Immersive exhibitions in Montréal

Canada’s largest indoor immersive attraction, OASIS immersion at the Palais des congrès de Montréal presents the 90-minute exhibition Rolling Stone Presents: Amplified, The Immersive Rock Experience narrated by musician and actor Kevin Bacon. The immersive show features more than 1,000 iconic photographs and floor-to-ceiling live video performances of some of music’s most legendary acts like The Who, The Beatles, Tina Turner, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Chappell Roan, Janis Joplin, Bob Marley, Green Day, Sinead O’Connor, David Bowie, Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg, Radiohead, The Doors, Aretha Franklin, KISS, Joan Jett, The Ramones, Lizzo and more. Extended to February 14.

In collaboration with National Geographic, OASIS immersion presents Root for Nature inspired by the historic COP15 agreements. Root for Nature immerses visitors in a striking interpretation of biodiversity via immersive digital arts and informative educational zones. Extended to February 15.

With its soaring twin towers and grand interior, the majestic Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal in Old Montréal is one of Montréal’s most famous icons, built between 1824 and 1829, and designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1989. Famed Montréal visual and sound effects company Moment Factory immerses visitors in its year-round high-tech sound-and-light show AURA Experience which uses the church interior as its canvas.

The bilingual Titanic: An Immersive Voyage exhibition at Place Bonaventure blends archives, immersive devices and virtual reality. In addition to some 300 artefacts from the iconic ocean liner on display, a brand-new virtual-reality experience allows visitors to move about freely and explore the ship as it was on the day of its departure, as well as in its resting place today. Titanic: An Immersive Voyage incorporates little-explored elements like sister ships Olympic and Britannic, the rescue boat Carpathia, the ship Californian (which remained silent nearby), and the iceberg itself, from its formation to its dissolution a few days after the shipwreck. Extended to January 11.

Also, click here for your Titanic walking tour of Montréal whose history is interwoven with the story of the Titanic.

This Rented Shell at the Society for Arts and Technology — best known as “the SAT” — is a poetic exploration of memory, both intimate and collective. Spoken poetry, evocative imagery and sound design merge with animation to create an immersive space where memory is felt as much as it is seen. Runs to January 23. 

La vie, la mort, le dessert is a unique evening that combines gastronomy, artistic performance, and immersive scenography in the dome. An immersive five-course culinary experience that transports the public to a romantic, theatrical, and enchanting world. Runs February 18 to 28.

The Montréal Science Centre in the Old Port of Montréal presents their all-new permanent exhibition Nanualuk – Northern Expedition to mark the centre’s 25^th anniversary. Visitors embark on an immersive, interactive quest filled with more than 20 missions to accomplish, each featuring a different theme related to life in the Arctic, such as learning how to use a harpoon to “read” the ice, and finding your way using the stars. Every mission has a different level of difficulty.

The Funny Creatures “photo safari” exhibition of animals caught on camera in comical, cute, and curious poses is popular with all ages.

Their IMAX cinema screens films for all ages.

Part natural history museum and part theme park, the all-ages Dinos Alive Immersive Experience at Place Bonaventure features more than 40 life-size moving animatronic dinosaurs, from the small Velociraptor to the mighty T-Rex and Stegosaurus. The realistic installations and moving replicas take visitors back to the land of giants that dominated the animal world for more than 140 million years. The visit takes 45 to 75 minutes. Runs to January 11.

Sherlock Holmes

The Sherlock Holmes immersive exhibition at the Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Archaeology and History Complex in Old Montréal combines history, literature and investigation from the world of the legendary detective brought to life by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Visitors journey to 19th-century London to explore the author’s sources of inspiration and follow the trail of the master of deduction amid life-size settings. From the iconic 221B Baker Street to the author’s own office, visitors also solve a mystery worthy of Holmes and his faithful sidekick, Dr. Watson. The exhibition also highlights scientific and technological advances of the time – such as ballistics, photography and botany – which helped shape modern investigative methods and the detective’s distinctive world. Visitors are encouraged to purchase their tickets online before visiting the museum. Runs to March 8.

FAB Expo

The immersive and sensory exhibition The Fabulous FAB Expo blurs the lines between art, illusion and fantasy in a playful journey featuring everything from giant unicorns to mesmerizing underwater scenes in 21 interactive worlds. Fab Expo spans some 10,000 square feet over three floors in the former Grévin Museum downtown in the Eaton Centre. Runs to January 31.

The Impressionists

Arsenal Contemporary Art Montreal is a cutting-edge art centre located in the hip, urban Griffintown neighbourhood, and promotes contemporary art by exhibiting Canadian artists alongside international artists. Their virtual-reality immersive expedition Tonight with The Impressionists – Paris 1874 steps into 19th-century Paris to relive the birth of Impressionism by transporting visitors to the very first Impressionist exhibition in 1874. Runs to January 18.

The Horizon of Khufu virtual reality expedition transports visitors to the heart of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. Equipped with a VR headset, visitors can physically move and interact inside ancient galleries and burial chambers, then ascend to the very top of the pyramid for breathtaking views of the Giza plateau and Cairo. The second half of the 45-minute experience takes visitors back to ground level to witness the historically accurate mummification and burial of Khufu, then embark aboard a solar barque (boat) on the Nile to bear witness to the funerary rite of King Khufu.

Suitable for families with children aged 8+. There is a gift shop and café. The Horizon of Khufu is located in the Old Port of Montréal. Runs to January 31.

Musée Imaginarium 

The Musée Imaginarium in Griffintown transforms the selfie studio experience. Visitors explore some 16 creative universes imagined for photo and video sessions, from a tropical forest to a diva’s dressing room. During the Holiday season, the museum transforms several of its themes with a festive touch, featuring sparkling garlands, richly-decorated Christmas trees, and a warm atmosphere that evokes the magic of the holiday season, until January 3.

Digital arts in Montréal

In a city known for its creativity, digital art experiences abound throughout the year, illuminating Montréal galleries and museums, festivals and pop-up events. Click here to find out where to immerse yourself in the high-tech creativity of Montréal’s digital arts scene.