Musée de l'Amérique française, Canadian museum in Old Quebec, Canada
The Musée de l'Amérique française is a museum in Old Quebec that displays collections related to French presence in North America. The galleries contain historical objects, manuscripts, and artworks spanning several centuries of French-Canadian history.
The museum traces its roots to the Séminaire de Québec, founded in 1663, which began collecting books and objects for religious and educational purposes. These collections opened to the public as a museum in 1806.
The museum reflects French-Canadian identity through objects and documents that show how French culture took root in North America. Walking through the galleries reveals how this heritage shaped daily life and community values over centuries.
The entrance is in the round-facade house at the corner of Côte de la Fabrique and Rue Sainte-Famille, beside the Séminaire de Québec. The former chapel, now a hall for concerts and receptions, is attached to the building. The museum is part of the Musée de la civilisation complex, and a transformation into the Cité du Séminaire was planned for around 2024.
The Enfer section holds 603 monographs, about half in French and a quarter in English, plus over 900 leaflets. Some volumes carry handwritten notes by Séminaire de Québec members explaining why a book was locked away, and letters from bishops granting or refusing permission to read them.
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