Montreal 1976: An Olympic Feat

In the wake of Expo 67, and driven by the ambition of Mayor Jean Drapeau, Montreal underwent a profound transformation, evolving from a North American metropolis into an international city. Guided by Olympic ideals and a desire to assert Montreal’s modernity and distinct identity on the world stage, Drapeau championed the city’s bid to host the 1976 Olympic Games. 

This project was the culmination of his vision, marked by the creation of major institutions and infrastructure, the emergence of strong architectural symbols, and the development of a cohesive image supported by innovative visual design.

The Montreal administration used the Games as an opportunity to launch an ambitious cultural initiative. Taking advantage of this global platform, the Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games established a design office and enlisted renowned architects and artists—including Roger Taillibert, who designed the Stadium and the Velodrome—to develop a strong, cohesive and resolutely modern visual identity. Montreal 1976 stands as a rare example where design, culture, architecture, organization, the city and sport are so closely intertwined that they form a single, unified whole. From architecture and signage to posters and uniforms, the Games’ aesthetic combined local creative innovation with the international trends of the time.

While the exhibition focuses on the behind-the-scenes organization, the Montreal Games also witnessed defining moments in international sport:

• On July 18, 1976, Romanian gymnast Nadia Comăneci scored the first perfect 10.00 in Olympic history on the uneven bars.
• Canadian athlete Greg Joy delivered a memorable performance on July 31, clearing 2.23 m in the high jump final to win silver for Canada.
• American swimmer Shirley Babashoff played a key role in a dramatic victory in the 4×100 m freestyle relay, amid tense rivalries and controversy surrounding East German doping.
• On July 30, 1976, Caitlyn Jenner, who was competing at the time as Bruce Jenner, won the decathlon and was hailed as “the greatest athlete in the world.”

Organizing the Games proved to be a formidable challenge. Major obstacles marked the preparations—cost overruns, inflation, labour strikes and the Corridart controversy—making the lead-up to 1976 an ordeal in its own right. These local tensions were compounded by significant international pressures. The boycott by 29 African countries, the issue of Taiwan’s non-recognition, and the lingering impact of the Munich massacre profoundly shaped the dynamics of the event. 

And yet, the Montreal Games were ultimately hailed as a resounding success, with Mayor Jean Drapeau receiving standing ovations at both the opening and closing ceremonies. 

The 1976 Games left a lasting imprint that continues to shape Montreal’s identity. Sport transformed the city, but the city, in turn, shaped the sporting experience, with urban features influencing how competitions unfolded.

This legacy is first and foremost tangible: the major infrastructure built for the event—the Olympic Stadium, the Velodrome and the Olympic Village—have become defining architectural landmarks of Montreal. The Games also sparked lasting enthusiasm for amateur sport and broadened participation across Quebec, one of the most significant legacies of 1976.

Mindful of environmental issues and convinced that museums have a role to play in the transition to a more sustainable future, the McCord Stewart Museum has set itself the goal of minimizing the amount of waste produced by its exhibitions while maintaining the standards of quality, integrity and accessibility that underpin its mission.

Discover the sustainable-development-process →

Therefore, before designing the Montreal 1976: An Olympic Feat exhibition, the Museum conducted an extensive review to identify practical strategies to reduce its environmental impact, consistent with the principles of eco-design, sustainability and the circular economy.

The exhibition design relies largely on the reuse of existing resources. Picture rails, curved walls, benches and display cases were all sourced from the Museum’s stock of materials, thus limiting the need to build new elements. Only a few items—the cauldron, three tables, trestles and panels for the primary texts—were constructed expressly for the exhibition. However, they were specially designed to ensure they could be used again in future projects.

All of the multimedia equipment used in the exhibition (screens, projectors, headphones, sound monitors and computers) came from the Museum’s inventory. The exhibition texts were printed on new selfadhesive vinyl, as were the labels and largeformat photographs.

In yellow: created for the exhibition

An exhibition produced by the McCord Stewart Museum.

The exhibition Montreal 1976: An Olympic Feat is part of the official programming to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Olympic Games. This project was made possible thanks to the financial support of the City of Montreal, the Québec government and Tourisme Montréal.

In addition to acting as a media partner for the exhibition, Radio-Canada has provided access to its precious archives, sharing a selection of audiovisual recordings that have enriched the exhibition content.

Project Management
Catherine K. Laflamme, Senior Project Manager, Exhibitions

Curatorship
Christian Vachon, Curator, Documentary Art

Scenario
Katherine Melançon, Christian Vachon and Catherine K. Laflamme

Exhibition Texts
Christian Vachon, Cynthia Cooper and Katherine Melançon

Audiovisual Elements
Stéphanie Poisson, Head, Digital Outreach, Collections and Exhibitions

Exhibition Design
Lupien + Matteau

Graphic Design
David Martin

Advisory Committee
Dinu Bumbaru, Policy Director, Héritage Montréal
Marc H. Choko, Professor Emeritus, UQAM School of Design
Paul Foisy, Executive Director, Centre d’histoire de Saint-Hyacinthe
Carina Marinelli, Certified Graphic Designer

McCord Stewart Museum Team

Pascale Grignon, Senior Director, Programs and Engagement

François Vallée, Head, Exhibitions
Annie-Pier Brunelle, Assistant, Exhibitions

Mélissa Jacques, Supervisor, Technical Services, Exhibitions
Olivier LeBlanc-Roy, Technician, Exhibitions
Siloë Leduc, Technician, Exhibitions
Joëlle Blanchette, Technician, Exhibitions
Philippe Bélanger, Technician, Exhibitions

Caterina Florio, Head, Conservation
Sara Serban, Conservator
María Castañeda Delgado, Conservator
Sonia Kata, Conservator
Caroline Bourgeois, Conservation Assistant

Karine Rousseau, Head, Collections Management
Geneviève Déziel, Cataloguing Coordinator, Collections Management
Camille Deshaies-Forget,  Assistant, Collections Management
Heather McNabb, Reference Archivist, Archives and Documentation Centre
Josianne Venne, Senior Technician, Collections Management
Jean-Christophe Chenette, Senior Technician, Collections Management
Lorie-Anne Chamberland, Technician, Collections Management

Laura Dumitriu, Senior Photographer
Roger Aziz, Photographer
Anne-Frédérique Beaulieu, Officer, Digital Outreach, Collections and Exhibitions

Maria Luisa Romano, Head, Education, Community Engagement and Cultural Programs
Clara Chouinard, Project Manager, Education, Community Engagement and Cultural Programs
Facilitator Team

Catherine Morellon, Head, Communications
Anne-Marie Demers, Graphic Designer

External Team

Video Editing and Creation
Tomi Grgicevic

Soundtrack
Jonathan Cayer

Editing and Translation
Edith Skewes-Cox, English
Pascale Guertin, French

Lighting Design
LightFactor

Graphic Production
Pro Séri

Construction of Exhibition Modules and Accessories
Acmé décors
Tak Design

Installation
Espace Montage

Audiovisual Installation
Eric Fauque
Eric Le Brec’h

Painting
René Gauthier

The Museum would like to thank its team and all those who contributed, directly or indirectly, to the presentation of this exhibition.