The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

"The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts—MMFA, for short—it's a classic, right? It is. Founded in 1860, the MMFA is one of the 10 most-visited museums in North America. It's a grand and comprehensive institution, on the historic Golden Square Mile stretch of Sherbrooke Street, with a heritage collection of some 43,000 works, many of them displayed throughout the museum's five pavilions. First-time visitors have got to check out the permanent collection. Give us a survey? The MMFA's outstanding permanent collection includes international art, Quebec and Canadian works, antiquities from around the world, and decorative arts—that means you'll find everything from paintings and sculptures to Ancient Egyptian sarcophagi. Its international art collection, for instance, has more than 1,400 paintings, sculptures, portraits, drawings, and prints, including masterpieces by El Greco, Rembrandt, and Veronese. What changes month to month? Seasonal and temporary exhibitions combine various artistic disciplines—fine arts, music, film, fashion, and design—that span the world. We'd imagine such an institution draws a pretty diverse crowd. There are all kinds of visitors, including tourists and more than 120,000 members. How do you navigate such a big space? The museum's five connected pavilions are easily accessible. The complex may feel sprawling at first, but it's pretty easy to get around, and there are benches and sofas positioned throughout. Does the museum help you get around? There are daily guided tours in English and French. Is the gift shop worth the trip? The large, terrific gift shop is certainly worth a stop. All that museum-ing has us tired out. What are our options for a pit stop? The Beaux-Arts Restaurant, an actual sit down, tablecloths on the table situation, has an a la carte menu; the Beaux-Arts Bistro offers a range of light meals, pastries, coffee, and tea. If we're a little short on time, what's the best strategy? Wait until you have more. There is so much to see at the MMFA that you'll want to carve out plenty of time for a leisurely, thorough visit." - Richard Burnett