Summer Program

150th Anniversary of Mount Royal Park | Hike: The Legacy of Frederick Law Olmsted: Exploring the Therapeutic Value of Mount Royal | June 13

Tribute to Pierre Mercure : Guided tour of the works from the International Sculpture Symposium (1964)

Historical Tours of the Monastary Garden

Fall Program

Circuits

Shinrin Joku dans le jardin du monastère

Led by our certified guide Éric Richard, this walk inspired by Japanese forest bathing offers a slow sensory immersion fostering relaxation, contemplation, and connection to nature. Discover Mount Royal from a new perspective through a Shinrin Yoku experience in the beautiful garden of the Hospitallers, a unique site rarely open to the public. Presented in collaboration with the Hospitallers’, this special activity is part of the 150th anniversary celebrations of Mount Royal Park. In collaboration with les Amis de la montagne.

Explore the public art and murals located on the Plateau Mont-Royal. From Mario Merola’s Rivières (1974), embedded in one of the walls of the Sherbrooke station, to the monuments in Carré Saint-Louis and the sculptures and graphic works lining Prince-Arthur Street, this walking tour—led by a guide passionate about public art—will introduce you to the history of the Plateau Mont-Royal through the eyes of the artists.In collaboration with Art Public Montréal.

Do we really know the history of Mount Royal? This tour will go beyond the well-known highlights. Historian Denise Caron invites you to explore the evolution of the mountain’s eastern foothills, from the first permanent settlements to the present day. Along the way, we’ll highlight the key figures who have played a decisive role in the history of this iconic site.

Did you know that Mount Royal Park was created with the health of Montrealers in mind? Learn about the vision of the park’s designer, Frederick Law Olmsted, and discover the legacy of Les Hospitalières, whose garden is one of the jewels of the Mount Royal Heritage Site that has played so many different roles during the course of its history. The walk will take you from the Jardin du monastère des Hospitalières (Cité-des-Hospitalières) to the Camillien-Houde Lookout. In collaboration with les Amis de la montagne. 

Visit the “secret” garden of the monastery of the Hospitalières de Saint-Joseph nuns, a true oasis of peace hidden behind an imposing stone wall in the heart of the city. Learn about the garden’s history, from the nourishing grounds of 1861 to the ornemental garden we know today. You’ll also learn about the history of the Hôtel-Dieu buildings surrounding it. 

Did you know that Jeanne Mance’s tomb is located at the Hôtel-Dieu, under the Hospitallers’ old chapel? Accompanied by a Museum guide, enter in the Hospitallers’ crypt where 600 Hospitallers are buried. Explore this unique heritage site at the heart of the Cité des Hospitalières’ complex, only recently opened to the public. The visit includes the Museum’s sacred art collection and a stop at the Hôtel-Dieu chapel, built in 1861 by architect Victor Bourgeau.

Enter for the first time in the Hospitallers’s old monastery, a private dwelling place for the Montreal congregation from 1861 to 2019. Located next to the Hôtel-Dieu, the monastery is part of the convent complex, which was constructed from 1859 to 1861 by architect Victor Bourgeau. Explore the different rooms, such as the “procure”, “l’avant-choeur”, and the “roberie”, to learn about their purpose and discover the Hospitallers’ daily life in the 19^th century. Even though the monastery underwent many changes during the 20^th century, it continues to bear witness to the Hospitallers’ history. Led by a Museum guide, the tour is enlivened with audio witnesses by the nuns.

Explore the former Chapelle des Hospitalières, built between 1859 and 1861, a beautiful piece of architecture by Victor Bourgeau, who was the chief architect of the Diocese of Montreal at the time.

First Nations have inhabited the territory of Quebec for at least 12,000 years. What about Montreal and Mount Royal? What archaeological evidence reveals their presence on the Mountain? Where can these traces be found, and how far back do they date? Most importantly, what do they tell us about the importance of the Mountain in the daily lives of Indigenous peoples, the encounters with the first Europeans that took place there, and the consequences of these interactions? This presentation will explore some of these questions and offer new perspectives on Indigenous history and archaeology on Mount Royal. In collaboration with les Amis de la montagne.

Christian Gates St-Pierre is an archaeologist trained in Canada and the United States. Since 2016, he has been a professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Montreal. His research focuses on the archaeology of Indigenous peoples in Quebec and Eastern North America, material culture, dietary practices, and social interactions in the past. He is also interested in ethical issues in archaeology, the protection and promotion of archaeological heritage, and the decolonization of archaeology.  

In the heart of Montreal, a small mountain enhanced by a multitude of projects that highlight the unique characteristics of this exceptional site. This lecture will explore the mosaic of landscapes in Mount Royal Park, from their origins to their future, and will underscore the importance of Frederick Law Olmsted’s vision and the exceptional legacy that has resulted from it. The institutional landscapes will be briefly presented, with an emphasis on their relationship to the topography of Mount Royal. In conclusion, the presentation will highlight the high quality of the planning and work carried out over decades to preserve and enhance the Mountain, an icon of Montreal. In collaboration with Les Amis de la montagne.

Daniel Chartier has been working to protect and enhance natural and cultural heritage for 50 years as a landscape architect and an engaged citizen. In 1977, he led an ecological inventory and outreach project at the Bois de la Réparation that ultimately led to its protection (Pointe-aux-Prairies Park). Then, for 37 years, as a professional with the City of Montreal, he planned and supervised major developments in a wide range of public spaces, including Île-de-la-Visitation Park, Jarry Park, and Jean-Drapeau Park. From 1991 until the end of his career with the City of Montreal, his work focused on the protection and enhancement of Mount Royal. To effectively carry out this mission, he developed extensive expertise in the work of Olmsted, the designer of Mount Royal Park.

Since 2015, both in a personal capacity and as a member of various organizations, he has been actively promoting initiatives and publishing reports in support of more sustainable development in Montreal, including a paper that synthesizes the knowledge and expertise regarding our beloved mountain: Magnifying and Enchanting Mount Royal. He is a Governor and a member of the Planning and Coordination Committee of Les amis de la Montagne. His commitment and achievements have earned him the annual Certificate of Honor from the Conseil des monuments et sites du Québec (Action patrimoine), the Mont Royal Award, and more.

Like many prominent figures in 19th-century Montreal, William Hales Hingston (1829–1907)—a surgeon at the Hôtel-Dieu and mayor of Montreal—left little mark on the collective memory. Born into an Irish Catholic family, Hingston studied at the College of Montreal and McGill University. A typical member of the tightly knit bicultural elite of the time, he was involved in a wide range of medical, social, and political activities throughout his career. As an advocate for public health policies, he helped reorganize the Municipal Health Bureau at a time when laissez-faire attitudes, rapid population growth, and social inequalities were turning Montreal into a deadly city. This lecture will shed light on the life of a figure at the heart of 19th-century public health reform who remains largely unknown even today.

Jean-François Leclerc is a historian and museologist. After working as a historian, museologist, and adjunct professor, he directed the Centre d’histoire de Montréal from 1996 to 2018, spearheading its transformation into MEM: Centre des mémoires montréalaises.

A renowned speaker, he has also served as a trainer, historical consultant, and expert for several heritage institutions and projects, notably for Cité mémoire in Old Montreal. He also curated the exhibition *Notre montagne. Mémoires du mont Royal* (*Our Mountain: Memories of Mount Royal*), presented at the Musée des Hospitalières de l’Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal.