Three exhibitions to see this summer at the MEM – Centre des mémoires montréalaises
Published on June 15, 2026 • Attractions to discover
Discover less-known aspects of Montréal this summer! The MEM – Centre des mémoires montréalaises is hosting exhibitions that give a voice to people who have played a role in shaping the city. Featuring life stories, community history and unexpected encounters, these three exhibitions offer a unique look at the city and its many different facets.
Le MEM - Centre des mémoires montréalaises
Detours – Urban Experiences
In Detours – Urban Experiences, the MEM invites visitors to discover a Montréal few people know about, through stories told by people with unique backgrounds. With original staging centred on videos, this immersive exhibition gives access to personal stories that unfold in sometimes unexpected places throughout the metropolis.
The personal accounts reveal passions, commitments and ways of living in the city that are out of the ordinary. Between intimate encounters and larger-than-life collective moments, Detours brings you closer to the people sharing their experience of Montréal. On until January 2027.
Le cucitrici: Voices of Montréal’s Italian Seamstresses
Offered free of charge from June 9, 2026, to June 6, 2027, the Le cucitrici – Voices of Montréal’s Italian Seamstresses exhibition shines a light on these women’s essential, but often little-known contribution to Montréal’s history.
Through accounts that touch on the subjects of solidarity, resourcefulness, invisible work and emancipation, the exhibition traces the journey of Italian women who arrived in a major immigration wave and worked in Montréal’s garment industry after the Second World War. These seamstresses contributed to the growth of a major economic sector while playing a vital role in their family and community.
MONTRÉAL
The MONTRÉAL permanent exhibition invites you to discover the city’s history through the eyes of the people who live here. It includes 100-some firsthand accounts that show the diversity of Montréalers’ life paths and realities. As you move through the exhibition, you are encouraged to reflect on what and who Montréal is.
Personal stories intersect to draw a picture of an ever-changing city. Through this human-centred approach, the exhibition reveals that there are as many sides to Montréal as there are Montréalers.
VIDEO SPOTLIGHT
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