This year I decided to plan my birthday celebration as a day trip to Montreal. Two museums to visit, two meals to enjoy, all within walking distance of the Gare Central as taking the train was the best way for me and my awesome partner/ best friend/ husband to travel.

The first location: Pointe À Callière in old Montreal for the Sorcières exhibit. https://pacmusee.qc.ca/en/press-room/press-releases/press-release-witches-shadows/ 

The exhibit touches on the long timeline of witches  from Hecate through to La Corriveau to modern witches and witches in media. This includes props and costumes from some shows as well as videos of modern practitioners and their very positive earth friendly approach.

There is also an amazing archeological site that this building is built on, so be sure to go into the basement to see everything if you go! I’ll have a post on my personal site with more photos from there- hop over to tavalonia.ca for that !

The second museum: the McCord Stewart Museum, and the exhibit: Costume Balls is on until August 2025. I strongly recommend this exhibit for any sewing students, and anyone who loves vintage pieces. Go look up close at the hand stitches, the descriptions- all of it!

https://www.musee-mccord-stewart.ca/en/exhibitions/costume-balls/
There is also an important small but impactful artist in residence exhibit on the 3rd floor , “ to all the un named women” and it brings attention to the black population in Montreal in the early days.

And the permanent exhibit featuring indigenous historical and modern textiles and art- I had never seen the waterproof parka before- amazing…. ( it’s from seal intestine.) and a strongly needed message that reconciliation needs some serious effort.

So, these are a mere sampling of things that caught my eye…
The photos are a bit random, but please scroll through and enjoy the images.  And go in person if you can- so worth it!