PAC 2025: Sherlock Holmes

SHERLOCK HOLMES: CRACKING THE CASE

Delve into the mysterious domain of the world’s most famous detective and his author!

November 27, 2025 - March 8, 2026

Pointe-à-Callière extends the exhibition
until March 29, 2026 

The Montreal’s Pointe-à-Callière, the Archaeology and History Complex, presents a new exhibion Sherlock Holmes: Cracking the Case The visitors will discover writer Arthur Conan Doyle and his legendary detective, Sherlock Holmes. At the same time it reveals a surprising connection to Montréal and the early days of police investigation.

Embarking on an immersive historical journey, visitors will make their way to the late-19th century London, the author’s source of inspiration. It was an era marked by scientific progress and the development of investigative techniques. The exhibition also features personal items that belonged to Conan Doyle, some of which are being presented exclusively in North America.

Anne Élisabeth Thibault, the Executive Director, Pointe-à-Callière, stated:

“We are delighted to present this major international exhibition dedicated to Sherlock Holmes. It immerses visitors in every aspect of Conan Doyle’s work and allows us to draw a parallel with a little-known chapter in the city’s history: the creation of the Montréal Detective Bureau. Among the items on display are authentic manuscripts, Arthur Conan Doyle’s actual desk, which has just been restored, his quill, his inkwell, as well as unique objects from the author’s time in Montréal.”

ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE AND 19th CENTURY LONDON

A physician, writer, and traveler, Arthur Conan Doyle drew on his personal experiences to fuel his imagination. He was also inspired by his era—the Victorian golden age—thaytwas marked by industrial, cultural, and scientific transformations (ballistics, telecommunications, photography, botany, etc.). This rich context allowed him to shape the world of Sherlock Holmes, a detective “of his time” with an atypical personality and vast general knowledge that enabled him to make connections between various disciplines. The character is renowned for his unique investigative methods, using the methodical analysis of clues and scientific experimentation to solve crimes—at a time when the police were still hesitant to adopt these forensic approaches.

With four novels, 56 short stories, and countless adaptations for the stage and screen over more than a century, Sherlock Holmes has become the archetype of the detective, an iconic character recognized throughout the world and rooted in the collective imagination.

A STOP IN MONTRÉAL: THE BIRTH OF INVESTIGATIVE POLICING

In this exhibition, Pointe-à-Callière is also taking a unique look at Montréal police at the turn of the 20th century as they faced increased activity in organized crime, the red-light district, and the opium trade. Following London’s lead, Montréal was increasingly influenced by the exciting advancements in European police investigation, with its law enforcement agencies becoming more institutionalized and professional. The era of Sherlock Holmes coincided with the beginnings of investigative policing, the creation of the Montréal Detective Bureau, and the establishment of the first forensic science laboratory in North America. This is an opportunity to learn more about Detective Silas Carpenter, a true Sherlock Holmes from Québec!

AN EXHIBITION THAT MAKES YOU THE DETECTIVE!

Strolling through immersive, life-size settings, the visitors will get to follow in Sherlock Holmes’ footsteps to solve a unique criminal case! Every clue means something! Observation, evidence, analysis… visitors will have to put their detective skills to the test to unravel the mystery. A fun and captivating experience, with a focus on Holmes’ reasoning and ingenuity.

COMPLEMENTING THE EXHIBITION

Cultural Activities
Explore the astonishing world of Sherlock Holmes and extend your exhibition visit:
-Holidays on the Pointe (December 27 to 30, 2025 and January 2 to 3, 2026)
-Nuit blanche (February 28, 2026)
-Spring Break on the Pointe: Little Sherlocks (February 28 to March 6, 2026)

Lectures
The Museum is holding a series of lectures relating to the exhibition:
-Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes (Thursday, December 4, 2025 at 7 pm)
-Silas Carpenter, Montréal’s Sherlock Holmes (Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 7 pm)

Exhibition Booklet
Designed to help you crack the case, booklets are available free of charge at the reception counter:
-Youth Booklet (ages 6 and under)
-Booklet for all audiences

All photos in this article @ Nadia Slejskova

For more information visit the Pointe-à-Callière museum website.

www.pacmusee.qc.ca

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Sherlock Holmes: Cracking the Case is an exhibition presented by Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal’s Archaeology and History Complex, in collaboration with the Conan Doyle Estate Limited, developed from an original concept by Exhibits Development Group and Geoffrey M. Curley + Associates. The Museum thanks its sponsors: Air Canada Cargo, YUL-Montréal-Trudeau International Airport, Tourisme Montréal, Hotel Saint-Sulpice, and La Presse. The Museum sincerely thanks its lenders, sponsors, and partners.

