PROGRAMMATION 2021
History in all of its different forms awaits you in the first-ever edition of the Festival d’histoire de Montréal! History overflowing with stories that move us and inspire us to dream and reflect. History we can touch and feel.
ABOUT US
The genesis of the project
The idea for the Festival d’Histoire de Montréal first came about in 2014. At the invitation of Sophie Imbeault, an editor at Septentrion, a group of individuals and organizations, including one of Montreal’s history museums, got together to discuss the creation of an event in the spirit of the Festival “Rendez-vous de l’histoire,” which takes place every year in Blois, France. The idea was shared with the other members of the Regroupement des musées d’histoire de Montréal, but the project was put on hold as the museums worked on other projects related to Montreal’s upcoming 375th anniversary, in 2017. Those projects became “OFF 375,” which included more than thirty events and no fewer than sixteen exhibitions, all accompanied by historical vignettes in the Journal Métro.
In 2018, the museums turned back to this new initiative and began contacting potential partners to plan the big event.
Their wish? To produce and participate in an off-the-beaten-path and festive event that would unite experts and citizens alike around diverse, contemporary themes and content fully rooted in history.
They continued to draw inspiration from the Rendez-vous de l’histoire in Blois, which has been popularized throughout Europe thanks to its cross-cutting themes and contributions from guest speakers from all over the world. It has welcomed 30,000 visitors each year for more than 20 years, with professionals, history-lovers and people whose curiosity has simply been piqued coming together to explore history in varied forms and different settings: cafés, bookstores, movie theatres, public spaces, etc.
The first Montreal History Festival
Their plan was therefore to lay the foundation for an annual history festival. With this first edition, Montreal’s history museums present a participatory event that gives history its close-up: the Festival d’Histoire de Montréal.
Dynamic and inclusive programming has been developed to reach Montrealers of all ages and backgrounds and to allow them to get to know history from a new angle. Over recent years, the public and media have increasingly sought to understand the historical roots of current events.
It has become more and more relevant for museums to develop new ways to talk about history, to inform and to reach out to the public in ways that correspond to their abilities, collections and passion. By taking on such a large-scale challenge, Montreal History Museums are continuing in their role as leaders in the cultural sector and continuing to stimulate our imaginations.
PRESENTED BY
Le Regroupement des Musées d'histoire de Montréal.
COORDINATION
With the collaboration of Jean-François Leclerc.
THE 2021 PARTNERS
Projet financé par le biais de l’Entente sur le développement culturel de Montréal.
Full 2021
programmation
Friday, May 14
8AM-8PM
(Presential) Mission: History 1710
LOCATION: Pointe-à-Callière, Montreal Archaeology and History Complex
THEME: Laughing and Playing History
Pointe-à-Callière is inviting you to set off on an adventure… beyond its walls!
8AM-8PM
(Online) Cooking with words (in French only)
LOCATION: Maison Saint-Gabriel, Museum and Historic Site
THEME: Tasting History
What did they eat in New France? How did the settlers cook?
8AM-8PM
(Online) Montreal’s Africa
THEME: Telling the Story of History
Help us put African Montreal, literally, on the map.
8AM-8PM
(Presential) Travel Back in Time in Old Montreal!
LOCATION: Château Ramezay – Historic Site and Museum of Montréal
THEME: Seeing History
Old Montreal is steeped in history. Accompanied by our Voyageur, explore its past.
9AM-10AM
(Online) Metal Trades in 17th Century Montréal (In French only)
THEME: Setting the Historical Scene
What does the17th century blacksmithing landscape look like, and exactly how do its many craftmen spread spatially and socially?
10AM-6PM
(Online) Your objects make history!
LOCATION: Marguerite Bourgeoys Historic Site
THEME: Touching History
Find out how the study of objects enables to communicate history.
11AM-12PM (ENG)
(Online) Meet a Holocaust Survivor
LOCATION: Montreal Holocaust Museum
THEME: Witnessing History
Did you know that Montreal became home to over 9,000 Holocaust survivors after the war?
11AM-12.30PM
(Presential) Guided tour of Old Montreal
THEME: Seeing History
Stroll through the charming cobblestone streets and winding alleys of the historic district, revealing its rich heritage.
