Quebec’s Museum of Civilization is an immersive museum located in Quebec City. It showcases the history and culture of the province and Canada.
Full of Quebecois and Canadian historical information and artifacts, the Musée de la Civilisation (as it is known in French) is the most popular museum in Quebec City and a great place to learn.
Musée de la Civilisation à Quebec
Not to be confused with the former Canadian Museum of Civilization (now called the Canadian Museum of History) in Ottawa, the Musée de la Civilisation is one of the pre-eminent museums in not just the province, but in the country.
The museum is located right next to the St. Lawrence River in historic Old Quebec just a few blocks away from the city’s Old Port. Its address is 85 rue Dalhousie. The building itself is fairly memorable, with two separate gallery wings connected by an outdoor plaza.
The inside is fairly sleek-looking, as compared to some of the other big museums in Quebec and Ontario, the Musée de la Civilisation is relatively young. It opened in 1988 and was designed by the well-known architect Moshe Safdie.
Exhibitions on display by the museum showcase the history of Canada and various places around the world. Visitors can participate in many interactive activities, and guided tours are available too.
Hours and Admission
Except for Mondays, the museum is open daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. As of early 2026, here are the prices:
- Adults (35-64): $26
- Seniors (65+): $25
- Young Adults (18-34): $21
- Youth (12-17): $9
- Children (6-11): $5.50
Children 5 years and younger enter for free. An important note is that those prices do not include access to the top feature exhibitions. To add that to your ticket costs an extra few dollars.
Also, admission is free for all Quebec residents on the first Sunday of each month until March, 2026. Crowds might be busy those days, but it’s a good opportunity to visit.
Visit the Musée de la Civilisation website for more information o admission and where to buy tickets.
Inside the Museum
The Main Exhibitions
The Musée de la Civilisation often has different exhibitions rotating in and out. There are only a few permanent ones in the museum. One of them is This Is Our Story which is all about the culture and history of the indigenous communities in Quebec.
Another is In Other Words…Quebec which covers the history of Quebec from its very first inhabitants all the way up to the present day. Both of these exhibitions include hundreds of artifacts and multi-media elements to check out.
The rotating exhibitions are quite varied. Examples are Wrestling: Quebec in the Ring which covers the province’s contributions to the wrestling industry, and My Place, which is an interactive experience designed specifically for young children.
As mentioned above, admission to the museum’s feature exhibition costs extra. Until March 8th, 2026, the feature exhibition is Titanic: The Human Story, which is all about the people on board the ill-fated liner when it sank on its maiden voyage in 1912.
The Museum Online
In addition to what’s on display in the building itself, the museum has some virtual exhibitions that can be explored from home. This includes online continuations of some previous in-house displays. Some of them you have to pay to access, but most of them are free to explore.
Other Information
Visit the Museum of Civilisation website for more information.
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