ARLIS/NA 54th Annual Conference

Please note that adding a tour to your Sched itinerary does NOT mean you have registered for the tour. You must register using the tours registration link.

Cost : $ 55

Habitat '67 was designed by Moshe Safdie for the 1967 World Fair’s in Montreal and remains an iconic example of Brutalist prefabricated modular housing. This tour will discuss the origin and evolution of Habitat and explores some of the pedestrian streets and terraces, as well as Moshe Safdie’s apartment. We will also have access to some archival materials from the Moshe Safdie Archive, held at McGill University, to learn about his original vision for Habitat ’67 while appreciating the landmark structure that was built..

Transportation : Provided
A bus will depart from the hotel with participants. 

Important Information:
Tours will be offered in English, and guides will be pleased to answer questions in French.
$ All costs are in USD.

#madeinquebec




Perspective, Habitat '67, Moshe Safdie Archive, John Bland Canadian Architecture Collection, McGill Libraries

Please note that adding a tour to your Sched itinerary does NOT mean you have registered for the tour. You must register using the tours registration link.

Cost : $ 35

Old Montréal – Origins, Presence, and Resistance
This tour explores the earliest documented presence of people of African descent in Montreal, beginning in the 17th century. Participants will learn about early Black figures and examine the realities of Black people in New France and under British rule. The tour also highlights sites connected to Black labour, resistance, and community formation, revealing how Black history is foundational to the city’s earliest development. Through architecture and place-based storytelling, participants gain a deeper understanding of how Black presence shaped Montreal from its beginnings.

Rito Joseph is the founder and lead tour guide of Black Montreal Experiences, where he brings Montreal’s Afro-descendant history to life through engaging and immersive storytelling. Blending culture, history, art, and music, he guides participants on a journey that uncovers the rich presence, lasting contributions, and demographic evolution of Black communities in the city.

Transportation : not provided.
Meeting point is a short walk from the hotel (9 minutes) at the the corner of McGill and Saint-Jacques streets, near Square-Victoria Metro. 

Important Information:
The tour will be offered in English, however the facilitator also speaks French.
$ All costs are in USD.

#madeinquebec

We are happy to announce that tour registration is now open to non-conference participants!
Please note that adding a tour to your Sched itinerary does NOT mean you have registered for the tour. You must register using the tours registration link.

Cost : $ 25

Starting from Dorchester Square, formerly Dominion Square, created in the 19th century and later becoming the gateway to downtown, this Heritage Montreal tour, led by an architect specializing in heritage conservation, traces the major stages of the city’s development. It takes visitors from early landmark buildings, such as Windsor Station and the cathédrale-basilique Marie-Reine-du-Monde, to large commercial complexes like the Sun Life and Dominion Square buildings, culminating with the iconic Place Ville Marie, a symbol of modernity. 

Transportation : not provided.
Dorchester square is a short walk (7 minutes) from the hotel. Meet your guide at the fountain in front of 1001 Dorchester Square.

Important Information:
The workshop will be offered in English, however the facilitator also speaks French.
$ All costs are in USD.

#madeinquebec

Please note that adding a tour to your Sched itinerary does NOT mean you have registered for the tour. You must register using the tours registration link.

Cost : $ 75

Discover the fundamentals of Riso pritning through a creative Zine worshop at No Gloss Risography Studio! Participants will produce and original creation (Illustration, collage etc.) on site and learn how to separate their work in 2 colours. All participants works will be grouped in a zine format that we will also print together. Throughout the workshop we will go over topics like transparencies, overlays and file preparation. Each participant will leave with a copy of the zine.

Transportation : not provided. 
The recommended transportation arrangements are to coordinate a shared Uber or to allocate sufficient time for travel via public transit (which involves significant walking).

Destination address : 5445 de Gaspé #609
Once you are in the buidling, chose the second set of elevators (see here). Go up to the 6th floor, take a right when you get our of the elevator, then another right to turn the corner and look for #609. There will be a little doorbell you can ring to inform Sophie of your presence.

Important Information :
The workshop will be offered in English, however the facilitator also speaks French.
All costs are in USD.