12PM-1.30PM
(Online) Three emblematic battles to safeguard Montreal’s heritage
THEME: Witnessing History
Heritage Montreal is inviting actors in the field of heritage to recount a pivotal moment in their trajectory.
11AM-12PM
(Online) Montreal Before Photography, 1760-1840
LOCATION: Musée McCord
THEME: Making History
The Museum’s Documentary Art collection serves to visually chronicle the history of Montreal’s urban development before 1840, the year that saw photography introduced here.
1.90PM
(Online) Annabel Loyola, Retrospective and Conversation
LOCATION: Musée des Hospitalières de l’Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal
THEME: Seeing History
The history of the Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal and that of Jeanne Mance, its founder
2.30PM-3.30PM
(Online) Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve’s Built Heritage Inventory
THEME: Seeing History
To protect built heritage, inventory is an essential tool to understand the architectural history.
3PM-4PM
(Presential) Converse Meet-up: How do we discuss History today?
THEME: Telling the Story of History
Come participate and interact with La Converse media in the heart of three emblematic and historic places of Montreal that have caused much ink.
7PM-9PM
(Presential) Viewing and discussion: Paths of Glory, by Stanley Kubrick
THEME: Seeing History
When it goes beyond the simple "Period Drama", historical films constitutes a particularly demanding exercise in writing about the past.
5PM-7PM
(Online) Raise a Glass to History
LOCATION: Musée de Lachine
THEME: Tasting History
See how the history of beer in Quebec is a delectable adventure. A talk followed by a guided tasting session.
5.30PM-7.30PM
(Presential) Golden Square Mile: the discreet charm of the bourgeoisie
THEME: Seeing History
A discovery of the "castles" of the Golden Square Mile and everyday life in this old neighborhood of the English upper middle class
6PM-7PM
(Online) Écrits et archives de Jacques Viger (In French Only)
THEME: Teaching and Communicating History
Discover the handwritten and printed works of Jacques Viger, the first mayor of Montreal.
18H À 19H
(Online) 5@7 de l’interprétation
THEME: Laughing and Playing History
Meet three interpreters each representing a type of Montreal heritage: natural, historical or cultural. They will each deliver a short and spontaneous interpretation on.
1PM-3PM
(Online) The Chronoscope – The End of the Story
THEME: Googling History
The Chronoscope is a web app dedicate to dissemination and enhancement of Quebec photographic heritage. The app not only allows you to view photographs,.
Saturday, May 15
8AM-8PM
(Presential) Travel Back in Time in Old Montreal!
LOCATION: Château Ramezay – Historic Site and Museum of Montréal
THEME: Seeing History
Old Montreal is steeped in history. Accompanied by our Voyageur, explore its past.
8AM-8PM
(Presential) Mission: History 1710
LOCATION: Pointe-à-Callière, Montreal Archaeology and History Complex
THEME: Laughing and Playing History
Pointe-à-Callière is inviting you to set off on an adventure… beyond its walls!
8AM-8PM
(Online) Cooking with words (in French only)
LOCATION: Maison Saint-Gabriel, Museum and Historic Site
THEME: Tasting History
What did they eat in New France? How did the settlers cook?
8AM-8PM
(Online) Montreal’s Africa
THEME: Telling the Story of History
Help us put African Montreal, literally, on the map.
10AM-6PM
(Online) Your objects make history!
LOCATION: Marguerite Bourgeoys Historic Site
THEME: Touching History
Find out how the study of objects enables to communicate history.
3PM-4PM
(Presential) Converse Meet-up: How do we discuss History today?
THEME: Telling the Story of History
Come participate and interact with La Converse media in the heart of three emblematic and historic places of Montreal that have caused much ink.
10AM-12PM
(Presential) Little Burgundy – Railroads, jazz, and urban development (In French Only)
THEME: Making History
Explore a former industrial neighbourhood and its two hundred years of history
11AM-12PM
(Online) Le rayonnement numérique, une nouvelle corde à son arc! (In French only)
THEME: Googling History
The pandemic has thrown us into the digital shift and many projects have been adapted to fit into this reality.
11AM-2PM
(Presential) From Amherst to Atateken (In French only)
LOCATION: Écomusée du fier monde
THEME: Telling the Story of History
Strolling along Atateken Street means discovering the Centre-Sud district and more!
