The MEM museum celebrates Montrealers
Museums Culture, arts and heritage
The MEM – Centre des mémoires montréalaises is a museum and civic space dedicated to preserving the oral history of Montréal.
What is The MEM?
The MEM – Centre des mémoires montréalaises – widely known as The MEM (or “Le MEM” in French) – is located in the heart of the former historic Red Light District of Montréal in the Quartier des Spectacles.
“The museum doesn’t really present a ‘postcard’ image of the city,” says MEM Division Chief Annabelle Laliberté. “Our main interest is the people who bring life and energy to the city.”
In other words, by sharing their stories, Montréalers recount the city’s history.
Adds Laliberté, “The museum is guided by the spirit of citizenship. Every decision is made by a committee, and citizen participation is encouraged at every level.”
Exhibitions at the MEM
Upon entering the MEM, visitors will be dazzled by a selection of historic and iconic commercial and civic signs on loan from Concordia University’s Montreal Signs Project which has been rescuing and conserving classic Montréal signs since 2010. Among the many signs on display at the MEM are the iconic neon sign of the St. James United Church and the restored Imperial Boots sign with its fully-functioning marquee lights.
Among the many permanent installations inside the museum are the 18 Shades of Gay rainbow balls created by renowned landscape architect Claude Cormier that hung in The Village from 2017 to 2019.
There are several exhibitions on display at the MEM:
- A Ray of Hope? The Institut du Radium de Montréal Against Cancer runs to July 26.
- Corridart: The Exhibition That Vanished Overnight is a story of censorship, public art and curtailed freedom during the 1976 Montréal Olympics. Runs May 20 to September 18.
- MEM Display case exhibition The 1976 Olympic Games: Stories and Souvenirs features objects commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Montréal Olympic Games. On display from June 16 to November 22.
- Active Grieving: The Aesthetic Activism of ACT UP Montréal exhibition by the Archives gaies du Québec, developed with the support of the MEM. Runs July 31 to February 14, 2027.
- Le cucitrici – Voices of Montréal’s Italian Seamstresses highlights the vital role played by Italian women in Montréal’s clothing industry following the Second World War. Runs June 9, 2026 to June 6, 2027.
- The immersive Detours – Urban Experiences takes visitors into the world of Montréalers with singular backgrounds. Runs to January 2027.
- The permanent exhibition Montréal asks what is, who is Montréal?
Visitor information
There is a superb café, gift shop and cabaret hall where various cultural activities and events are presented year-round.
The MEM is accessible to people with limited mobility. The museum is closed on Mondays. For more info, click here.
Richard Burnett
Richard “Bugs” Burnett is a Canadian freelance writer, editor, journalist, blogger and columnist for alt-weeklies, mainstream and LGBTQ+ publications. Bugs also knows Montréal like a drag queen knows a cosmetics counter.