This text is part of the special section Culture Montérégie
“Our mission is quite unique since there is no other museum that focuses on the period of Lower Canada, that is to say from 1800 to 1850,” notes the site’s general manager, Christine Devey. . And if you go down in history…
The Maison nationale des patriotes is a museum complex which, since 1985, has had the mission of making known the highlights of the daily life of the patriots. It manages two complementary heritage sites and museums: the Jean-Baptiste-Mâsse house, in Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu, and the heritage site of the Patriotes-au-Pied-du-Courant prison, in Montreal. “It is an important duty of memory. These are unique places, where you can go down in history,” says Ms.me Devey.
Unique window on history
In Montérégie, the permanent exhibition of the Jean-Baptiste-Mâsse house, renewed last summer, offers a factual presentation of the patriot movement of the 1830s and particularly of the pivotal years of 1837-1838. This permanent exhibition is aimed at a public of all ages; children can follow a sound path intended for them with a playbook in hand, and older children can go further in their discovery thanks to a digital application.
“Our permanent exhibitions give privileged access to our collection and to important private collections on the history of the patriots”, notes Mme Devey. However, the main attraction of the Maison nationale des patriotes remains the objects in its collection. “We have few objects, but each one is very significant – for example, these letters written the day before the hanging of the patriots”, she says.
The Maison nationale des patriotes occasionally joins forces with local socio-cultural organizations to promote the cultural riches of the region. If the temporary exhibitions are mostly related to the theme of the museum, the temporary exhibition Tray to tray, on view until July 3, will introduce artists from the Richelieu Valley region. The annual program also offers shows, conferences and historical events. Next May 23, on the occasion of National Patriots’ Day, a demonstration of the arrow sash will take place.
After two years of pandemic, the Maison nationale des patriotes is ready to welcome visitors again: “Our places are sometimes forgotten, because we are close to Montreal. But there is a lot to see in Montérégie. We are a land of culture! » concludes Mr.me Devey.