Free things to do in Montreal

40 places in Montreal with free entry or no charge, based on guide listings and map data.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

Photo: MattiPaavola, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)

SeeHistoric siteOld Montreal
Montreal Clock Tower
Tour de l'Horloge de Montréal
Also known as the Sailors' Memorial Clock, the clock tower was built between 1919-1922 as a memorial to sailors lost at sea. Its clock mechanism is similar to Big Ben's and was known for its accuracy; sailors would often set their watches by it. The clock tower is no longer open to visitors.
Early May and September (after Labour Day): Sat Sun 10:00-19:00; mid May-mid June and mid August-Labour Day: Mon-Thu 10:00-19:00, Fri-Sun 10:00-21:00; mid June-mid August: 10:00-21:00 dailyFree · Free entry
SeeHistoric buildingOld Montreal
Bank of Montréal Museum
Hands-on museum focusing on the history of banking in Montreal.
Mon-Fri 10:00-16:00Free
SeeMuseumDowntown
Redpath Museum
Musée Redpath
A museum of natural history on the McGill campus.
Mon-Fri 09:00-17:00, Sun 12:00-17:00, Sat closedFree · Free entry · Wheelchair accessible
SeeLibraryQuartier Latin-Le Village
Grande Bibliothèque du Québec
The inviting, super-modern home to the Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, a massive library housing four million works. The building itself is a contemporary style building integrating art and architecture including a glass mural, a kinetic luminous mural, a sculpture garden, and varying museum-style displays in the lower-level gallery. The tiles that cover the outside of the building are made to resemble a closed book. Architectural tours are offered.
Tue-Fri 9AM-9PM, Sat-Sun 9AM-5PMfree · Wi-Fi · Wheelchair accessible
DoTheatrePlateau
Théâtre de Verdure
3000-seat outdoor theater open for a summer program of dance, music, movies, and theater. Plan to line up early for the popular symphonies in the park series or just join the crowd of picnickers on the grass around the lake.
30 Jun-17 Aug, Wed-Sun 19:30Free-$30 depending on the show
DrinkNightclubQuartier Latin-Le Village
Unity
The dance club in the village with a male erotic dancers downstairs.
Fri 21:30-03:00, Sat 22:00-03:00Free admission on F before 22:30 and Sa before 23:00
SeeArt museumOld Montreal
DHC/ART
A privately endowed foundation, DHC/ART is a permanent location for exciting and relevant temporary visual arts exhibitions and projects.
Wed-Fri 12:00-19:00, Sat Sun 11:00-18:00Free
DoVerdun
Dance lessons near the river
During the summer, drop in the municipal greenhouse any evening for salsa, tango, country or line dancing. Check website for hours and details.
May to AugustFree
DoPlateau
Main Madness
Two weekends each summer St-Laurent boulevard is closed to cars for the Main Madness street fair. More an overgrown sidewalk sale than fair, restaurants, and shops set up in the middle of the street.
One weekend in June and AugustFree
SeeMuseumQuartier Latin-Le Village
Galerie de l'UQAM
UQAM Gallery
Contemporary art exhibits, workshops, lectures, and tours.
Tue-Sat 12:00-18:00Free · Wheelchair accessible
SeeVerdun
Maison Nivard-De Saint-Dizier
A 300-year-old house, next to the river, with a museum open from May to October. It is the most extensive prehistoric archeological site on the Island of Montreal.
Free
SeeCôte-des-Neiges
Université de Montréal
The second largest university in Canada in terms of students, Université de Montréal is a French speaking university whose campus is mostly concentrated on the mount Royal, between the metro stations Edouard-Montpetit and Côte-des-Neiges. The Roger-Gaudry building, with its tall tower and Art Deco architecture, is well worth a look. It is just in front of the metro station Université-de-Montréal.
Free
DoCultural centerPlateau
Maison de la culture du Plateau-Mont-Royal
Exhibits local artists.
Tue-Thu 13:00-19:00, Fri-Sun 13:00-17:00Free
Do Not mapped
Shakespeare-in-the-Park
During the summer in parks around Montreal, Repercussion Theatre puts on outdoor performances of Shakespeare plays free of charge.
DoVerdun Not mapped
Cycle or walk along the river
A wonderful cycle path stretches along the Saint Lawrence river, offering good views and picnic spots.
Free
DoBeach
Plage de l'Horloge
Clock Tower Beach (French: Plage de l'Horloge) is an urban beach on the Saint Lawrence River in Montreal, adjacent to the Montreal Clock Tower in the Old Port of Montreal.
Free entry
SeeQuartier Latin-Le Village
Centre de Design UQAM
UQAM design center
1440 rue Sanguinet
Wed-Sun 12:00-18:00Free
SeeHochelaga-Maisonneuve
Planétarium Rio Tinto Alcan
Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium
Exhibitions on space and astronomy.
Mid May-early Sep: 09:00-18:00 daily; early Sep-Oct: 09:00-121:00 daily; Nov-mid May: Tue-Sun 09:00-17:00Free entrance to exhibits. Price for tickets to theatres: Adult $21.50, senior $19.25, student $15.50, child 5-17 $10.75, family $59
DoCôte-des-Neiges Not mapped
Piscine Cote-des-Neiges
Indoor swimming pool.
Free
SeeArt gallery
Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery
1400 Boulevard De Maisonneuve Ouest
Closed · opens noon tomorrowFree entry · Wheelchair accessible
DoPark
Village au Pied-du-Courant
2100 Rue Notre-Dame Est
ClosedFree entry · Wheelchair accessible
SeeArt gallery
FOFA Gallery
1515 Rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest
Open now · closes 6 pmFree entry · Wheelchair accessible
SeeArt gallery
Galerie Cosner
1260 Rue Sherbrooke O
Free entry · Limited wheelchair access
SeeArt gallery
Galerie 203
203 Rue Notre-Dame O
Free entry
SeeArt gallery
La Galerie Espace
4844 Boul. Saint-Laurent
Free entry
SeeArt gallery
Galerie de Chine
94 Rue de La Gauchetière Ouest
Free entry
SeeArt gallery
Galerie MËL
3140 Rue de Rouen
Free entry
SeeArt gallery
Galerie du Viaduc
5806 Boulevard Saint-Laurent
Free entry · Wheelchair accessible
DoPublic baths
Bain Morgan
1875 Boulevard Morgan
Free entry · Wi-Fi
SeeArt gallery
Installation Art Sur Wellington
3949 Rue Wellington
Free entry
SeeGallery museum
Barbie Expo
1550 Rue Metcalfe
Open now · closes 6:30 pmFree entry
SeeHistory museum
Musée du marché Sainte-Anne et du parlement de la province du Canada
335 Place d'Youville
Free entry
SeeArt gallery
Atelier Chantal Fontaine Hébert
3440 Rue Masson
Free entry · Limited wheelchair access
DoPublic baths
La Piscinette
ClosedFree entry · Limited wheelchair access
SeeViewpoint
Lévis Tower
221 Chem. du Tour de l'isle
Free entry · Built 1936
SeeArt gallery
Galerie Peter W. Hart
Open now · closes 5 pmFree entry
SeeArt gallery
Gallerie Roussil
2496 Rue Bélanger
Open now · closes 5 pmFree entry
SeeArt gallery
Maison Keï Akai - Galerie d'art contemporain
1428 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest
Free entry
SeeGarden
Sakura Garden
Free entry
SeeArt gallery
Studio D'art Andong
Free entry

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Montreal (CC BY-SA 4.0). Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Place data from Overture Maps. Some descriptions from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).