New Pointe-à-Callière Museum exhibit brings witches out of the shadows

Crowd: A witch! A witch! A witch! We found a witch! We’ve got a witch! A witch! A witch! We have found a witch. May we burn her?

How do you know she is a witch?

She looks like one.

Those opening lines from the witch scene in the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail will never get old. Never! And I’m sure they inspired the good people at the Pointe-à-Callière Museum of archaeology and history to put on their most recent display.

Okay, maybe not.

Joining the many permanent exhibitions that can be found at the Old Montreal museum is one that delves into the history of witches and their world, Witches – Out of the Shadows, which opened Oct. 25 and runs until April 6, 2025.

The exhibition reveals the little-known history of witches, who were central figures in popular culture. Where myth and reality intertwine, the exhibit shines a spotlight on these women whose many representations and practices over the centuries still inspire modern culture and society.

More than 400 objects from European and American collections are on display, including ethnographic objects, manuscripts, and paintings that recount the history, including the dark “witch hunt” period, when tens of thousands of women were persecuted and condemned in the 16th and 17th centuries.

This historical immersion examines the beliefs, symbols, and practices of witchcraft, which have been passed down for generations. Pendulums, crystals, tarot cards, herbariums, and interactive elements that invite you to explore some of these practices, such as divination, spells, healing, and protection rituals.

Ongoing exhibitions

Other exhibitions the museum, which was founded in 1992 as part of celebrations to mark Montreal’s 350th birthday, include The Heart and Soul of Saint-Henri (until May 11, 2025), which explores the fascinating living history of a unique Montreal neighbourhood; Come Aboard! Pirates or Privateers?, a permanent, self-guided exhibition for the general public and families that offers a glimpse into the world of the ship’s captain, Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville, Canada’s most renowned privateer, and a chance to relive his journeys along the St. Lawrence River; Crossroads Montréal, another permanent exhibit which is in fact beneath the Éperon, Pointe-à-Callière’s main building. The archaeological site, which includes the foundations of the Royal Insurance building (1861-1951), tells the story of Montréal — from its days as a stop frequented by hunter-gatherers some 4,500 years ago to the development of urban Old Montréal as we know it today. This one-of-a-kind site in North America bears witness to the comings-and-goings and meetings of several Indigenous and European peoples. The many artefacts, biofacts, and architectural remains found during archaeological digs reveal the evolution of this exceptional site.

Pointe-à-Callière is located at 350 Place Royale in Old Montréal. For more visit https://pacmusee.qc.ca/en/exhibitions/

— A. Bonaparte

— Pointe-à-Callière