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This award-winning center opened in 1979 to build public awareness about architecture within society; it promotes scholarly research in the field and stimulates innovation in design practice. Its collections, housed in two buildings, one of which is the restored 1874 Shaughnessy House, include models, drawings and photographs of some of the world’s most important buildings. Do not miss the gardens across the street.

Reminiscent of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome, the cathedral was built in the 19th century to service the local Catholic community. It continues to attract visitors and residents, not least because of outstanding architectural features such as the neo-Baroque copper and gold baldachin above the altarpiece. This grand lady remains firmly at the heart of Montréal’s Downtown activity.

This richly decorated chapel is the greatest achievement of artist Napoleon Bourassa, grandson of Louis-Joseph Papineau, the father of Québec nationalism. Bourassa studied in Paris, Rome and Venice, returning to Montréal with the desire to create fine art as an expression of patriotism and faith. The chapel was erected in 1876 for the Sulpician Order.

Canada’s distinguished transcontinental railway system owes a great debt to the many Chinese laborers who made it a reality. After 1880, when the railway was finished, Chinese workers decided to settle in Montréal and gathered together in this enclave to protect themselves against local discrimination. Today the area is also home to many other Southeast Asian communities. A stroll through the lantern-lit streets around boulevard Saint-Laurent and rue de la Gauchetière will impress visitors with bargain boutiques, inexpensive ethnic eateries and cultural hodgepodge.

The single most important First Nations (native Canadian) collection of artifacts in Québec is on permanent display at the McCord Museum, and includes the most extensive library of costumes and textiles in Canada. Perhaps the most thrilling attraction is the Notman Photographic Archives, which record life in Montréal, Québec and Canada from 1840 to 1935. Over one million pictures are preserved, identified and housed in over 200 albums, which experts around the world use for research purposes.

A remarkable campus spreads itself over 80 lush acres of the Downtown district. The land was a bequest from Scottish fur-trader James McGill in 1821 and was chartered by King George IV. Fine examples of Victorian architecture mix easily with the contemporary bustle of student life, making the 80 buildings on campus a testament to McGill’s personal dream and a city’s passion for education – McGill’s School of Medicine has one of the finest reputations in the world. With over 30,000 students active around the city center McGill is considered an integral contributor to the dynamics of this handsome neighborhood.

One of the oldest Canadian bastions of visual and decorative arts. The museum houses vast permanent collections and visiting exhibitions heralding the accomplishments of contemporary artists, as well as creative works by masters from other eras (see Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal).

The only museum of art in Canada dedicated solely to contemporary art, this high-profile institution has an innovative program of exhibitions highlighting the work of artists from Canada and the international circuit.