ABOUT POINTE-À-CALLIÈRE, MONTRÉAL ARCHAEOLOGY AND HISTORY COMPLEX

Inaugurated in 1992, on the city’s 350th anniversary, Pointe-à-Callière is today the largest archaeology museum in Canada and the busiest history museum in Montréal. Rising above a concentrated number of historic and archaeological sites of national significance—including the birthplace of Montréal—, the Museum has a mission to preserve its collections and to further knowledge, while showcasing and fostering an appreciation for Montréal’s archaeological and historical heritage. This mission is carried out through various activities focused on conservation, research, presentation, education, and inclusion, along with community initiatives benefiting both the Montrealers and the visitors to the city. Pointe-à-Callière, proud partner of the City of Montréal.

The Little Prince Exposition 2024

THE LITTLE PRINCE AMONG MEN Exposition

Le Petit Prince Parmi Les Homme

May 1 - June 30, 2024

At Place Bonaventure

Everyone knows the book The Little Prince, but do you know the man behind this work?

Discover the fascinating life of the book's author Antoine de Saint Exupéry who was not only a writer, but also an aviator, postal worker, poet and philosopher. The exhibition highlights one of the best-selling works in the world through animated images, as well as by portraying the author's destiny and his fascination with planes. It includes film projections, audiovisual montages and testimonies from the writer, his family and his friends, as well as many other documents.

The life of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry fascinates as much as the literary character of the Little Prince he created in his book. Between his birth on June 29, 1900 and his death on July 31, 1944 when he perished in a fatal plane crash, the French writer lived an intense and even a hectic life.

Antoine de Saint Exupéry's life is portrayed and explained to visitors through 32 exhibition stations which the public visits one by one. All the stations are explained by the audio guide given to each visitor at the entry to the exhibition.

It would take approximately one or one and a half hours to visit the exposition. But it might take longer if one intends to closely read and examine various documents in many displays protected under the glass.

Visit Montreal, Place Bonaventure, for an experience that is both quite interesting and enriching.

FREE for children aged 4 and under.

More information here.

Click on images to enlarge them.

All Photos @ Nadia Slejskova

This article's dedicated internet address, or also click on the title above the very first photo in this article.

 

Blue Metropolis 2023

BLUE METROPOLIS 2023

INTERNATIONAL LITERARY FESTIVAL
25th EDITION

PROGRAM UNVEILING

March 16, 2023

Online from April 12

Special event with Margaret Atwood on April 17

The future of the planet, of democracy and identities, of languages and people, and of our imaginations: this is the theme of the 2023 edition of the Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival, gearing up to celebrate 25 years. It all kicks off online starting April 12, and culminates in a massive in-person program from April 27 to 30 in Montreal, at beautiful Hotel 10. What will the decades to come hold for our communities, our literature, our freedoms and aspirations? Festivalgoers will have a chance to look ahead with a staggering range of author events and performances in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and other languages such as Welsh, Ojibway, ancient Greek, and Innu-Aimun, and featuring over 200 Quebec, Canadian, and international writers, thinkers, and artists converging on Montreal. Not to miss is a pre-Festival live event with Margaret Atwood on April 17.

"We are thrilled and honoured to offer such important authors and thought-provoking events for this special 25th anniversary edition of the Festival. We now reach beyond Montreal with our extensive online programming, and eagerly anticipate the buzz of in person gatherings and lively discussions. This year, our illustrious invited writers look to the future, I can't wait to join them and share their gaze."– Marie-Andrée Lamontagne, Director General, Programming and Communications, Blue Metropolis

Leading voices from here and abroad

This anniversary edition shines a bright light on Montreal’s thriving literary communities, and features local writers alongside nationally and internationally acclaimed authors.

