National Network for Equitable Library Service

In Gatineau, the Quartier du Musée heritage neighbourhood regularly makes the news as it has been earmarked for large-scale development that would modernize the downtown area. Discover the 65 early-20th century buildings and their history.  The Quartier du Musée is located in front of the Canadian Museum of History in the Hull sector of the City of Gatineau. It is at the heart of the the Outaouais Francophones’ identity.  As the founding French-Catholic parish, with its institutional, residential and commercial buildings, the Quartier du Musée represents an ensemble of historical and socio-economical references, in particular for the Catholic and French-Canadian communities of the area. It is one of the rare neighborhoods still bearing witness to the City of Hull as it stood prior to 1900; as such, its built heritage reflects the way various architectural styles were adapted in the National Capital area: 53 of the buildings were built prior to 1910, and 44 were built prior to the Great Fire of 1900.  The stories of the owners and occupants reveal the evolution of the social, economic and cultural history of the Outaouais. The socio-economic activities of the buildings’ inhabitants—whether owners or tenants— shed light on the key individuals who played an important role in the history of the city and of the greater area.