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What to know before you visit

We are not a traditional museum – please read more to understand how to plan the best visit for your interests and needs.

Our Museum hosts dozens of cultural events year-round and contemporary art exhibitions in our gallery space. We have recently moved into our location at 5220 boulevard St-Laurent and are only partially operational while we prepare for some major renovations in the space.

If you are visiting for the first time, the most popular way to experience us is through our walking tours and food tours.

Our space at 5220 St-Laurent is currently only open for events and our ongoing exhibition.

All walking tours and food tours are guided and led by our research fellows. Please note that our 2023 tours season is now closed until Spring 2024. 

Tours often sell out. We recommend purchasing tour tickets in advance to reserve a specific tour, day, and time. Please note that our 2023 tours season is now closed until Spring 2024. 

Our space does not house a physical collection. Our virtual collection is accessible through our research website.

First time visitors

Please note that we do not have a physical collection. Our space is only accessible to the public during special events and programs.

Our tours meet at various locations in the Plateau and Mile-End (and not at 5220 St-Laurent). If you are signed up for a tour, please check your receipt from Fareharbor to confirm the tour meeting spot.

Admission

Our Museum at 5220 St-Laurent is currently only open to the public for our ongoing exhibition and for special programming.

Consult our Events Calendar for dates and prices.

Admission to our ongoing exhibition, BACK RIVER by Sonia Bazar, is a suggested amount of $8.

Hours

Our Museum is currently open during our ongoing exhibition and for special events. Please view our events calendar for upcoming programming.

EXHIBITION HOURS

Monday: Closed

Tuesday: Closed

Wednesday: Closed

Thursday: 2pm – 7pm

Friday: 1pm – 5pm

Saturday: 11am – 5pm

Sunday: 11am – 5pm

How to find us

We are located at 5220 Boulevard Saint-Laurent on “The Main”, a National Historic site of Canada.

  • Bus routes:
    • 55 North (Saint-Laurent / Fairmount stop), 55 South (Saint-Urbain / Fairmount stop)
    • 51 West (Laurier/St-Laurent stop), 51 East (St-Joseph/St-Laurent stop)
    • 80 north or south (du Parc / Fairmount stop)
  • Closest metro stations: 10-12 minute walk from Metro Laurier
  • Parking:The Museum of Jewish Montreal does not offer onsite parking. Metered street parking is available, but limited at certain hours. Please allow plenty of additional time to find parking if you require it. You can download the P$ Mobile Service app from the App store and Google Play to refill your meter remotely.

Accessibility

  • The ground floor of the Museum of Jewish Montreal has a wheelchair ramp and a wheelchair accessible bathroom. There are no automatic door openers, but a Museum staff can assist any visitors entering the building. We do not have an elevator, hence the two upper floors are not accessible for people with reduced mobility.
  • Tours can generally be made to accommodate different mobility and accessibility needs. Please inform the Museum of any relevant accessibility needs upon booking your tours. Note that Montreal’s sidewalks and roads are often under construction, which can further impact accessing our walking tours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Museum?

The Museum is located at 5220 St-Laurent.

Where is your collection?

Our space at 5220 St-Laurent does not house a physical collection. Our extensive virtual collection is accessible through our research website.

Do I need to purchase a ticket to access the Museum?

No, entry to the Museum if free of charge. However, tickets need to be purchased for tours.

How much time should I expect to spend at the Museum?

Our walking tours are 1.5 to 2 hours long. Our Museum is currently only accessible to the public during events and special programming.

Do I have to take a tour to visit the Museum?

If you are not attending a walking tour or food tour, the Museum is currently only open for events and special programming, please check event descriptions for ticket costs (we host both free and ticketed events).

Which tour is the best?

That depends on what interests you! Each of our tours explores different time periods and themes. If you are interested in Montreal’s cultural, political and literary history, then In the Shadow of the Mountain or Rabbis, Writers and Radicals are great options! If you are looking for an introduction to Montreal’s Jewish history, Making Their Mark is a great place to start. Our most popular tour with families is Beyond the Bagel, and is great for those with big appetites and a hunger for knowledge!

Can I request custom tour routes, special stops on a tour, or a general tour of a district?

No, we only offer the tours viewable on our website.

I prefer to go at my own pace, do you have any self-guided tours?

No, we do not offer self-guided tours.

Do you offer car or bus tours?

No, for safety and insurance reasons our guides cannot lead tours from vehicles. We are happy to recommend local bus tours.

Can you combine tours?

No, our tours follow a meticulously researched and created narrative and route, linking stories with historic sites and buildings.

Why are there no tours available 6 months from now?

Tours are generally scheduled 4-6 weeks in advance. Private tours can be booked ahead of time by contacting us at tours@imjm.ca

The tour I want to take is not available on the day I want to visit, why?

We do not offer every tour on every day. Please refer to our tours calendar for a schedule of tours, or you can request a private tour booking.

Can I still book a tour if it is past the tour cutoff time?

You cannot book a tour if the ticket sales cutoff time has passed. Cutoff times vary by season, please check the tours page for the current cutoff time. Please note that Beyond the Bagel food tour tickets must be purchased 48 hours in advance year-round.

Where do tours start? Where do I meet the tour guide?

Our walking tours Making their Mark, In the Shadow of the Mountain, and Rabbis, Writers and Radicals meet outside of 3961 Boul. Saint-Laurent (intersection Napoleon). Beyond the Bagel meets outside of 5723 Park Ave (intersection Bernard under the Rialto Theatre sign).

Where can I park?

The Museum of Jewish Montreal does not offer onsite parking. Metered street parking is available, but sometimes limited. Please allow plenty of additional time to find parking if you require it. You can download the P$ Mobile Service app from the App store and Google Play to refill your meter remotely.

Where can I eat nearby?

We’re around the corner from Fairmount Bagel, St-Viateur Bagel, and Wilensky’s, all classics of Eastern European Jewish cuisine. A few minutes further away is the brunch classic Beauty’s, along with Hof Kelsten, one of the city’s best bakeries. Equally superb is Cheskie’s in Outremont, the go-to place for treats popular in the Hasidic community. Next door is Deli 365, the kosher spot for smoked meat, just down the street from Lester’s (also a classic, but not kosher.) Finally, you can get your falafel fix nearby on St-Viateur at Falafel Yoni, and some incredible smoked salmon at Zaidies nearby.

Are your tours suitable for young children and teenagers?

That depends! Teenagers and children of all ages are welcome on our tours, however our tours can last upwards of 2 hours and are historical in nature, which some kids love and some kids don’t.

Can I tip my tour guide?

As a not-for-profit charitable corporation, our guides do not accept tips for their tours. If you enjoyed your experience, please consider making a donation to the Museum. All gifts will help us continue our important work researching Montreal’s Jewish history and creating new cultural experiences for the public.

What is your tour cancellation policy?

  • Tours will run rain or shine, unless there are severe weather conditions.
  • Tour ticket exchanges must be requested 48 hours in advance.
  • Only cancellations made 24 hours in advance of tours will be refunded.
  • Cancellations with less than 24 hours notice will only be refunded in the event of severe weather conditions or in the presence of lightning.
  • Please contact us at tours@imjm.ca for our private and group tours cancellation policy.