Activities
For the whole family
Naughty elves at Château Dufresne!
Little Laurette is looking for five elves who are hiding in the chimneys of her big house. Visitor’s notebook and sense of observation come to the children’s aid to answer the riddles invented by these naughty little elves. A magic Christmas word can be found to participate in the big draw on January 10: a chance to win a creative game.
Continuously, from December 2 to January 7.
Flair et luminaires
Cheerful luminaries make the conversation. They give you plenty of clues to solve five cases as you walk around the Castle!
At any time
The TOP-5 of our most beautiful fireplaces
A new course-game to spot the differences and three errors in each of the drawings corresponding to the beautiful chimneys of the Castle.
At any time
A Bestiary in the Wallpaper
Fantastic animals and creatures hide in plain sight in the striking decor of the Château. Can you find them as you walk through the rooms?
At any time
Gourmet feast
A game trail that will allow you to help the governesses of Château Dufresne prepare a gourmet feast. You will see, flowers and fruits are in abundance in the decorations of the Château.
At any time
The Marius Workshops
Creative thematic workshops inspired by collections and exhibitions.
Creating a greeting card
Using cardboard and pencils dedicated to the watercolor technique, create a greeting card to convey your warmest thoughts for the new year.
Saturdays: December 9, 16, 23 and 30 and January 6, between 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
December 27, 28 and 29, from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
An inventive Christmas stocking
The essential Christmas stocking is in the spotlight. Youngsters will be able to express their creativity by decorating a felt Christmas stocking.
Sundays: December 10 and 17, between 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Workshop for families. No reservation required. Limited places.
Tales at the Castle
What would the Holidays be without wonderful, magical and funny stories? Narrated readings:
The mornings of the 27th, 28th and 29th, between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.
For coloring Aces: Pick up your pencils!
Drawings of objects from our collections to download :
Guided tours
The Château visits
Guided tours start at 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays for people on site.
Guided tours are offered to organized groups at any time, but reservations are required.
Group reservation
School programs
School group reservation
The Château bestiary
This thematic walk-through tour introduces youngsters to practise observation and discover depictions of animals and fantastic creatures in the astonishing decoration of the Château.
< Preschool / Elementary Cycle 1 >
The Shoemaking Industry in Maisonneuve
The great power of seduction exerted by the industrial policy of the City of Maisonneuve attracted many factories making mainly shoes. In 1911, the city could boast that it was “the biggest shoemaking centre on the Island of Montreal.” An invitation to discover the splendours and miseries of an industrial heritage that has since been trampled on.
< Elementary /Secondary >
In the Footsteps of Marius Dufresne
The legacy of Marius Dufresne is still very much alive in the old City of Maisonneuve. The architectural value of the heritage buildings he helped to build bear the signs of his openness to innovation and the great ideas of his time. A multi-faceted man of rare talent, he was at one and the same time an engineer, an architect and a surveyor.
< Elementary /Secondary >
A History of Styles, a Matter of Taste
In the Dufresne era, the decorative style of each room in the great middleclass houses shared a common vocabulary:
Italian Renaissance, Louis XV, Second Empire, Elizabethan. … Can you find your way amid the eclecticism of the Château’s many decorative styles, or the Orientalist influences found there?
< College and university students, and professionals >
Francization
When the World Spoke French
The Château de Maisonneuve’s tour experience is an excellent opportunity to improve your knowledge of French. As you wind your way through the various rooms in the sumptuous twin houses of the brothers Oscar and Marius Dufresne, you can witness the daily lives of these two members of the francophone middle class, who left their mark on the development of Montréal. You can also explore some of the cultural issues associated with the French characterization of the metropole in the previous century.
< New arrivals, welcoming classes and francization community groups >