Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec

Anyone curious about Québec art needs to carve out at least half a day for a visit to this museum, one of the best in the province. There are expert permanent exhibitions that range from art and artists in the early French colonies to Québec’s abstract artists. There are also individual halls devoted entirely to the province’s artistic giants of the last century. The do-not-miss permanent exhibitions include one devoted to Jean-Paul Lemieux (1904–90) and another to Jean-Paul Riopelle (1923–2002), which includes L’hommage à Rosa Luxemburg (Tribute to Rosa Luxemburg; 1986), his largest work. The Brousseau Inuit Art Collection of 2639 pieces spanning 50 years was a personal collection of Inuit art acquired by the museum in 2005. There are also frequent exhibitions from abroad and elsewhere in Canada. The museum is spread out through three halls including the Pavilion Charles-Baillairgé, Québec City’s former prison. Audioguides are available for the permanent collections and often for temporary exhibitions as well. Guides in period getup lead prison tours during the summer, though usually these are in French only. Call ahead for info and reservations. Other ongoing events include film screenings (often documentaries on prominent international artists), drawing and painting classes open to the public, and a concert series.