Musée de la Civilisation

YWCA Québec celebrates 150 years of support for women with exhibit, new book

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , ,

YWCA Québec celebrates 150 years of support for women with exhibit, new book

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

When Ann Martell arrived in Quebec City as a young anglophone job seeker in 1982, she was told to do what generations of young English-speaking women at loose ends had done before her – go to the YWCA.

Martell went to the organization’s headquarters on Ave. Holland and met the director, Mary Woods. Woods, who died in 2015, was the last in a long line of women from the local anglophone Protestant community who led the YWCA – dating back to a time when women couldn’t legally sign contracts and the English-speaking Protestants of Upper Town and their francophone Catholic neighbours might as well have been living on separate planets. Woods did for Martell what she and her predecessors had done for countless newly arrived women – helped her find a job.

Martell, who built a long and successful career as a public servant in Quebec, remained involved with the organization, joining its board in 1991 as it stood at a crossroads between its anglophone past and the city’s increasingly francophone present, juggling financial challenges. “With other courageous and persevering women, we managed to climb back up that hill,” she remembered.

Inspired by the role of the YWCA in her own life, Martell proposed that the organization put out a book to make its history better known and honour its 150th anniversary, celebrated this year. The book – YWCA Québec: 150 ans au coeur de la vie des femmes – was launched Sept. 4 at the Musée de la civilisation, in tandem with a temporary exhibit in the “Voie Libre” section of the museum, tracing the organization’s history. The book was written by historian Johanne Daigle and published by local publishers Septentrion with support from the Quebec City English-speaking Community Foundation (QCESCF) – initially the Jeffery Hale Foundation (JHF) before the JHF became part of the QCESCF earlier this year. QCESF assistant executive director Julie Sauvageau told the QCT the foundation’s eventual goal is to put out an English version of the book, although no timeline has yet been set for that; the exhibit is in French only.

What would become the YWCA-Québec was founded under the name Women’s Christian Association (WCA) by a group of six anglophone Protestant women under the leadership of Mary Gibbens Cassels McNab. The association turned the Dauphine Redoubt in Artillery Park into a shelter for “deserving” single women with nowhere else to go – efforts to welcome those deemed “undeserving” (read: sex workers or former sex workers) met with fierce opposition from the media and religious establishment and were ultimately dropped in favour of more discreet action.

In 1911, the WCA joined the Canada-wide YWCA movement and began empowering girls and young women through services it still offers today – swimming lessons, physical education and language classes. In the 1940s, it served as a hub for women’s participation in the war effort and for support offered to soldiers’ fiancées, wives and children. After the war, as many women stayed at home to raise large families, the YWCA expanded its offer of courses for older women who wanted to get out of the house and find other outlets for their energy and talents. After moving to the Ave. Holland building in 1968, the organization became renowned for its synchronized swimming program, which trained several elite athletes and at least one world medalist. During the economic crisis of the 1980s, the centre evolved to respond to poverty and psychological distress, and pivoted to serve a mainly francophone clientele as the city’s demographics changed.

“The exhibit invites you to relive the energy of past battles, to ask questions about current issues and to discover what the YWCA Québec is today – a survivor that continues to write her own story for the benefit of women and for society at large,” Julie Lemieux, director general of the Musée de la civilisation de Québec (MCQ) told the crowd assembled at the Sept. 5 launch event.

Visitors to the MCQ can see the YWCA Québec: 150 ans au coeur de la vie des femmes exhibit until Nov. 9. The book can be ordered online directly from Septentrion.

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The MCQ presents the human stories of the Titanic

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The MCQ presents the human stories of the Titanic

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

Most people know the fatal story of the Titanic’s maiden voyage, but what about the people on board? For its latest exhibit, open until Jan. 11, 2026, the Musée de la Civilisation (MCQ) presents Titanic: The Human Story.

Even before stepping into the MCQ, visitors encounter Titanic written out in large red letters on a single blue block beside the replica bow, where people can mimic Jack Dawson from the iconic 1997 movie: “I’m the king of the world!”