As a very special pre-festival event, on April 17 at St. James United Church, Margaret Atwood is in conversation onstage talking about Old Babes in the Woods, her latest collection of short stories. The Festival’s illustrious April 27-30 program includes a packed lineup of storied writers—Duncan Mercredi, the 2023 laureate of the Blue Metropolis First Peoples Prize; 2023 Azul Prize laureate Lina Meruane; British author Philippe Sands; Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Paul Harding; American-Canadian novelist Rivka Galchen; Israeli writer Yaël Neeman; French travel writer Sylvain Tesson; and 2022 Governor General-winning Anishinaabe author Eli Baxter, among many more. Michael Ondaatje, internationally acclaimed author of Warlight and The English Patient, will be recognized for his body of work with the 2023 Blue Metropolis International Grand Prize.

Not to be missed is a conversation on Leonard Cohen at the Congregation Shaar Hashomayim with writer and international law expert Philippe Sands, along with cantor Gideon Zelermyer; and a sci-fi retelling of the Haudenosaunee confederation story from Mohawk multimedia artist Skawennati, among other Indigenous events and many highlights. The Festival also presents a special evening with Blue Metropolis founder Linda Leith, a big night for the Atwater Poetry Project, local favourites Dimitri Nasrallah, Christopher DiRaddo, and Daniel Allen Cox on how Montreal is evolving, and an intimate conversation with most recent Blue Metropolis/Conseil des arts de Montréal New Horizons Prize laureates Tawhida Tanya Evanson (2022) and the 2023 winner, whose name will be unveiled on April 29^th during the Grand Prix award ceremony. 

Major event series

Blue Met is back with its always special series programming.

The regularly sold-out Jerusalem of the Mind event returns featuring Israel author Maya Savir and Palestinian filmmaker Rami Younis, with Montrealers Carlos Fraenkel and Ehab Lotayef. This year’s panel sparks questions like: What is an activist’s role? A writer’s? How does the current political situation affect literature in Palestine and Israel? Expect another packed Almemar series.

Meanwhile, the Book under Pressure series addresses current issues in the literary world and the book industry, while the popular Azul series features acclaimed authors Jorge Carríon, Cristina Morales and Carol Bensimon. Worth noting is the LGBTQ+ series, featuring a special Violet Hour reading event and numerous queer and trans authors, including Su J. Sokol, Festival spokesperson Gabrielle Boulianne-Tremblay, Laura Doyle Péan, Jen Currin, and 2023 Blue Metropolis Violet Prize laureate, playwright  Michel Marc Bouchard. The Festival’s series on sci-fi and fantasy draws readers into lesser-known, strange, and stimulating worlds-- queer speculative fiction, hope punk, Afrofantasy and graphic video books. The NEXT series is the most ambitious emerging artist programming yet. It focuses on English-language talent from underrepresented communities, offering workshops, carte blanche events, and podcasts featuring community leaders.

Get Your Festival Pass and rebates

The Festival Pass is back with a twist. For $25, festivalgoers have access to the Festival’s bountiful program, along with a special $25 rebate on books at Paragraphe Bookstore, the Festival’s official bookseller, which will be setting up shop at Hotel 10 from April 27 to 30 inclusively.

The future is online too

The Festival’s virtual program is really hitting its stride, with three events starting April 12: a tribute to Innu poet Josephine Bacon, winner of the First Peoples Prize; a conversation between Gioconda Belli and Claudia Piñeiro; and a discussion on capitalism and literature. The online programming kicked off in late February with the Tio’tia:ke/Montréal literary walking tour, a Strides podcast series that takes a decolonial look at Montreal. Tune in as well for a literary look at green Montreal with the Montréal vert walking-tour podcast series on April 23, available wherever you get your podcasts.

Plenty for kids and families

Presented in over 50 libraries, schools, Greater Montreal bookstores, and about 40 daycare centres across Quebec, the TD–Blue Metropolis Children’s Festival is an every-green, year-round affair. This spring’s activities will take place between April 21 and 30, with a full slate of events for the whole family on both weekends, and events exclusively for school groups during the week.

BLUE Metropolis AT A GLANCE

The Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival is one of the largest multilingual literary events in North America. For several days each year, writers from Quebec, Canada, and around the world converge on Montreal. Attendees are treated to live interviews, round-table discussions, public readings, debates, masterclasses, readings, and writing workshops. Every year, the Festival is built around several strong themes that bear witness to a keen social awareness and a passion for literature in all its richness.

