Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal

Montréal’s contemporary art museum, known as MACM, was founded in 1964 and holds the distinction of being Canada’s first institution devoted entirely to living and recent art. Housed in a modern building at Place des Arts since 1992, the museum consists of four rooms for its permanent collection and additional galleries for rotating exhibitions. Its holdings exceed 7,000 artworks by over 1,500 artists, with particular strength in Québec and Canadian contemporary art, as well as international and Indigenous voices.

Temporary exhibitions offer dynamic programming, exploring installation, video, painting and sculpture by local and global artists. Permanent displays showcase key trends in contemporary creation, often including multimedia and sound‑based works. The museum emphasizes accessibility and inclusion, and regularly engages the public through artist talks, workshops, performances and educational outreach.

The institution is publicly funded by the Québec government and governed by an independent board since 1983. Major building relocations occurred over decades before settling in Place des Arts, and the museum remains part of Montréal’s performing‑and‑visual arts hub.

Visitor amenities include a gift shop and café nearby; audio guides and multilingual signage boost accessibility. Admission pricing varies with special free days and rates for students, seniors and groups. Located at 1 Place Ville Marie West in Montréal’s Quartier des Spectacles, MACM hosted over 240,000 visitors in earlier years; recent visitor counts fluctuate with evolving exhibitions and citywide programming.