Musée de la civilisation, Quebec City

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

A photograph of Musée de la civilisation — Photograph · Claude Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0

Monday	10:00 – 17:00
Tuesday	10:00 – 17:00
Wednesday	10:00 – 17:00
Thursday	10:00 – 17:00
Friday	10:00 – 17:00
Saturday	10:00 – 17:00
Sunday	10:00 – 17:00

Checked 2026-08-31 · Source

Per person	CA$27.00

Checked 2026-08-31 · Source

Today: Open today, 10:00 – 17:00
Visit duration: 1 hr 30 min
Accessibility: Step-free
Price: CA$27.00 per person
Standing: Must see · Heritage site
Rank: Rank 7 of 1,857

Plan a day around this Map

Place details and sources

This place is a Museum. It opened in 1988. It was built in the postmodern architecture style. It was designed by Moshe Safdie. It carries the part of a Quebec heritage property heritage designation. It is run by National Assembly of Quebec.

Official website: www.mcq.org Wikidata · Checked 2026-09-09
Telephone: +1-418-643-2158 OpenStreetMap · Checked 2026-09-09
Address: Rue Dalhousie, 85, Québec OpenStreetMap · Checked 2026-09-09
Wheelchair access: Available OpenStreetMap · Checked 2026-09-09
Type of place: Museum OpenStreetMap · Checked 2026-09-09
Established: 1988 Wikidata · Checked 2026-09-09
Heritage designation: part of a Quebec heritage property Wikidata · Checked 2026-09-09
Architectural style: postmodern architecture Wikidata · Checked 2026-09-09
Height: 33.97 m Wikidata · Checked 2026-09-09
Opened: 1988 Wikidata · Checked 2026-09-09
Architect: Moshe Safdie Wikidata · Checked 2026-09-09
Operator: National Assembly of Quebec Wikidata · Checked 2026-09-09
Wikipedia article: Musée de la civilisation Wikipedia · Checked 2026-09-09

About Musée de la civilisation

Musée de la civilisation is one of Québec City’s most engaging indoor introductions to the province’s stories, identities, and cultural life. Its focus is civilisation rather than a single period, so the experience can connect Québec-centred interpretation with broader questions about societies and cultures. Located in Lower Town, it works especially well when you want a substantial museum visit between walks through the historic waterfront districts. The museum’s changing exhibitions mean the emphasis can shift from one visit to the next, while its overall character remains rooted in interpretation, display, and the many ways people understand collective life. Treat it as a destination in its own right, not merely a convenient indoor stop beside Old Québec.

Checked 2026-09-02 · Source

What's inside

For a first visit, begin with the principal Québec-focused exhibition and then choose one changing exhibition that genuinely interests you. This creates a clear route through the museum’s larger subject—societies, cultures, and civilisation—without turning the experience into a race through every gallery. Exhibition titles, installations, and gallery arrangements can change, so use the current programme to decide what deserves priority on the day. Afterward, the Lower Town setting provides a natural continuation outdoors, with the museum’s themes still fresh in mind.

Checked 2026-09-02 · Source

How long to spend

Allow about 75 to 100 minutes for a focused visit. That is enough time to experience the principal Québec-focused exhibition and one changing exhibition, read the main interpretation, and move between galleries without rushing every display. Visitors who read extensively, prefer a slower rhythm, are travelling with a pushchair, or want to see several exhibitions should allow more time. Because the museum is an indoor cultural anchor in Lower Town, it can occupy the middle of a walking day rather than being reduced to a quick look. Add time for the approach and for any nearby destination you plan to visit afterward.

Checked 2026-09-02 · Source

Season and crowds

The museum’s recorded visitor schedule is 10:00–17:00 every day of the week. A late-morning arrival gives you time to settle into the first exhibition and still leaves a useful block for a second one before closing. It is also a practical refuge when Québec City weather makes a long outdoor route unpleasant, particularly in winter, when snow and icy surfaces can slow movement through Lower Town. Start early enough to enjoy the galleries rather than arriving near the end of the day, and keep a margin for the transfer to your next stop.

Checked 2026-09-02 · Source

Tickets

Admission is recorded at CAD 27 per person. Use that amount when estimating the cost of a visit, while consulting the museum’s hours-and-tariffs page for the ticket conditions that apply to your date. If you are planning around a particular exhibition, check how the current admission arrangement covers it and whether any reservation or timed-entry requirement affects your schedule. Keep the ticket purchase separate from your walking plan: the museum is close to several Lower Town sights, but the visit itself deserves a protected block rather than being squeezed between two fixed appointments.

Checked 2026-09-02 · Source

Getting there

Approach through Québec City’s Lower Town, then confirm the public entrance before setting the museum into a tightly timed walking sequence. Place Royale, the Old Port, Petit Champlain, and the waterfront are sensible companions, but map distance alone does not describe the effort: stairs, slopes, winter surfaces, and the exact starting point can all change the journey. Plan the museum as a separate stop with its own arrival margin, especially when travelling with children, a pushchair, or anyone who finds steep streets difficult. Linking it with nearby districts works best when the route is checked as a real walk.

Checked 2026-09-02 · Source

What to watch out for

The recorded accessibility information lists step-free access as limited, while recording accessible toilets, toilets, pushchair access, and baby-changing provision as available. If a fully step-free journey is essential, confirm the practical route and entrance with the museum before you travel. Inside, allow extra time for a slower pace and follow staff directions around changing exhibitions and controlled visitor flows. Winter conditions deserve attention on the approach through Lower Town: a short route can become demanding when surfaces are slippery or crowded, so choose the path and timing that fit your group.

Checked 2026-09-02 · Source

Photography

The museum’s architecture and Lower Town context make strong opening subjects for a visit, followed by exhibition details where the current gallery rules permit photography. Keep cameras clear of entrances and circulation routes, and avoid obstructing visitors, staff, or pushchairs. A restrained set of images is usually more useful than photographing every case—one establishing frame, one view placing the museum in Québec City, and a few permitted details that capture how the exhibitions are presented.

Checked 2026-09-02 · Source

Common questions

What is Musée de la civilisation?

Musée de la civilisation is a Québec City museum centred on civilisation, Québec-focused interpretation, changing exhibitions, and wider themes about societies and cultures. In Lower Town, it offers an indoor cultural experience that complements walks through the historic waterfront districts.

How long should I spend at Musée de la civilisation?

Plan about 75 to 100 minutes for a focused visit covering the principal Québec-focused exhibition and one changing exhibition. Allow longer if you read extensively, prefer a slower pace, use a pushchair, or want to experience several exhibitions.

What are the opening hours?

The recorded schedule is 10:00–17:00 every day of the week. Use the museum’s current visitor information when planning a particular date, exhibition, or access arrangement, because the practical details of a visit can vary.

How much does admission cost?

Admission is recorded at CAD 27 per person. Consult the museum’s hours-and-tariffs page for the ticket conditions applying to your visit, including any reservation, timed-entry, concession, or exhibition-specific arrangements.

Is the museum accessible with a pushchair?

The accessibility information records pushchair access, accessible toilets, toilets, and baby-changing provision as available. Step-free access is recorded as limited, so confirm the practical entrance and route if fully step-free access is essential for your group.

What can I combine with the museum?

Place Royale, the Old Port, Petit Champlain, and the Québec City waterfront are nearby candidates in Lower Town. Keep transfer time in the plan because slopes, stairs, winter surfaces, entrances, and the actual starting point can make a short map distance take longer.