The museum showcases some 18 000 artefacts.
Our collection is part of our permanent exhibit
From the Cellar to the Attic and the annual temporary exhibits.
Handcrafted furniture, collections of ancient artefacts and works of art such as paintings, embroideries, sculptures, and objects used in daily life all bear witness to Montreal’s rural heritage since the 17th century.
The Museum takes great care in restoring and preserving its collection and it buildings.
FURNITURE
While drawing inspiration from the distinctive styles of their provinces of origin, the newcomers surrounded themselves with furniture adapted to the climate and the materials available.
Slowly, homes began being furnished with varied useful pieces of furniture: chests, cupboards, sideboards, dressers, hutches, chairs, tables, benches, stools, armchairs, clocks, everyday objects and decorations.
Change in tastes resulted in decorations and pieces of furniture in very different styles: Louis XIV, Louis XV, Louis XVI, neoclassical, Victorian, etc.
ART
The museum’s collection includes several examples of decorative, graphic and religious art.
These objects are privileged witnesses of the expertise of the artisans and creativity of the artists. They illustrate different techniques using various materials including wood, metal, ceramic, glass, textiles, etc.
COMMUNICATION
Human beings are creatures of communication. Over the centuries, objects of communication have been created as expressions of human thoughts.
Among the objects in the museum’s collection, we find objects of written communication such as books and post cards. It also contains objects of sound communication such as bells, clappers, rattles and a speaking trumpet.
CLOTHING
We can hardly count on iconography to depict the clothing of the first settlers of New France. Clothing, unlike furniture and tools, is not durable.
During the twenty years following the founding of Ville-Marie, the clothing of its inhabitants resembled that worn in France.
Even if everyone recognized that Canadian attire was better suited to the country, it was not worn by all men. For their part, women continued to copy the clothes worn in France. It was only after 1663 that there was a radical change, adapted to the country.
EVERYDAY OBJECTS
In New France, no house is complete without certain everyday objects.
Among them, we find objects used for heating, lighting, cooking and cleaning.
All of them can be found in both modest and affluent households. However, some items are reserved for the privileged few such as administrators, the military and merchants.