Discover the power of earthquakes and the lives of the people who founded Québec City at the Museum of Civilization. This interactive museum covers Canadian history from thousands of years ago to today. Children can immerse themselves in fairy tales and science experiments and the whole family can hear the tales of 16th-century explorers.
The People of Québec: Then and Now exhibit looks at the explorers who founded the city and the residents that make it what it is today. See coats of arms, flags, coins and costumes from as far back as the 16th century. Learn about pivotal events in the city’s history through short films.
You can hear about key historic figures through audio accounts read by actors. Learn about 16th-century explorer Jacques Cartier and 19th-century architect Thomas Baillairgé.
See how natural events such as earthquakes and tsunamis have shaped the earth’s geography in the Earth’s Unveiled room. Hands-on activities and experiments to do with dinosaurs, storms and fossils are all part of the Discovery Zone. Compare your shoe size to a dinosaur footprint and experience what it feels like to be caught in an earthquake in a simulator.
The Once Upon a Time exhibit is also in the Discovery Zone. Children can dress up in costumes and act out fairy tales. The costumes use special radio frequency chips to trigger special effects such as light and sound when the kids move around.
Take a guided tour included in the price of admission. You can also browse temporary exhibits, which change regularly. Visit the Museum of Civilization website to find out what’s on or pick up a brochure from the ticket desk.
The Museum of Ciilization is located on Rue Dalhousie in the Lower Town of Old Québec. Come on foot from Place-Royale or catch a bus, which stops right outside. The museum is open every day during peak season June to September and is closed on Mondays the rest of the year. It’s also closed on Christmas Day. There’s a fee for admission.