#madeinquebec

Please note that adding a tour to your Sched itinerary does NOT mean you have registered for the tour. You must register using the tours registration link.

Cost : $ 20

Located on McGill University’s downtown campus at the base of Mount Royal, Rare Books and Special Collections (RBSC) is home to McGill's historic humanities and social sciences library collections. RBSC collects a broad range of materials, from manuscript and published works to puppets, and is particularly strong in holdings related to Montreal and Canada, the history of printing, natural history, Enlightenment philosophy, and architecture. Enjoy a curator-led tour of collection highlights, with a special focus on Montreal’s history and built environment through books, photographs, and archives. We will finish the tour with a quick visit to the Book Arts Lab, featuring our refurbished 1821 Columbian printing press.

Spend a little extra time in the Visual Arts Collection’s Visible Storage Gallery before entering the Rare Books & Special Collections reading room on the 4th floor of McLennan Library. You can also expand your visit with a self-guided virtual tour of Indigenous art on public display at McGill. This interactive map highlights Indigenous art across campus from the McGill Visual Arts Collection: https://www.mcgill.ca/vacollection/indigeous-art-public-display-mcgill

McGill University is an English language, public university founded in 1821. Learn more about the university: www.mcgill.ca/about and McGill Libraries: www.mcgill.ca/libraries.

Transportation : not provided. 
Tour guides will meet the group at the hotel and walk together to McGill campus (approximately 20 minutes, walking outdoors, slight incline). Alternatively, participants may wish to share an Uber (approximately 10 minutes).

Destination address:
McLennan Library Building, 4th floor, 3459 McTavish Street, Montreal, H3A 0C9.

Important Information: 
The tour is planned as a walk-through of the Visible Storage Gallery, special collections reading room, classroom, and letterpress lab, located on the 4th floor of the McLennan Library Building. Elevator accessible. Visitors should be prepared for walking and standing during the visit; chairs available on request.

Tours will be offered in English, and guides will be pleased to answer questions in French.
$ All costs are in USD.

#madeinquebec

Specimen of printing types and ornaments, in use at the printing office of Lovell & Gibson, Montreal, 1846.

Please note that adding a tour to your Sched itinerary does NOT mean you have registered for the tour. You must register using the tours registration link.

Cost : $ 30

Guided tour of the Musée des Beaux-arts de Montréal Library, including a presentation of their work and a discussion on the issues facing the library. Visit the Musée on your own after the library tour.

Transportation : not provided.
The recommended transportation arrangements are to walk (25 minutes) or coordinate a shared Uber.

Destination addess : Musée des Beaux-arts de Montréal, 1380 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1J5
Meet your guide in the entrance lobby.

Important Information:
Tours will be offered in English, and guides will be pleased to answer questions in French.
$ All costs are in USD.

#madeinquebec

Please note that adding a tour to your Sched itinerary does NOT mean you have registered for the tour. You must register using the tours registration link.

Cost : $ 20

Presentation of the Guy L. Coté Media Library, its collection of documents (books, magazines, videos, etc.), as well as the Cinémathèque québecoise's archive collection (photos, posters, drawings, etc.). A brief presentation of the collections, the services offered, and examples of documents will be followed by a tour of the storage areas of both collections.

Transportation : transit pass provided.
The recommended transportation arrangements are to use public transit as a group.

Destination addess : Cinemathèque québécoise, 335 Boul. de Maisonneuve E, Montréal, QC H2X 1K1
Meet your guide in the Cinematheque reception. 

Important Information:
The elevator leading to the library will be out of service for the weeks to come. It is quite possible that it will still be unavailable on the day of the visit. This unfortunately prevents access for wheelchair users. There are a dozen steps.

Tours will be offered in English, and guides will be pleased to answer questions in French.
$ All costs are in USD.

#madeinquebec

Please note that adding a tour to your Sched itinerary does NOT mean you have registered for the tour. You must register using the tours registration link.

Cost : $ 55

Habitat '67 was designed by Moshe Safdie for the 1967 World Fair’s in Montreal and remains an iconic example of Brutalist prefabricated modular housing. This tour will discuss the origin and evolution of Habitat and explores some of the pedestrian streets and terraces, as well as Moshe Safdie’s apartment. We will also have access to some archival materials from the Moshe Safdie Archive, held at McGill University, to learn about his original vision for Habitat ’67 while appreciating the landmark structure that was built..

