Free things to do in Montreal!
There are also various free things to do in Montreal throughout the year at a number of Montréal parks, all museums have free days, usually once a week. Seniors and children are often admitted free and on one day a year, usually around May 24th, all Montreal museums are free for the entire day.
Visit the Jean-Talon market in the north end or the Atwater Market in the west end of Montréal, both of which are located near metro stops. Both festivals are free and held on Ste. Catherine Street East. Attend free outdoor movie screenings.
Quebec City’s Notre Dame Basilica is located in Old Montréal, a great walking city with free walking tours, a waterfront area, and great cycling and walking routes along the river. Montreal is a great people watching city particularly along St. Denis and St. Laurent streets.
On a rainy day you may visit the Grand Library and the Redpath Museum across from McGill University, and two contemporary art museums – the DHC in Old Montréal and L’Arsenal in Griffentown – that offer free admission.
As Montrealers, we are very proud to bring you the best free things to do in Montreal in 2021! Enjoy!
RECOMMENDED: Mega Guide – Things to do in Montreal!
Redpath Museum (Longueuil)
Formed in 1882 by the generosity of the sugar baron who supported the museum, the Redpath features a wide range of fossils (including dinosaurs), skeletons of rare and extinct animals, rocks and minerals, and Egyptian antiquities. Because of its close connection to McGill University, the Redpath Museum offers science-based courses and educational resources for all school levels up to the university level. Students who are interested in biosystematics and evolutionary biology can find several supervisors working on different topics as well as new courses periodically.
It’s a premier science museum with exhibitions, classes, and resources for every stage of education.
The admission fee is $10 for adults, it is usually free for children.
Musée des Beaux Arts de Montreal
The Musee des Beaux Arts, which opened in 1860, is the oldest museum in Canada and holds some of the finest collections in the country. Its permanent collection includes works by Canadian artists and those by European masters.
This museum presents a collection of indigenous Canadian artifacts and period furnishings, along with drawings, engravings, silverware, and works of art from ancient Asia, Egypt, Greece, and South America.
More contemporary exhibitions are an examination of the advertising campaign of Andy Warhol, as well as the work of local photographers.
Admission to collections and discovery exhibits is free for all on the first Sunday of the month, and for those 20 or younger every day. Everyone over 65 receives free admission on Thursdays.
Free admission is offered to youth under the age of 20 on the first Sunday of each month and during the day on Thursdays. Seniors 65+ are admitted for free on Thursdays. Major exhibitions are half-priced each Wednesday after 5 p.m. Closed on Mondays.
Mont Royal
In addition to its well-lit cross, Mont Royal, designed by Olmstead of Central Park fame, provides opportunities for hiking trails and various outdoor activities. It is also a natural oasis for local flora and fauna and rare tree species.
Mount Royal is home to Saint Joseph’s Oratory, one of the world’s most visited pilgrimage sites. The basilica’s dome is second only to Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome in height. The dome measures 97 meters.
The founder of this shrine, Saint Brother Andre, the humble doorkeeper who inspired its construction in 1904, dedicated it to Saint Joseph. Within it are the original chapel, a votive chapel, a crypt church, and a basilica which can host over 2,200 people.
Its pipe organs and carillon with 56 bells honor the world’s best composers, and its votive chapel contains items left behind by thankful pilgrims in memory of a supposed healing.
Mont Royal has activities throughout the year, making it one of the best Free Things to Do in the city.
It is worth coming to the tam-tam drumming sessions near the monument to Sir George-Etienne on Sunday afternoons (weather permitting) as locals gather to play music, sing, and dance.
Casino de Montreal
Casino de Montreal is one of the three casinos in Quebec and offers world-class gaming, dining and entertainment. With 3200 slot machines, 115 gaming tables and a keno lounge, there’s something for everyone.
You can choose from a wide array of fine and casual dining options. There are also four bars and a performance hall to keep you entertained outside of gaming.
Only persons 18 and older are permitted to enter the facility, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Dress code is business to business casual for ladies.
The scenic park provides great city views, and the restaurants and bars are very convenient.
This modernist gambling complex is a 24-hour gambling complex with free shows and excellent views at the Expo 67 site.
BanQ Grande Bibliothèque
In a 5-story building with 2000 reading armchairs and 1,140,000 books, the Grande Bibliotheque has 4,000,000 works including 1,140,000 books. There are also exhibitions and exhibitions to enjoy.
A great rainy-day or cold weather retreat, the national and universal collections are housed in separate wooden rooms called Chambres de Bois, a reference to Anne Hebert’s novel Les Chambres de Bois.
There are multiple floors delimited by wooden slat walls that allow indirect natural light to pass, but obstruct it when necessary depending on the conservation needs of the collection.Quebec-grown yellow birch was used to make the slats, the official tree of Quebec.
