliam Sutherland Maxwell is a well-known Canadian architect and a Hand of the Cause in the Bahá'í Faith. He was born in Montreal, Canada to parents Edward John Maxwell and Johan MacBean.-Education:...
, now named the Michal and Renata Hornstein Pavilion, the modernist Jean-Noël Desmarais Pavilion across the street, designed by
Moshe SafdieMoshe Safdie, CC is an architect and urban designer. He was born in the city of Haifa, British Mandate for Palestine. He moved with his family to Montreal, Canada when he was a teenager.- Career :...
, built in 1991, and the Liliane and David M. Stewart Pavilion.
While the Desmarais Pavilion houses works of art from around the world, the Hornstein's focus is specifically Quebec history. Together, the edifices house about 30,000 pieces.
On February 14, 2007, the museum's administration board announced its project to convert Erskine and American United Church, located on Sherbrooke West street, into a
Canadian artCanadian art refers to the visual as well as plastic arts originating from the geographical area of contemporary Canada...
pavilion. This new building will allow the museum to double the display surface currently dedicated to Canadian artists. Erskine and American United Church, dating from 1894, is renowned as a national historic site. The new pavilion will be named Claire and Marc Bourgie, as a recognition of the family's outstanding financial support. It should open in 2010.
1972 robbery
On September 4, 1972, the museum was the site of the largest art theft in Canadian history, when armed thieves made off with jewellery, figurines and 18 paintings worth a total of $2 million at the time, including works by Delacroix, Gainsborough and a rare Rembrandt landscape. The works have never been recovered. In 2003, the
Globe and Mail estimated that the Rembrandt alone would be worth $20 million.
Affiliations
The Museum is affiliated with:
CMAThe Canadian Museums Association is a national organization for the promotion of museums in Canada.The Association was established in 1947 by a group of people from Quebec City. It now has almost two thousand members and is located in Ottawa, Ontario....
,
CHINThe Canadian Heritage Information Network is a Canadian government-supported organization that provides a networked interface to Canada's heritage, largely through the World Wide Web. It aims to give access to Canada's heritage for both Canadians and a worldwide audience, by supporting the...
, and
Virtual Museum of CanadaThe Virtual Museum of Canada is Canada's national virtual museum. With over 2,500 Canadian museums, the VMC brings together Canada's museums regardless of size or geographical location ....
.
External links