Transportation : Provided
A bus will depart from the hotel with participants.

Important Information:
Tours will be offered in English, and guides will be pleased to answer questions in French.
$ All costs are in USD.

#madeinquebec



Perspective, Habitat '67, Moshe Safdie Archive, John Bland Canadian Architecture Collection, McGill Libraries

Please note that adding a tour to your Sched itinerary does NOT mean you have registered for the tour. You must register using the tours registration link.

Cost : $ 30

McCord Stewart Museum : Guided Tour of Montreal 1976: An Olympic Feat exhibition and visit to the Archives and Documentation Centre.

Transportation : not provided.
The recommended transportation arrangements are to use public transit from the Hotel (Métro Bonaventure to Métro McGill). 

Destination address : McCord Stewart Museum, 690 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1E9

Important Information:
Tours will be offered in English, and guides will be pleased to answer questions in French.
$ All costs are in USD.

#madeinquebec

We are happy to announce that tour registration is now open to non-conference participants!
Please note that adding a tour to your Sched itinerary does NOT mean you have registered for the tour. You must register using the tours registration link.

Cost : $ 35

Sainte-Catherine Street Tour – Entertainment, Performance, and Contemporary Legacy
This tour examines the evolution of Black cultural and social presence in downtown Montreal, focusing on spaces of artistic expression, entrepreneurship, and public life. Participants will explore how Black communities contributed to Montreal’s cultural landscape through music, art, activism, and public engagement. The tour connects historical movements to contemporary realities, highlighting the continued influence of Black creators, thinkers, and community leaders in shaping the city’s identity today. 

Rito Joseph is the founder and lead tour guide of Black Montreal Experiences, where he brings Montreal’s Afro-descendant history to life through engaging and immersive storytelling. Blending culture, history, art, and music, he guides participants on a journey that uncovers the rich presence, lasting contributions, and demographic evolution of Black communities in the city.


Transportation : not provided.
Meeting point at the hotel lobby. 

Important Information:
The tour will be offered in English, however the facilitator also speaks French.
$ All costs are in USD.

#madeinquebec

Cost : $ 20


Join us for a tour at the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA)! Founded in 1979, the CCA is an international research institution and museum premised on the belief that architecture is a public concern. Since its founding, the CCA has produced exhibitions, publications, research programs, and public events. We use our extensive collection of archives (both physical and digital), prints, drawings, photographs, and library materials to explore new ideas and conversations around architecture today, thinking about how architecture shapes—and might reshape—contemporary life.


Although the CCA is based in Montréal, we are international in our collecting scope and in our work, sometimes partnering with institutions abroad to better explore global perspectives. Digital tools allow us to share our research and our collection with local and international audiences.


This tour will include an overview of the CCA’s mission, a tour of current exhibitions, a visit to our study room, and a peek into the library’s vaults. Members of the CCA staff will be available to answer questions related to how we provide reference services, our cataloguing policies, and our approach to acquisitions.


Transportation : transit pass provided.

The recommended transportation arrangements are to walk (25 minutes) or use public transit as a group from the Hotel (Métro Bonaventure to Métro George-Vanier). 


Destination addess : Canadian Centre for Architecture, 1920 Baile St, Montreal, Quebec H3H 1R4


Important Information:

Tours will be offered in English, and guides will be pleased to answer questions in French.

$ All costs are in USD.


#madeinquebec




Photo credit : Tim Klähn

Please note that adding a tour to your Sched itinerary does NOT mean you have registered for the tour. You must register using the tours registration link.

Cost : $ 20

Join us for an engaging afternoon at two remarkable institutions : Artexte contemporary art documentation centre and VOX contemporary image centre.

Founded in the 1980s by artists Angela Grauerholz and Anne Ramsden, alongside art historian Francine Périnet, Artexte has grown into one of Canada’s most distinctive art documentation centres. Its collection of over 38,000 catalogued physical and digital documents — spanning exhibition catalogues, artists’ books, monographs, periodicals, and unconventional publications — consistently pushes the boundaries of what a document can be.