Entering the exhibit, visitors travel through time to April 1912 to meet the workers, architects and engineers of the Titanic, the crew and pas- sengers on board and the ships that rescued the survivors. Listening to the audioguide, in French or English, they discover the stories behind the 200 displayed objects (clothes, jewelry, journals, tickets, docu- ments, life jackets, silverware, dishes and more); the models of first-, second- and third- class rooms; and the ship in all its glory and in its current condition, sitting in two large pieces at the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean. They also find authentic journals, leather shoes, postcards, papers and a diamond necklace that inspired the countless films and stories that have stemmed from the fatal night of April 14, 1912.

“Every time we’re able to host a major international exhibition here, the magic happens, and audiences from all over turn out,” said Julie Lemieux, MCQ executive director. “Titanic is the human story behind the great history, an approach faithful to what distinguishes the MCQ, a museum of society par excellence.”

The creative geniuses be- hind this exhibit are from the Spanish museum Musealia. To create Titanic: The Human Story, they worked with one of the world’s leading Titanic experts, Claes-Göran Wetterholm, who has made four research voyages to the wreck. “What moves us most about the story of the Titanic is not just the facts of its tragedy, but the lives tied to it: the choices, hopes, and consequences that shaped an era,” said Luis Ferreiro, president and CEO of Musealia. “With this exhibition, we attempt to go beyond the myth to reveal the world from which it emerged, and the people who embarked and perished on board during that voyage. Presenting it for the first time in Canada, within the walls of the MCQ, is a privilege – this is where this story should be heard.” It has been presented in Barcelona; Stockholm; London, England; Mexico City; New York; Brisbane and Sydney, Australia; and now, Quebec City.

“I have seen many exhibits presented at the MCQ. This is one of the best, if not the best,” said Laura Blouin. “Often, when I learned about the Titanic, I imagined the ship, the crew in the [crow’s] nest, the iceberg, the musicians, the freezing water and the wreckage. Now, I see beyond the steel and wood. I feel like I’ve met the passengers and crew, thanks in part to the extremely well-written and narrated audioguide. The enormous piece of ice in the middle of the exhibit is a nice touch and reminds people just how cold the waters were that night.”

For more information, visit mcq.org/en/discover/exhibitions/titanic.

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Hundreds of families celebrate Easter at the Musée de la Civilisation

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Hundreds of families celebrate Easter at the Musée de la Civilisation

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

There was chocolate, an acorn hunt, a sugar shack, chocolate egg decorating, a live show and much more as the Musée de la Civilisation (MCQ) hosted its ninth annual family Easter celebration.

The museum started the festivities at 9 a.m. on April 19 by inviting families in need to a free private brunch, followed by privileged access to the weekend’s activities before the doors opened to the public at noon. “For the foundation, this kind of event is essential because it allows us to continue fulfilling our mission of promoting accessibility for children and families with special needs. It’s a privilege to see families come together and celebrate together in such a warm and festive atmosphere,” said the museum’s executive director, Julie Lemieux.

“It was a wonderful surprise when we got the invitation,” said Elizabeth-Anne Smith- Bélanger. “The brunch was exquisite. My two children loved the activities, especially the chocolate eggs, hunting for the acorns and squirrels and the sugar shack, but now, it’s time to head home to get ready for Easter tomorrow.”

Free access for these families was supported by the Fondation du MCQ. For 34 years, through different events, it has raised funds to make culture accessible to as many people as possible, particularly children and families from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Later in the day, the MCQ invited visitors to enjoy the free Easter activities for the price of admission. Despite the rain, families lined up around the corner.

Due to the bad weather, the outdoor sugar shack did not open April 19. It reopened on sunny Easter Sunday for families to savour maple taffy on snow, barbecued burgers, fries with maple and herb mayonnaise and other delicious treats. A maple taffy stand and a juice stand were also set up just inside the entrance, and hot chocolate was served on the other side of the atrium.

“The line moves surprisingly fast for its length,” said Mark Beaumont. “We are waiting longer to paint the chocolate eggs.” In the basement, children painted chocolate eggs with coloured white chocolate. Once decorated, some children savoured their works of art. Families had their pictures taken in the nearby photo corner.

Other visitors, especially children, rushed around the museum with a pamphlet in their hands, containing the five riddles of the annual Easter scavenger hunt. This year, they helped Eric the squirrel find his lost acorns and friends. “My children love the hunt,” said Valérie Julien. “It’s absolutely genius because we get to see different exhibits in a fun way.”

