What's Free When

What's Free When

There's never a charge to visit any of Montréal's numerous historic churches, and some, like St. Joseph's Oratory (3800 Queen Mary, Côte-des-Neiges. Côte-des-Neiges) , one of the world's most visited shrines, offer free guided tours weekdays at 1 PM and 4 PM.

During the last weekend in May, admission to every museum in Montréal is free. A complimentary bus service leaving from the Info-Tourist office at 1001 Dorchester Square will shuttle you from one museum to another, but be prepared for long waits. Also, many museums offer free admission to their permanent exhibits year-round, including the Redpath (859 Sherbrooke Ouest. Weekdays 9-5, Sun. 1-5, closed Fri. in summer) and the Montréal Firefighters Museum (5100 St-Laurent. Sun. 1:30-4:30 PM). The McCord Museum of Canadian History (690 Sherbrooke Ouest) offers free admission between 10 AM and noon the first Saturday of every month.

Keep in mind that it's free to skate on any of the municipally run outdoor skating rinks -- including Beaver Lake in Parc Mont-Royal -- and that while the municipal pools are technically only free for residents, there's no admission to take a dip on weekdays.