Beyond its collection, Artexte engages audiences through residency programmes, exhibitions, publications, special events, and tailored mediation activities including guided tours, roundtables, and lectures — all designed to activate the collection and renew it through fresh perspectives.

During your visit, librarian Léa Boisvert-Chénier and documentation technician Jonathan Lachance will offer an introduction to Artexte’s history and mandate, accompanied by a curated selection of eclectic documents that blur the line between artwork, book-object, and publication. Time will also be set aside to explore the display created especially for the ARLIS/NA conference and to put your questions directly to the presenters.


The afternoon continues with a guided tour of the current exhibition at VOX. Founded in 1985, VOX is dedicated to promoting image-based artistic practices from 1960 to the present, with programming that invites critical dialogue around art and contemporary society. Those wishing to extend their visit are welcome to stay for the opening of Petits actes de résistance / Small Acts of Resistance.


Transportation : transit pass provided.
The recommended transportation arrangements are to walk (25 minutes) or use public transit as a group from the Hotel (Métro Bonaventure to Place D'armes).

Destination addess : Artexte Information Centre, 2 Rue Sainte-Catherine E #301, Montreal, Quebec H2X 1K4

Important Information:
Tours will be offered in English, and guides will be pleased to answer questions in French.
$ All costs are in USD.

#madeinquebec

Join us on May 6th from 17h-19h for the launch of ARLIS/NA very own vitrine at Artexte: Petits actes de résistance / Small Acts of resistance. Artexte has gathered small artists’ publications from ARLIS members (present, past and even future) or affiliates on the theme of resistance. This display of artworks from our own community will create a conversation amongst ourselves on the meaning of resistance, especially in our current political climate, as well as on its material interpretations through different mediums. It will also create a window for publics less familiar with our field to engage with the kinds of reflections that live with us as information professionals, artists and humans.

Join us in a relaxed setting to celebrate our creative spirit and discover Artexte as a vital documentation centre for contemporary art among your peers. Bar service will be available.

This event is free and open to the public.

Transportation : not provided.
The recommended transportation arrangements are to walk (25 minutes) or use public transit as a group from the Hotel (Métro Bonaventure to Métro Saint-Laurent).

Destination addess : Artexte Information Centre, 2 Rue Sainte-Catherine E #301, Montreal, Quebec H2X 1K4

#madeinquebec

UPDATE: Meet your wrangler on May 7th at 7:00 am in Hotel Bonaventure lobby area (10th floor).  The bus will depart at 7:30 am. 

Please note that adding a tour to your Sched itinerary does NOT mean you have registered for the tour. You must register using the tours registration link. 

Cost : $ 150

Schedule 
7:00 a.m.: Meet your wrangler, Pierre B. Landry, at the exterior hotel entrance
7:30 a.m.: Departure from Hôtel Bonaventure
10:30 a.m.: Arrival in Québec City and free time (Lower Town and lunch on your own)
1:00 p.m.: Meet your guides at Place Royale for your tour (2 hours 30 minutes)
3:30 p.m.: End of the tour and second free period
4:30 p.m.: Return to the bus and departure for Montréal
7:30 p.m.: (Approximate) arrival in Montréal

Transportation : Provided. 
A coach bus will depart from the hotel at 7:30am. Meet your wrangler at the exterior hotel entrance at 7:00am

Meals : Not included.
Consider bringing snacks for both bus journeys.


--

Description
Unrivaled Destination
Québec City ’s historic district is Canada’s first permanent settlement founded by French cartographer Samuel de Champlain in 1608. It is also a unique North American Unesco World Heritage site.

Witness of Atlantic World Colonization
Shaped by the history of the Atlantic World, Old Québec has witnessed major events from colonial period to modern days: settlements in the St. Lawrence Valley and Atlantic coast by Europeans, Franco-British conflicts and their North American repercussions, American and French Revolutions and arising Napoleonic Wars, Canadian expansion to the Pacific in the wake of the American Civil War…

Landmark of Continental History
Old Québec features hundreds of historical monuments, a unique architecture as well as French and British institutions that have survived to this day. It’s the ideal heritage district to help history enthusiasts connect the dots of North America’s history, from French and British colonial periods to present-day Canada and USA.