Established in 1997, the Blue Metropolis Foundation is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to bring together people from different cultures to share the pleasures of reading and writing and encourage creativity and cross-cultural understanding. The Foundation presents the annual Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival and offers a wide range of educational and social programs year-round in classrooms, libraries, and online, using writing and reading as therapeutic tools, to encourage students to stay in school, and to combat poverty and exclusion.

Printable program available.

For more information, visit the festival's website

McGill Library 2020: Greetings that Pop

SEASON'S GREETINGS THAT POP

The McGill University's Rare Books and Special Collections (RBSC) has a fast number of books with cut out images inside them that pop out when you open the page. This season, the McGill Library's RBSC is bringing into focus three festive pop-up scenes from the Sheila R. Bourke Collection that consists of over 2000 items and is rich in the “golden age” of book illustrations from the 19th and to the mid-20th centuries like chapbooks, “toy books” as well as deluxe gift books. Watch the following video.

McGill rare pop up remix video

You can read about the McGill Pop-Up collection here.

The following two videos might also be of interest to you:

McGill rare wintry remix

A Rare Wintry Martlet Remix

 

CCA 2019: Gordon Matta-Clark

Gordon Matta-Clark
Out of the Box

June 7 - September 8, 2019

The Montreal's Canadian Center for Architecture is dedicating its 2019–2020 Out of the Box exhibition series to the works of a trained architect and conceptual artist Gordon Matta-Clark. The items on display were all donated to the CCA by the Estate of Gordon Matta-Clark in 2011.The donation consisted of Matta-Clarke's archives: his professional works such as writings, photographs, films, correspondence, and select artworks that were produced between 1969 and 1978.

Though Matta-Clark had a rather short life (he died at age 35, 1943-1978), he is best remembered for his monumental deconstructive pieces, the bold artistic statements created inside and out of the condemned masonry soon to be demolish. In one such case, the area was zoned for the future iconic building of the Paris' Pompidue Center.

This exhibition is the first part of the study of the CCA Matta-Clark archives, that will be presented to the public in three acts. To explore Gordon Matta-Clark’s critical practice within the architectural scene of the time, the CCA has invited for this series of exhibitions three guest curators from different curatorial backgrounds ranging from contemporary art, film and archival research, to social practice studies.

This first series is curated by Yann Chateigné. It reflects on Gordon Matta-Clark’s material thinking as deducted from his highly diverse personal library. It classifies the books into four main categories of his reading interest: Alchemy, Gravity, Networks, and Inner Spaces. 

The exhibition reveals lesser-known references in Matte-Clark's work that artist expressed during the decade of his artistic practice.

Click on images to enlarge them.

Hover over images for description and credits.

Additionally, the Gordon Matta-Clark Collection can be studied online. Visit the online finding aid for personal reference.

To find more about this exhibition and other projects exhibitions, visit the CCA website.

Salon du livre 2018

Le Salon du livre de Montréal

Montreal Annual Book Show

41st Edition

November 14-19, 2018

Comme des géants 
Maison d'édition jeunesse

This Montreal's annual book faire, always held at Place Bonaventure, is extremely popular with Montrealers, especially with children. Loads of school buses bring children to the show, they crowed various kiosks, look through the books, and ask writers present at the show to sign the books they have just purchased.



I was gifted with a book by Nadine Robert, the editor of the publishing house Comme des géants, and I would like to bring it to your attention. The book Elsi was actually written by the editor herself, and it was skilfully illustrated by Maja Kastelich. Those are just the types of illustrations I remember in my own books when I was a child. It brought back the memories of my childhood and the delight I had to read and leaf through such books and to look at the attractive illustrations which made the book story come alive, bringing me right into the imaginary world created by the author.

The Christmas is fast approaching, so do not hesitate to visit this book show, and to purchase just the right book presents either for your child or any other children you might know and would like to bring some happiness to during the winter holidays.

The show presents a huge amount of books of any kind covering an immense array of subjects. One can find books not only for one's own reading pleasure but also for the friends and family.



Click on images to enlarge them.

You can read more about the show in my other article here.

Visit the Salon du livre  website.
Visit Comme des géants website.