Press room of CHM
The Centre d'histoire de Montréal: Come Meet the City
"Montréal's always been famous for its person-to-person intimacy in a big city setting. And nowhere is that more palpable than at the old Central Fire Station on Place D'Youville in Old Montréal. Now, this fire station has been transformed into the Centre d'histoire de Montréal, probably the best and easiest place to get your "welcome" to the city."
Ronald T. Harvie, Behind the Scenes-November 2001
The Centre d'histoire de Montréal:
Come Meet the City
Montreal , April 8, 2002 - Completely renovated and redesigned as of September 2001, the Centre d'histoire de Montréal (CHM) offers the public a true urban adventure. Built in 1903, this Dutch-inspired former fire station houses a three-story permanent exhibition and a temporary display. Through its exhibitions, the Centre d'histoire de Montréal offers a unique vision of the city, one that combines urban, economic, architectural, social and cultural dimensions, a vision that invites people to discover a city in their own image.
MONTRÉAL, FIVE TIMES
Moving beyond the entrance area, visitors find themselves in the central hall, where a series of objects constitute tangible traces of Montréal's history. The objects relate to five key periods from the city's past, represented by as many stations. Each station is designed to be a small exhibition in itself, highlighting a particular subject that has been chosen to provide insight into the era in question.
Throughout, great care has been taken to recreate the atmosphere of previous eras: audio environments join forces with unusual historical objects to furnish the décor, while a series of spectacular murals present different facets of the city. The second floor is devoted to the theme MONTRÉAL OF A THOUSAND FACES, an opportunity to savour the multicultural life of the city. Here visitors meet people from different cultures who have lived in Montréal over the course of the twentieth century and listen as they tell their stories from amidst their familiar environments. This multitude of memories describes an intimate history of Montréal, one in which all visitors may find themselves.
Finally, the third floor is now open to the public and houses the temporary exhibitions. Visitors gain access to this floor after a walk across the rooftops, giving them a unique view of the old city.
Point of departure for a unique historical adventure, the Centre d'histoire de Montréal (CHM) helps you to find and weave together thousands of still-visible traces of Montréal's rich and colourful history.
Centre d'histoire de Montréal
335 place D'Youville
Vieux-Montréal
www.ville.montreal.qc.ca/chm
Métro Square Victoria
Information : 514-872-3207
Open 10 a .m. to 5 p.m.
From Wednesday to Sunday : from January 23 to May 5 and from September 2 to December 8.
From Tuesday to Sunday : from May 6 to September 1.
Admission : $4.50 adults $3.00 students and seniors
Information : Danielle Pineault
Centre d'histoire de Montréal
(514) 872-3284
Christine Roy
Service du développement culturel
(514) 872-9967
Hi-resolution pictures here.
