Travel Blog

24 Mar

Francine Lelièvre highlights Pointe-à-Callière’s 2015 program

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Francine Lelièvre is Executive Director of Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History. We asked her to give us some of the highlights of the Museum’s rich 2015 program, which runs the gamut from Greece gods and Aztec warriors to snowballs and sleuths.

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You were the founder, creator and director of the Pointe-à-Callière project during the 350th anniversary of the founding of Montréal and you have been the museum director ever since. In a way, it’s your baby. Which of the museum’s achievements are you most proud of?

What I am really proud of is that Pointe-à-Callière is a museum that specializes in archeology and history and it’s the most comprehensive museum of its kind in Canada. Pointe-à-Callière is the only museum of archeology in the world to use new technologies, particularly for multimedia performances and the creation of virtual characters. In way, that’s what put us on the map from the moment the museum was founded in 1992. That’s why, just six months after our opening, the Louvre considered us as one of the five major archaeological sites in the world.

We are also proud of our contribution to the improvement and revitalization of the Old Montréal district. In the early years, it was as if Old Montréal had fallen into a deep sleep. Twenty years later, the change has been phenomenal. The area is now so beautiful, so welcoming, and so very attractive and charming thanks to key contributors, such as the Ville de Montréal and the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications.

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Your 2015 program of temporary exhibitions is rich and varied, ranging from the Greeks to the Aztecs. What would you say are the must-see works in these two major exhibitions?

Two giants back to back! The Greeks features works from ancient Greece spanning 5,000 years of history. The goal was to present pieces that could be identified, that actually belonged to someone and could tell a story. This is very rare in ancient civilizations, which gives extraordinary value to this exhibition. One of the golden masks that have been identified as belonging to Agamemnon has never even left Greece before. It was only removed from its case once, and that was during World War II to hide it so it wouldn’t be stolen. We also have the gold crowns of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, and a huge bust of King Leonidas. The exhibition even has objects that were used for the first Olympics in the eighth century B.C., along with busts of poets and philosophers like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, pieces that bear witness to the birth of democracy in Greece.

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The Aztecs was another great challenge. Our focus is to go back to the history of Mexico. Many of the pieces are from the Templo Mayor: these are finds from the excavations over the past 30 years in the heart of the old city. These pieces have almost never left the country. For example, the Eagle Knight, a life-sized pottery knight with huge wings, is spectacular. We will also have a turquoise mask.

Can you tell us more about the Agatha Christie and Archaeology exhibition? Where did the idea come from?

I for one am a fan of thrillers and so, obviously, I’m a fan of Agatha Christie. Historically, I knew that her second husband was an archaeologist for the British Museum in London, and that she accompanied him on archaeological excavations. If you read They Came to Baghdad, Murder on the Orient Express (because she travelled on the Orient Express train) or Death on the Nile, we see that archeology influenced her enormously. Agatha Christie had an exciting and unusual life for a British woman of that era. I think it will be a fascinating exhibition.

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Can you tell us about Snow?

Oh yes, our new temporary exhibition! Snow is with us several months of the year and yet we forget to think about the impact it has had on us, and on our country and our city. Historically, from the time of the Natives, we have had to adapt to snow. This adaptation has led us to innovate, to find ways to move around, to communicate, and to survive, basically. Poets, filmmakers, painters, singers and artists are all affected by snow. The exhibition is very accessible and fun and brings back lots of memories. And for tourists who have never seen snow, it’s a real discovery.

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The museum offers many activities for children and families, including “Archaeo-adventures”. What would you consider a perfect family day at the museum?

I would start with Pirates or Privateers?, which really captivates children. Then we could go on an Archaeo-adventure workshop where children do real excavations and become a real archaeologist for an hour, so to speak. There is also the new multimedia show, Yours Truly, Montréal, which is fun for all ages because of the high-tech elements. In the summer, you won’t want to miss the 18th-Century Public Market at the end of August (August 22 and 23 this year). And, of course, major exhibitions like The Greeks are very interactive. We set up five or six activities where children (and adults) can touch certain objects. To end the day, try our restaurant, L’Arrivage, a well-kept secret. We offer packages for families and for kids 5 years and under, it’s free!

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What’s the one thing anyone visiting Montréal should absolutely do (besides Pointe-à-Callière, of course)?

People must go for a walk in Old Montréal. It gets more beautiful every day and offers very different views from season to season. Old Montréal and the Old Port is a wonderful walk. When I leave in the morning, in spring or summer, I walk a lot and I always find it so beautiful. It’s so quiet, the light is gorgeous, we see the river, hear the birds and smell the scent of croissants is in the air. So, you have it all! With everything the city has to offer, your day could start very early and finish quite late.

The Greeks – Agamemnon to Alexander the Great, until April 26, 2015

Snow, until January 3, 2016

The Aztecs, People of the Sun, from May 29 to October 25, 2015

18th-Century Public Market, August 22 and 23, 2015

Agatha Christie and Archaeology, from December 9, 2015 to April 17, 2016

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