MONTREAL.- The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts unveiled its summer program, boasting a rich and diverse offering that celebrates art in all its forms. Open every day from June 29 to September 6, the MMFA is Montreal’s must-see destination of the summer.

Visitors to the Museum will be able to choose from a variety of experiences at once immersive and accessible, from a mural by Nicolas Party to the contemporary sculptures of the exhibition Beyond the Pedestal, to a musical project by the group feu doux, to Ready, Set, Go!, which highlights a selection of works from the MMFA’s collection inspired by sport.

A PERMANENT MURAL BY NICOLAS PARTY

From June 9, 2026

Starting in early June, visitors to the MMFA will be able to admire Trees, a mural by Swiss artist Nicolas Party, who was given carte blanche by the MMFA for this creation. This permanent work reflects the special relationship forged between the painter and the Museum since the presentation of his highly successful exhibition L’heure mauve in 2022. Painted on the wall of a lounge area on the second floor of the Liliane and David M. Stewart Pavilion, the mural envelops visitors in a vibrant fall landscape conducive to contemplation.

BEYOND THE PEDESTAL: SCULPTURES IN THE COLLECTION, FROM THE 1960s TO TODAY

June 9, 2026 – March 7, 2027
Jean-Noël Desmarais Pavilion – Level S2

With the exhibition Beyond the Pedestal: Sculptures in the Collection, from the 1960s to Today, the MMFA offers an in-depth look at the innovations that radically transformed sculpture over the past 60 years. By overturning conventions, contemporary artists explored new ways to occupy space, disrupting the boundaries between the art object, its environment and the viewer in the process. Whether displayed on the floor, suspended in the air or integrated into the architecture, their artworks transformed the viewing experience into a physical and immersive encounter, offering a different lens through which to appreciate them.

Bringing together artworks dating from the mid-1960s to today, Beyond the Pedestal highlights the richness and diversity of the Museum’s permanent collection. It features close to 20 works from its Quebec and Canadian art, contemporary art, and decorative art and design collections. Visitors will have a chance to discover pieces on display for the first time, including recently acquired works by Fausto Melotti and Robert Holland Murray. The materials used, which include wood, stone, sand, glass, feathers and textiles, bear witness to the artists’ inventiveness and the diversity of contemporary sculptural practices. The exhibition also brings together works by major figures such as Magdalena Abakanowicz, Richard Artschwager, Jocelyne Alloucherie, Betty Goodwin and Roland Poulin.

A MUSICAL EXPERIENCE: FEU DOUX AT THE MMFA

From June 12, 2026
Michal and Renata Hornstein Pavilion for Peace, Levels 2, 3 and 4, and the adjoining Atrium

Starting June 12, the Museum will treat visitors to a unique sound experience with A Musical Experience: feu doux at the MMFA. The Montreal-based duo, formed of musician Christophe Lamarche-Ledoux, Organ Mood, Lesser Evil, and filmmaker and musician Stéphane Lafleur, Avec pas d’casque, presents Paix la la, Parts I and II, an instrumental composition designed to accompany visitors as they explore the galleries dedicated to the European masters in the Michal and Renata Hornstein Pavilion for Peace, as well as the adjacent Atrium. Featuring constantly evolving asymmetrical sound loops, their ambient music invites visitors to slow down and immerse themselves fully in the space. Alternating between contemplation and openness, Paix la la evokes a shared desire for peace, both individual and collective.

Straddling the line between cultural mediation and musical creation, this project is an invitation to wander freely through the galleries to the sound of music engaged in a dialogue with the surrounding paintings and sculptures. Combining subtlety and contrast, the duo’s composition encourages a fresh, attentive and introspective perspective on the artworks and how we look at them. In the adjacent Atrium, a meditative space has been created where visitors can take a moment to let the soundscape created by feu doux wash over them.





READY, SET, GO! SPORTS INSPIRE ART

June 15 – October 12, 2026

This summer, the MMFA is also celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Montreal Olympics by exploring the encounter of art and sport with Ready, Set, Go! Sports Inspire Art. This selection of works from the collection highlights how artists across different eras and cultures have been inspired by movement, athletic feats and physical prowess. Visitors are invited to look out for the stickers identifying the selected works as they make their way through the Museum’s different pavilions. They’ll discover captivating artistic portrayals that evoke the prowess of athletes, such as The Diver and The Relay Runner by Robert Tait McKenzie, 1867-1938. Among the many disciplines represented, hockey is also spotlighted, notably with the HM6 Goalie Face Guard hockey mask by George A. Lynn, 1941-1983, and the iconic Dryden by Serge Lemoyne, 1941-1998.

STILL SHOWING: THE TORLONIA COLLECTION AND RICHARD AVEDON

The Torlonia Collection: Masterpieces of Roman Sculpture | Until July 19, 2026
Richard Avedon: Immortal. Portraits of Aging, 1951-2004 | Until August 9, 2026

Two major exhibitions will continue their run at the Museum this summer. The Torlonia Collection: Masterpieces of Roman Sculpture features an exceptional group of ancient statues from the largest private collection of Roman sculptures in the world. Recently shown to great acclaim at the Louvre, in Paris, these marble sculptures are being presented to North American audiences for the very first time. The exhibition Richard Avedon: Immortal. Portraits of Aging, 1951-2004, for its part, brings together some 100 portraits by legendary photographer Richard Avedon, who turned his lens on such iconic figures as Chet Baker, Samuel Beckett and Toni Morrison. For nearly half a century, the American portraitist and fashion photographer sought to represent advancing age in the faces of people he photographed: from artists and writers to politicians and performers, to everyday citizens.

Finally, the Museum’s School of Art is back for a new season of courses led by seasoned instructors!

The MMFA’s jam-packed summer programming is an open invitation for everyone to come out and experience art differently – through movement, through music and through dialogue with the world around us. And there’s more to come – stay tuned for the upcoming announcement of the exciting events and activities taking place on Du Musée Avenue this summer!