Montreal is having a big year. There have been tons of celebrations in honour of the city’s 375th anniversary, and now the Pointe-à-Callière Museum in Old Montreal is joining the festivities with a new exhibit. In September, Where Montreal Began will give elementary and secondary level students a window into the city’s past through an interpretive tour. The exhibit will cover a variety of topics, including archaeology, history, culture, economic and political phenomena, territory and more.

Students will be led across a glass floor that overlooks the remains of Fort Ville-Marie, the first settlement built by the city’s founders. They will also ‘meet’ historical figures who will tell stories about the early days of Montreal, as well as visit the residence of Governor Louis-Hector de Callière, located on the grounds of the Fort.

The museum offers other activities for students, including Building Montreal, a 90-minute virtual reality experience that allows students to explore the city’s architectural evolution, the Natives on the Point exhibit, which details Indigenous history in Montreal through models, artifacts and remains, and the upcoming Jack O’Lantern: Halloween multimedia show for pre-K and elementary students that will return from Oct. 13-31.

Where Montreal Began lasts 90 minutes and can accommodate up to 60 people at a time. Tickets are $8.50 for elementary students, $9.50 for secondary students and are free for accompanying adults (one adult for 15 students). Admission for additional adults costs $13.

Day packages that include a full program of activities at the museum as well as an additional workshop or interpreted tour cost $17 for elementary students and $19 for secondary students.

A lunch room is available for groups and costs $1 per student. Reservations are required. The closest metro station to the Pointe-à-Callière Museum is Placed’Armes, but you can park (for a fee) in the Old Port parking lot.

The exhibit is closed on Mondays and is available for students Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. The rest of the museum is open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information, visit pacmusee.qc.ca.