Themes
Your guides are storytellers and introduce themes about the history, architecture, art, culture… such as:
Founding and colonization of Canada; First Nations, Truth and Reconciliation; Colonial conflicts and British Conquest; French Canada, Louisiana and Acadia; How the history of the USA shaped Canada; Art of the Ursuline nuns; St. Lawrence Seaway up to the Great Lakes; Architecture of Old Québec; Catholic Church in Québec; French and British fortifications; Politics and attempts to secede from Canada; 1960s Quiet Revolution;Religious practices and secularization of Québec society; Private and public education system; and more.

Important Information:
The tour will be offered in English, however the guide also speaks French.
$ All costs are in USD.
#madeinquebec

UPDATE: Meet your wrangler on May 7th at 7:45 am in Hotel Bonaventure lobby area (10th floor).  The bus will depart at 8am. 

Please note that adding a tour to your Sched itinerary does NOT mean you have registered for the tour. You must register using the tours registration link.

Cost : $ 120

The visit to the National Gallery of Canada will start with an introduction to the collections of the library and archives, with an emphasis on rare books, artists’ books and multiples and the archival collections. Participants will then tour of the permanent collections and the exhibition Sylvia Safdie: Terra.

The tour of the Preservation Campus, Library and Archives Canada (LAC) boasts vaults to protect archives from all hazards and laboratories enabling specialists to digitize documents and carry out restoration treatments. During the tour, participants will have the chance to wander through the laboratories and learn how the specialists work everyday to preserve history. In the vaults, they will discover works by Canadian artists.


Tentative schedule : 
8:00am : Departure from Hotel Bonaventure 
10:00am : Arrival at National Gallery 
12:00pm : Lunch on your own
2:30pm : Library and Archives Canada Preservation Center
4:30pm : Departure from Ottawa to return to Hotel Bonaventure
6:30pm : (Approximate) Arrival at Hotel Bonaventure

Transportation : Provided.
A bus will depart from the hotel at 8:00am.

Meals : Not included.

Important Information:
The tour will be offered in English, however guides also speak French.
$ All costs are in USD.

Please note that adding a tour to your Sched itinerary does NOT mean you have registered for the tour. You must register using the tours registration link.

Cost : $ 25

Currently under development in the heart of UQAM's Central Library, l'Atelier typographique is a Letterpress Workshop, an emerging space dedicated to the preservation, transmission, and contemporary exploration of typographic and relief printing practices. The workshop is being built around an exceptional donation from the Musée de l’imprimerie du Québec, which entrusted UQAM with the stewardship of its historic printing equipment after years without a permanent home.

This working collection includes a cast-iron hand press, cylinder presses, platen presses, and thousands of wood and metal typefaces, ornaments, and printing plates dating from the late 19th to the mid-20th century. Some of the equipment is currently undergoing restoration, a process that is integral to the project’s pedagogical mission and to the responsible reactivation of these historic tools. Rather than functioning as a static display, the workshop is conceived as an operational environment where historical materials are progressively brought back into use through teaching, research, and creative practice.

Distinctively, the UQAM Letterpress Workshop is a francophone typographic space—a rare presence in the North American academic landscape. It contributes to sustaining the history of French-language printing in North America while positioning the library as a site of cultural continuity and resistance.

Aligned with UQAM’s broader initiative to transform libraries into spaces of experimentation and interdisciplinary dialogue, the workshop already supports pedagogical projects in graphic design, visual arts, literature, book history, arts history and communication.

In an era shaped by speed and dematerialization, the slow, manual processes of letterpress printing offer a form of resistance—inviting reflection, embodied knowledge, and renewed attention to the material conditions of language and culture.

Transportation : transit pass provided.
The recommended transportation arrangements are to use public transit as a group from the Hotel (Métro Bonaventure to Métro Berri-UQAM). It's possible to access the library directly from the metro level.

Destination addess : UQAM Central Library, 400 Rue Sainte-Catherine E, Montréal, QC H2L 2C5

Important Information:
The workshop will be offered in English, however the facilitator also speaks French.
$ All costs are in USD.

