Château Ramezay - Musée et site historique de Montréal — Attraction in Montreal

Very nice museum, right in Old Montreal, steps from the Old Port.

The main floor has a lot of artifacts from the when Mr. Ramezay would have been alive, including some really old legal tender from before the Bank of Canada issued legal tender.

For me though, the real beauty was in a few of the first rooms you enter. The detailed wood panelling on the walls were hand carved! I'm a bit confused about their origins though as they were brought into Château Ramezay at a later date, so possibly not original. In any case, very beautiful rooms.

On the basement level the walls and ceilings had a very different look and feel, and almost seemed more like what I'd expect from that era. The basement is also staged like what it would have been like at that time, so you can imagine yourself there at that time, and what it might have been like.

We went during the pandemic, on a Sunday morning, and we had the place to ourselves as well, so that was wonderful. If you're going to visit, I'd highly suggest a Sunday morning if you want the place to yourself... Well, at least during the pandemic where foot traffic is likely to be less.

We visited a bit early in the year, so the gardens behind the château aren't blooming yet, however the gardens are free to visit any time for anyone, no tickets required, so we'll go back in a month or so to check them out.

All in all, nice château and museum, and the tickets are cheap, so I'd say...

fact first: Château Ramezay - Historic Site and Museum of Montréal was selected by a team of experts, in collaboration with UNESCO, as one of the 1001 historic sites you must see before you die. (and they are flaunting this at the entrance ;)

It is a museum and historic building on Notre Dame Street in Old Montreal, opposite Montreal City Hall in Montreal, Quebec,

though interesting history behind this- Claude de Ramezay was the governor of Montreal from 1703 to 1724. He decided that, as governor, he needed to have a grand home that befits the importance of the office. Ramezay went a little overboard, spending way too much of his own money to build his Château.

But the Château earned him bragging rights: he wrote to the minister in France saying that his house was undoubtedly the most beautiful in Canada (and was definitely better than the governor of Québec City's house).

Another fact for history buff: The year was 1776, and the Continental Congress of Philadelphia sent Benjamin Franklin to Canada. His mission was to persuade Canadians to join the American Revolution. When he came to Montreal, a reception was organized for him here at the...

Some museums exist because it holds the essence of history, others a sham of the fare they charged for admission. This one is the former. A ticket of 14$ gives you full access to the ground floor and two basements beneath the estate. 300 years of heritage laid bare: the change of ownership from French to English, back to French, then American during their invasion of 1775, and their eventual return to French Canada; the 4 eras (fur trade, settlement, Revolutionary years, and Canadian independence), 3 fires that razed the city, and 2 wars; it's rich. It's the very house Benjamin Franklin stayed at during his visit to convince Canadians to join the 13 colonies, where fur traders before him and colleges, priests, and governors after him lodged in the very same. The basement isn't wheelchair accessible but the rest of the house offers audiovisual hearing aids on both floors in 8 languages. The place had enough history to warrant a 6 hour stay. The staff is friendly, informative in 3 languages, and the fountain in the back garden...