Discovering the history of Île Sainte-Hélène

While Montrealers are familiar with Île Sainte-Hélène and Île Notre-Dame as remarkable spaces that host culture, sports and outdoor activities, the islands’ history remains largely unknown beyond the lasting memories of Expo 67 and the 1976 Olympic Games.

The lecture provides an overview of this history since precolonial times through a wealth of iconographic resources and maps from the collections of the McCord Museum, the Stewart Museum and other Montréal institutions. Over the course of the talk, archive curator Mathieu Lapointe will highlight some of the exceptional moments in the human experience on the islands and discuss their strategic purpose, uses, transformations and role as key locations in the representation of Montréal through the centuries.

Mathieu Lapointe

Curator, Archives at the Museum, Mathieu Lapointe earned a PhD in Canadian history from York University in Toronto, a master’s in history from Université de Montréal and an additional training in information technology. As a specialist in Montreal history and Quebec culture and ideologies, he has taken a particular interest in the history of citizen movements, moralizing rhetoric, and public inquiries in 20th century Montreal.

Information

Free online activity, in French, presented on Friday, May 13, 2022, at 12 p.m.
The event will take place online on Zoom and will be broadcast live on the Museum’s Facebook page.
Register now: Zoom Registration • Facebook Event
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