#madeinquebec
Photo credit: Clémence Lesné

Please note that adding a tour to your Sched itinerary does NOT mean you have registered for the tour. You must register using the tours registration link.

Cost : $ 55

Habitat '67 was designed by Moshe Safdie for the 1967 World Fair’s in Montreal and remains an iconic example of Brutalist prefabricated modular housing. This tour will discuss the origin and evolution of Habitat and explores some of the pedestrian streets and terraces, as well as Moshe Safdie’s apartment. We will also have access to some archival materials from the Moshe Safdie Archive, held at McGill University, to learn about his original vision for Habitat ’67 while appreciating the landmark structure that was built..

Transportation : Provided
A bus will depart from the hotel with participants.

Important Information:
Tours will be offered in English, and guides will be pleased to answer questions in French.
$ All costs are in USD.

#madeinquebec



Perspective, Habitat '67, Moshe Safdie Archive, John Bland Canadian Architecture Collection, McGill Libraries

Please note that adding a tour to your Sched itinerary does NOT mean you have registered for the tour. You must register using the tours registration link.

Cost : $ 15

The National Library (in the Rosemont neighbourhood) is the preservation centre for all materials published in Québec since 1764. It is part of BAnQ (Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec , loosely translated as the National Library and Archives of Québec, the province’s largest cultural institution. The National Library notably houses specialized collections of artists' books, posters, and prints. This tour is an opportunity for you to learn more about BAnQ’s mission and visit the storage facilities where its most precious published materials are stored. You’ll also view a selection of heritage documents on the theme of “resistance,” reflecting the commitment of Québec artists throughout different eras.

Transportation : not provided. 
The recommended transportation arrangements are to coordinate a shared Uber or to allocate sufficient time for travel via public transit (which involves significant walking).

Destination adress : Bibliothèque nationale (Rosemont), 2275 Rue Holt, Montréal, QC H2G 2M2

Important Information:
Tours will be offered in English, and guides will be pleased to answer questions in French.
$ All costs are in USD.

#madeinquebec


Photo credit: Mikael Theimer

Please note that adding a tour to your Sched itinerary does NOT mean you have registered for the tour. You must register using the tours registration link.

Cost : $ 15

The National Library (in the Rosemont neighbourhood) is the preservation centre for all materials published in Québec since 1764. It is part of BAnQ (Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec , loosely translated as the National Library and Archives of Québec, the province’s largest cultural institution. The National Library notably houses specialized collections of artists' books, posters, and prints. This tour is an opportunity for you to learn more about BAnQ’s mission and visit the storage facilities where its most precious published materials are stored. You’ll also view a selection of heritage documents on the theme of “resistance,” reflecting the commitment of Québec artists throughout different eras.

Transportation : not provided. 
The recommended transportation arrangements are to coordinate a shared Uber or to allocate sufficient time for travel via public transit (which involves significant walking).

Destination adress : Bibliothèque nationale (Rosemont), 2275 Rue Holt, Montréal, QC H2G 2M2

Important Information:
Tours will be offered in English, and guides will be pleased to answer questions in French.
$ All costs are in USD.

#madeinquebec



Photo credit: Mikael Theimer

Please note that adding a tour to your Sched itinerary does NOT mean you have registered for the tour. You must register using the tours registration link.

Cost : $ 75

Discover the fundamentals of Riso pritning through a creative Zine worshop at No Gloss Risography Studio! Participants will produce and original creation (Illustration, collage etc.) on site and learn how to separate their work in 2 colours. All participants works will be grouped in a zine format that we will also print together. Throughout the workshop we will go over topics like transparencies, overlays and file preparation. Each participant will leave with a copy of the zine.

Transportation : not provided. 
The recommended transportation arrangements are to coordinate a shared Uber or to allocate sufficient time for travel via public transit (which involves significant walking).

Destination address : 5445 de ave Gaspé #609
Once you are in the buidling, chose the second set of elevators (see here).

Important Information :
The workshop will be offered in English, however the facilitator also speaks French.
All costs are in USD.

#madeinquebe