Sitting at the bottom of Mont-Royal in the heart of Montreal, McGill College Avenue is a wide street with its extremity at the McGill University campus and Place Ville-Marie (skyscraper) at the other end. It is a lively sector.  The decor is expected to be totally different in the next few years. First (winter 2020-2021), work is currently ongoing for the new train (REM) system which limits the access and, of course, affects the appearance of the street with the metal fence.  Second, and for the better, there is a new project for the redesign of the area which is expected to totally change the face of the place and it should start in 2023 if all goes as planned.

• McGill University and grounds
  • Redpath Museum
• Statues (public street art)
• Place Montreal Trust
• Centre Eaton
• Place Ville-Marie (observatory)

Please note that McGill Street exists in Old Montreal but it is not connected.

Public Art on McGill College Avenue

The city has numerous open-air public art projects and you will find a few on McGill College Avenue. A day in Montreal could be only touring the public outdoor sculptures. Below are four of them.

La Leçon / The Lesson  “Steve Jobs is dead”

The Student Statue is cleverly located just outside the McGill University main campus.  The statue is a salutation to Steve Jobs. The student facing the university, but looking at its Apple laptop, is in shock at the headline that indicates “Steve Jobs is dead”. This is in line with the dominant role of the computer in today’s world.  Mr. Jobs did have a significant impact on our daily lives.

The statue “Steve Jobs est mort” by Cédric Loth is at the corner of Sherbrooke Street and Avenue McGill College facing the university grounds.

La Foule Illuminée / The Illuminated Crowd

The Illuminated Crowd or La Foule Illuminée (in French) is on the west side of the street. It is located in front of the National Bank Tower on McGill College Avenue.

This white sculpture presents the different reactions and diversity of 65 people to an unknown event.

What would be your reaction?

Le Banc Du Secret / The Secret Bench

Le Banc Du Secret French for The Secret Bench is installed on McGill Collegue Avenue near Maisonneuve Boulevard. This bronze bench with sculptures by Lea Vivot presents two young people sitting closely together. The boy, holding an apple, seems to whisper a secret to the girl. Messages are engraved on the bench.

Danceuse / Dancer

A bit hidden from the street and nearby the Banc des Secrets, la Danseuse is a discrete abstract dancer sculpture in front of water fountain. The water effect is nice in the summer.

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