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Musée de la Civilisation explores the teenage brain

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

Teenagers’ minds are full of wonder. Even though they might appear to be lazing around, their minds are active, creative and inventive, as demonstrated in the latest exhibit at the Musée de la Civilisation (MCQ), Teens: Creative Minds. Within the 170 square metres, 11 Canadian teens and their creations are showcased to educate and inspire future inventors.

The source of this exhibit sprouted from one of Quebec’s most innovative and renowned inventors, Joseph-Armand Bombardier, who, at the age of 15 in 1922, built the prototype of what would become the snowmobile. “We wondered how adolescence is creative. [Looking at Bombardier], we wondered why he is so creative and what drove him to be so,” said Antoine Laprade, manager of exhibits at the Musée de l’ingéniosité J. Armand Bombardier (MIJAB) in Valcourt.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of this invention, the MIJAB created this exhibit in collaboration with the Université de Sherbrooke by researching other ingenious Canadian teens. Visitors will discover 11 young Canadian inventors and their inventions, from the airless baby bottles created by Jean Saint- Germain, then 16, in 1953, to the QualyL, the robotic heart adaptable to patients’ efforts devised by Jonathan Lévesque, then 17, in 2018, to other innovations such as self-heating ski poles. The MCQ even invites visitors to test some of these inventions. The exhibit also takes a closer look at how teenagers’ brains work. At the heart of Teens: Creative Minds stands a giant structure representing the shape of the brain. Stepping into it, visitors will discover the parts of this vital organ and learn how it keeps developing right through adolescence up to around age 25, despite reaching its full size by the time a child turns six.

“By presenting this exhibition, we wanted to reach and engage an audience that is dear to us: teenagers,” said MCQ general director Julie Lemieux. “We wanted to offer a space where their dynamism and ideas take on their full dimension. It also allows us to discover unsuspected inventions, purely from our region, to which we had not previously paid attention.”Until Sept. 1, the MCQ invites the public to discover and even test these inventions.

For more information, visit mcq.org/en/discover/exhibitions/ados-cerveaux-inventifs.

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Crowds are invited to learn about crowds at the Musée de la Civilisation

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Crowds are invited to learn about crowds at the Musée de la Civilisation

Cassandra Kerwin

cassandra@qctonline.com

Standing in the middle of a crowd, have you ever taken the time to observe it? Are crowds good or bad, safe or dangerous? The latest exhibit at the Musée de la Civilisation (MCQ), Crowds: A Human Laboratory, explores these questions and observations.

Until Aug. 30, 2026, visitors are invited to learn about the fascinating nature of crowds. Discover how they can be manipulated and influenced by individuals both inside and outside. Crowds: A Human Laboratory is designed to challenge the public’s perception of crowds and promote a better understanding of their behaviours.

From the research laboratories of the Max Planck Institute for Human Develop- ment in Germany, scientific curator and researcher Mehdi Moussaïd shared his passion for studying the behaviours of crowds on his YouTube channel, Fouloscopie. Over time, his work led to the creation of the exhibit Crowds: A Human Laboratory, first displayed at the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie in Paris from October 2022 to May 2024. From there, it crossed the At- lantic to the MCQ, where Mous- saïd tweaked it with a touch of Quebec flair and a nod to the Festival d’Été de Québec.

“It touches me personally to have this exhibit in Quebec because it is at [Université du Québec à Montréal] where it all began for me in 2004,” Moussaïd said in a YouTube video shown at the exhibit’s press conference on Dec. 18. “Crowds are first of all huge gatherings of thousands of people. In some cases, they can be so close together that it can become dangerous. In these situations, we study many things, including fluid mechanics, the spreading of rumours, crowd manipulation and collective emotions, errors and intelligence.” He continued, “I hope you will have as much pleasure in discovering [the exhibit] as we had in designing it.”

The new director general of the MCQ, Julie Lemieux, is of a similar opinion. “Crowds: A Human Laboratory is tailor-made for the MCQ, which loves to cross perspectives, gather, make people think and explore new subjects. It is a true hu- man and living laboratory that offers us a dual experience – experiencing the crowd and extracting ourselves from it to better analyze it and, perhaps, better understand ourselves.”

In this exhibit, visitors can cram into a square metre, step through one of three doors, sing karaoke in public and discover the science behind crowd evacuations, mosh pits, stampedes and much more.

For more information, visit mcq.org.

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