One plot of the sculpture garden will be developed with the sculpture and landscape each year, north of the building.
Bois-De-Liesse Nature Park
This nature preserve is located on the northwestern part of the island of Montréal. With a magnificent hardwood forest, it is a non-profit conservation park that offers visitors the chance to observe marine life, wild plants and birds of the region.
You can observe a variety of plants and animals in the park, including American beavers, map turtles, flowering rushes, and the chickadee, chickadee, nuthatch, and the Dark-eyed Junco.
During the week, visitors may have this paradise all to themselves while watching wood ducks flounder in Bertrand Creek.
The park is a unique conservation park with a diverse ecosystem and hosts black maple trees.
To avoid parking fees and to visit during the week, Sherel recommends visiting during the week.
Basilique Notre-Dame
It is located in Old Montreal in the middle of the Basilica Notre-Dame, a neogothic structure began construction in 1829. A former prime minister and celine dion were married in this building.
Notre-Dame Basilica was designed in the manner and scale of Europe’s best churches. Rumour has it that its engineer, James O’Donnell, a protestant builder turned catholic after designing the basilica.
A small, on-site museum exhibits religious artifacts, paintings and vestments. Fine woodwork, rose-crown windows and vaulted ceilings add to this place’s charm.
There is no fee to attend Mass here, nor to pray and/or meditate. A small visitor fee may apply for everyone over six.
The most beautiful and famous basilica in Montreal is where world-famous prime minister Pierre Trudeau was buried, and where Celine Dion was married.
For early morning prayer, the entrance to the Basilica remains free (Monday through Friday at 7 am, Saturday at 8 am, and Sunday at 7:30 AM).
Old Port of Montreal
The Old Port Quays are a treasure trove of history. The first colonists arrived on the St. Lawrence on the shores of this port and it was thanks to this port that old Ville-Marie grew into a thriving international city.
The Old Port and the Lachine Canal will provide hours of healthy entertainment on an environmentally-friendly, intimate, and silent boat.
A hot summer day is a perfect time to explore Montreal’s marine life and historical heritage in the Old Port. It gives visitors a unique perspective of Montreal.
Looking for a place for a first date? The Lachine Canal and the old port of Montreal are excellent choices. In the summer, there is often a lot of life in these 2 neighborhoods. You will also find many cafés and good restaurants.
The free walking tours of Old Montreal continue here; you can view free fireworks as you walk.
As parking is costly in Old Port, it is best to take public transportation. The ferries generally operate from May to October.
Angrignon Park
Montreal’s Angrignon Park is located at the west end of the city. Angrignon is reached by exiting the Metro and then walking westward.
The park encompasses a vast expanse of green space with a long pond in the middle. It is home to a large community garden with more than 100 plots in the larger area. They also have a 6-mile walking trail and 7-mile cross-country skiing trails.
There are picnic tables along des Trinitaires. The park’s heart was remodeled in 2000 and now gives an impression of an idyllic retreat from the city.
A variety of trails of varying lengths can be found at Angrignon Park, which is a great place to hike or cross-country ski.
Visit on weekdays when it is less crowded; weekends can be quite hectic.
If you love parks, you will also love Parc Jean-Drapeau, Parc La Fontaine and Mount Royal Park. They are all free and beautiful in their own way.
Marché Jean-Talon
The Jean-Talon Market is the main attraction in Little Italy (Petite Italie) located in the north end of Montreal. Since 1934, the Jean-Talon Market has provided Montreal with fresh Quebec products and specialty items from around the world.
Fine herbs are available throughout the year at Jean-Talon and are available daily except December 25 and 26. It is closed from January 1 and January 2nd.
The area is a great place to not only shop for produce (including pesticide-free items), fish, meat and specialty ice cream, but for lunch as well.
For under a dollar, you can get lamb, pork, chicken burgers, and even bison on a stick.
This is the oldest market in North America open daily except December 25, December 26, January 1 and January 2nd.
This market’s size makes it impossible to park cars, so arrive early to find neighborhood parking.
FAQ
Are museums free in montreal?
Art museums, most of which offer a day or time when admission is free to the public, have expositions varying from the historic to contemporary. The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts permanent museum is free at all times. Temporary exhibitions are by admission only.
What is there to do in montreal on a budget?
You can do a lot of things in Montreal without spending a lot.
- Cycling with Bixi
- Eating and drinking at Jeaane-Mance Park
- Going to walk and consume in the market Jean-Talon
- Visit art galleries
- Eat ice cream
What is there to do indoors in montreal?
- Going to the movies
- Indoor mini putt
- Ceramic Café
- The botanical garden
- Trampoline Making
- Throwing axes
- Science Centre
- Climbing