‘Whenever I enter a museum, it’s kind of like travelling’

To mark the 30th edition of Montreal Museums Day, 30 Montreal “ambassadors” have shared their love of museums in short videos that can be viewed at museesmontreal.org.

Here are quotes from a few Montrealers.

Jean-François Baril, radio and television host: “To be honest, museums never used to mean a thing to me. But then you have kids, you become parents, you want them to learn, so you take them to Museums Day. And then you take them to museums, period, and you realize that not only are the kids learning an enormous amount, they’re loving it. Because they can touch and see things, experiment with all sorts of subjects: science, art, technology, airplanes, rockets. And the parents learn, too. But the main thing is, the more you take your kids to museums, the more curious they become. And no matter what you end up doing in life, that’s priceless.”

Mehdi Bousaidan, standup comic: “Museums are important to me for two reasons. First, when I arrived in Canada as a small child with my family, I’d go to the museum often with my schoolmates, and I learned a lot about Canada and Quebec that way. I think it’s important to know where you are, the history of the place where you live. That really helped me to assimilate here. Second, it’s really the best place to take a girl. Really, guys: if you want to take a girl on a date, go to a museum — it works every time. And it’s not expensive. Every time. Really.”

Xavier Huard, actor and director: “When I’m in a foreign city, another country or travelling, one of the first things I do is go to a museum. … Something I noticed a few years back is that when I was in Montreal, in my city, my hometown, I wasn’t going to museums. I don’t know whether there’s something exotic that was lost because I was at home, but for the past few years, going to museums has been part of my life, like going to the park or going to the movies. I still have the feeling that, whenever I enter a museum, it’s kind of like travelling.”

Vanessa Pilon, television host: “For me, museums are essential because they’re the standardbearers for our culture and history, and they’re also wonderful windows on the world. Most of all, museums are the best place to go on a first date. It’s fun, it gives you a chance to make fascinating discoveries together, it gives you things to talk about, then and later. … It’s a great activity, and best of all, it’s a great filter. It’s the best way to see how much general culture a guy has. If he spends more time in the museum shop than in the museum, run away, quick!”

Mamselle Ruiz, singer and musician: “For me, museums are giant guardians protecting the treasures of humanity. They are also a window on our past and present, storehouses of culture from the world over. Whenever I step into a museum, time stops, and I am swept away by this tidal wave of artwork. I become a witness to a single moment in our existence.”