I was fortunate enough to see the Imagine VanGogh exhibit here right before COVID hit in early…read moreMarch. I'm so glad I went. The exhibit was wonderful and well put together. First, we walked through his life story told bilingually. We then went into the large room that had the music and paintings. It was breathtaking and well worth every penny. There is a well-rated, amazing French restaurant (I forget the name; we decided we wanted Korean, so headed downtown) around the corner and a really nice bookstore also in the opposite direction, about a block away. I highly recommend this venue.

Beyond happy with this exhibit. Great way to spend a Tuesday…read moreafter noon surrounded by people who were all there to enjoy the great artist. I had a great experience here and can't wait to try out another exhibit. Due to construction you will need to park further away.

I love coffee shops that are not just a coffee shop and Les Faiseurs matches that perfectly…read more The place is decorated in very lively colors and has an amazing vibe to it. The tables are large, in case you want to study or work. I ordered several cookies and a cold brew. The cookies were amazing, I shared them between some friends and no crumbs were left alive. The cold brew was just okay, not amazing but good enough. The space for pottery is large and while I haven't taken a class, I would love to do that in the future. Overall, a great coffee place to visit and support

I discovered this place on instagram and just from their pictures, I knew I had to go. It's such a…read morebeautiful space, it is on the opposite side of the sun though which is a bummer. I visited with a foodie friend on an early Sunday afternoon for brunch and we were really satisfied. It got a bit busy but I managed to get a good table before the rush came in. The menu is simple but they have many good choices. I got the grilled cheese and it was delicious. I also got to try the soup of the day, it was bell pepper and carrot, it was also amazing. Came with little croutons and bread. We also got a piece of banana, coffee, and peanut butter cake. Pretty good for a vegan cake. It wasn't dry and the peanut butter icing was just sweet enough. I had a cold mochaccino with coconut milk and it was ok, I really don't like coffee that much though so maybe that's why I didn't love it. I thought it was bitter still even though there was only a bit of coffee in it. I needed a bit of caffeine to kick start my Sunday and that's why I got it. What I really like about this cafe is that they offer pottery classes in the building over. We could see the class while we ate, it looked fun! They also sell the creations of some of their Montreal artists in store. Service is also very nice and they are very friendly when answering questions about the menu.

Fonderie Darling was a great place to stop by as we walked around Montreal visiting different…read moregalleries. The two exhibits up, one sound based and the other painting, were both very interesting and engaging. This is a place for experimental and new installations and exhibits. The sound based exhibit was an immersive installation in a large room. It used neon lights, instruments, feedback, amplifiers, cymbals in a large assemblage all controlled automatically. It was a very interesting space to inhabit, and since we were the only ones there we stayed as long as we wanted. I would really recommend anyone looking for an interesting gallery in Montreal to check it out! On par with NYC galleries in my opinion. NB there was a 5 CAD entry charge per person, but I found it worth it!

I should have read the Yelp reviews before selecting this very unusual display venue. I use term…read more"display venue" because it's not a museum and there is basically no connection to architecture. It's just a building that acts as a venue for some odd exhibits. The exhibit on display during our visit was called "Retail Apocalypse" and focused on rampant consumerism and the shift to on-line purchases away from brick and mortar stores. The exhibit is not politically neutral; nonetheless it makes at least one or two valid observations in the midst of a mess that poses as artistic and inclusive. Time budget: 30 minutes Overall cleanliness: above average

I love Architecture and thought this was a museum of architecture, it is not. I should have read…read morethe reviews and not what the MTL had on their website, If that is what you are thinking, wanting, or considering, this is not the place. $10 entry. I should have taken the clue when the ticket issuers gave my husband and me a look and inquired if we knew where we were. The ticket issuers are very nice. The "retail apocalypse" was on display. I read some of the exhibits. The real highlight was the story of the Sami and Inuit people. Not really architecture even though they threw the word in, but it was nice to learn more about the Sami and Inuit. While this display was the best in my opinion, the photos of the famous Henderson photographer was nice to see the picture history of Montreal.

This venue is a tiny independent theatre putting on mostly anglophone or bilingual shows…read more It is really just one room seating maybe 50 people and a little entrance hall where you can purchase tickets and a bottle of beer - nice and cozy. You might not get to see big famous companies here, but rather newcomers and those who enjoy the freedom of the fringe. I enjoy going to the Sunday Night Improv (every Sunday night 8 pm) - a competition in improv with many regulars and a few new faces every time, guaranteed to make you laugh! The crowd in the audience gets quite involved, too. And for those who want to be on stage themselves, there is a workshop every Sunday prior to the show. Everybody can attend for free, and then perform in the evening! The theatre is also one of the regular venues for the Zoofest, the more independent branch of the Montreal comedy festival.

I love art. This…read moretheatre is a gem, pushing work ranging from experimental to polished, from English to French and everything in between, from comedy to tragedy to some other thing. I've had the pleasure of performing here at their annual Sketch Festival. Alain and Mark run the place, and they treat their performers like performers are supposed to be treated. Which is, incidentally, very good. By consequence of performing here, I've also been able to catch a few of the shows they put on, including original bilingual productions, and weekly improv nights. It's all about the art here. It's about people who love what they are doing, and love pushing it to new levels. The venue itself is an intimate space, with a bar up front and two-ish levels of seating. It's across from a strip club where you might be able to catch the silhouettes of lovely-ish ladies dancing in the windows during the early hours of the night! If you live in the area, check out what they have going on, and go to it. I'm so upset I missed the a Capella / barbershop group that was performing last time I was in town.

This is probably the best Contemporary Museum I've visited. My friends and I have a tradition that…read moreevery year during the Jazz Festival we would travel down to Montreal. We've been doing this for about 5 years and this year we decided to go to this museum. I've been to many museums in Boston, NYC, and LA. However, besides the Broad in LA- this museum is very well curated. What I love the most is that many of them are interactive and keeps you curious. I highly suggest you visit museum when you have a chance!

It will be my pleasure to update this review at some future date, several years from now…read more As a fan of contemporary art I was looking forward to this museum only to learn - too late - that it's under renovation for the next couple of years. The site I was directed to (in Montreal's underground mall) is a tiny sample of their usual offering, so small in fact, that paying anything to enter struck me as an utter money grab. (My entry fee was waived as I had the Passport MTL). Even with essentially free admission for me, what was on view here was less than compelling and I had to work hard to engage my interest. My recommendation is to wait until they're back in their permanent home. Finding this place wasn't worth the time it took but, of course, I thought I was headed to the real deal, not a temporary exhibit.

Home to countless vernissages, conveniently located downtown in an otherwise pretty awful St…read moreCatherine location, holder of secrets from a past life that I may or may not have led, the Belgo is an unassuming spot for all things contemporary art in Montréal. Inside this typical Quebecois / European / Canadian building rests one of my favourite spots to discover new art in the city. Galleries, dance studios, yoga spaces -- this former industrial space is headquarters for all modern art lovers in Montréal. And who knows, if you're lucky you'll stumble upon one of the countless openings that will inevitably be going on during any given weekend where you'll sample some cheap wine; eat a few grapes, some carrots and a lot of cheese; and get a glimpse of some of the best up and coming artists Canada has to offer. ...sigh. I miss Montreal.

The Belgo is home to over 30 galleries and artist studios making it an epicenter of Montreal's…read morevisual art community. You can roam around and poke your head in places and have adventures in here pretty much any day of the week. Check out the Galerie Illustration Québec for group shows by incredible illustrators. One of the gallery owners keeps a great blog about events going on in the building: http://www.thebelgoreport.com