1.30PM-2.30PM
(Presential) Algonquian and Iroquian Nations (in French, Q&R in English and French)
LOCATION: Marguerite Bourgeoys Historic Site
THEME: Touching History
Algonquian and Iroquian Nations and Archaeology presentation (in French, Q&R in English and French) RSVP: 514-282-8670, ext 221
12PM-1PM
(Online) Mapping Oral History from Kigali to Montréal
THEME: Witnessing History
Mapping life stories of Rwandan exiles is a project carried out at Concordia University.
2PM-4PM
(Online) The Voices of Bordeaux-Cartierville. A podcast about a little-known Montréal borough
THEME: Witnessing History
Ten ethnographers have been collecting life stories of people who live or work there.
4.30PM-5.30PM
(Online) Listening Session: The Montreal Music Industry of the 1940s and 1950s
THEME: Hearing, Singing and Dancing History
Explore the artists that defined the French Canadian musical identity and the Montreal music industry of the 40s and 50s in an online listening.
Sunday, May 16
8AM-8PM
(Presential) Travel Back in Time in Old Montreal!
LOCATION: Château Ramezay – Historic Site and Museum of Montréal
THEME: Seeing History
Old Montreal is steeped in history. Accompanied by our Voyageur, explore its past.
8AM-8PM
(Presential) Mission: History 1710
LOCATION: Pointe-à-Callière, Montreal Archaeology and History Complex
THEME: Laughing and Playing History
Pointe-à-Callière is inviting you to set off on an adventure… beyond its walls!
8AM-8PM
(Online) Cooking with words (in French only)
LOCATION: Maison Saint-Gabriel, Museum and Historic Site
THEME: Tasting History
What did they eat in New France? How did the settlers cook?
8AM-8PM
(Online) Montreal’s Africa
THEME: Telling the Story of History
Help us put African Montreal, literally, on the map.
10AM-6PM
(Online) Your objects make history!
LOCATION: Marguerite Bourgeoys Historic Site
THEME: Touching History
Find out how the study of objects enables to communicate history.
3PM-4PM
(Presential) Converse Meet-up: How do we discuss History today?
THEME: Telling the Story of History
Come participate and interact with La Converse media in the heart of three emblematic and historic places of Montreal that have caused much ink.
10AM-1PM
(Presential) Parc-Extension
THEME: Seeing History
Between murals and parks, monumental heritage and popular heritage, a surprising Parc Ex’!
1.30PM-2.30PM
(Presential) New France and archaeology presentation
LOCATION: Marguerite Bourgeoys Historic Site
THEME: Touching History
New France and archaeology presentation.
2PM TO 4PM
(Presential) Little Italy – An authentic neighbourhood not to be missed (In French Only)
THEME: Seeing History
You probably know Little Italy for its many cafés and trendy restaurants, but did you know that to this day the neighbourhood remains the.
2PM-3PM
(Online) Mister Cartier’s Silver Epergne
LOCATION: Sir George-Étienne Cartier National Historic Site
THEME: Teaching and Communicating History
A monumental piece of silverware weighing around 14 kilos! Quite a gift!
2PM-3PM
(Presential) Refugee Blvd: A Historical Walk
LOCATION: Montreal Holocaust Museum
THEME: Witnessing History
A Historical Walk which recreates the postwar social worlds of child Holocaust survivors.
2PM-4PM
(Presential) Edna Sauriol’s Piano
LOCATION: Château Dufresne, Museum and historical heritage site
THEME: Hearing, Singing and Dancing History
A young pianist recreates the musical atmosphere of the Dufresne family days.
3PM-4PM
(Presential) Algonquian and Iroquian Nations (in French, Q&R in English and French)
LOCATION: Marguerite Bourgeoys Historic Site
THEME: Touching History
Algonquian and Iroquian Nations and Archaeology presentation (in French, Q&R in English and French) RSVP: 514-282-8670, ext 221
7PM-9PM (FRENCH ONLY)
(Online) Insights into the Past and Present Realities of Aboriginal Peoples
LOCATION: Maison Nivard-De Saint-Dizier
THEME: Telling the Story of History
A virtual workshop that provides a great opportunity to learn about Aboriginal peoples.
Wednesday, May 12
17H À 19H
(Presential) OFF Festival: Launch of FIFHM
THEME: Seeing History
On its third edition, the Montreal International History Film Festival will meet the public on its special opening night, on May 12th, at the.