Musée de la civilisation

Name

Musée de la civilisation

Legal name

Musée de la civilisation

Website

https://mcq.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Museum and Cultural Services

NAICS

Museums (712110), Historical Sites (71212)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

History Museums (THAJADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI), Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops (CRALAJAG)

Keywords

• Museum exhibitions
• Cultural heritage preservation
• Educational programming
• Collection management
• Archival research

Headquarters

HQ city

Quebec

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: The museum generates revenue through admission tickets for exhibitions and activities. Online ticket purchases offer savings compared to walk-up prices. Various pricing tiers exist for different visitor categories.
2. Membership Subscriptions: Annual and biennial membership programs offering unlimited access to exhibitions, exclusive privileges, discounts at partner establishments, and VIP invitations. Multiple tiers exist including individual, couple/family, and committed member options.
3. Gift Cards and Gift Memberships: The museum sells gift cards and gift memberships that can be redeemed for tickets, membership, and boutique purchases both online and on-site.
4. Museum Boutique: Retail sales of books, publications, jewelry, accessories, toys, children's books, local products, tableware, and creations by local and international craftspeople. Located in the vaulted cellars of Maison Estèbe (1751).
5. Restaurant Services: Espace saveurs by Nollen restaurant operated by catering partner Nollen, offering food service to museum visitors and the general public. Includes catering services for private events.
6. Image Licensing: Sales of collection object images and reproduction rights. Processing time of approximately 30 working days for requests. Pricing varies based on the nature of the request.
7. Space Rental: Event space rental for private functions including weddings, birthdays, conferences, and business meetings. Catering services available through Nollen.
8. Donations: The Fondation du Musée de la civilisation accepts donations and offers committed membership options that include charitable donations with tax receipts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Musée de la civilisation is a state museum that curates, presents, and preserves permanent and temporary exhibitions on Quebec history, Indigenous cultures, and societal themes, supplemented by an online collections portal, subscription memberships, an on-site boutique, a restaurant, image licensing, collection loans to other institutions, and event-space rental. The museum operates the Centre national de conservation et d'études des collections for climate-controlled storage of its collections and partners with foundations and sponsors for fundraising.

Product overview

The Musée de la civilisation is a state museum in Quebec City offering a multi-platform experience combining physical exhibitions with digital services. Its core offerings include permanent and temporary exhibitions (Le Québec autrement dit, Ma maison, Foules, NIN, Plaisirs, Mémoires en réserve) exploring societal themes and Quebec heritage. Digital infrastructure includes an Online Collections Portal (collections.mcq.org) providing access to over 233,000 objects, an Odoo-powered e-commerce platform (boutique.mcq.org) for ticketing, memberships, and gift cards, and an online image licensing service. Physical on-site services encompass educational activities, consultation rooms, loan services, a museum boutique, and the Espace saveurs by Nollen restaurant. The museum also operates the Centre national de conservation et d'études des collections, a specialized 8,546 m2 facility for preserving over 225,000 collection objects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Centre national de conservation et d'études des collections (CNCEC): The national conservation and study center housing over 225,000 objects in specialized storage facilities designed by architect Pierre Thibault
• Collections en ligne
• Espace saveurs by Nollen
• Boutique du Musée

Products and services

• Plaisirs (Pleasures) Exhibition Feel-good temporary exhibition on the theme of pleasure — covering sensory experiences, idealized happiness, and addiction — built for multi-generational museum visitors.
• Mémoires en réserve (Curating Memories) Digital Installation Interactive digital installation taking visitors virtually inside the museum's conservation storage rooms to explore the collections.
• NIN Exhibition Indigenous-language themed exhibition celebrating Anicinabemowin and Indigenous knowledge, designed and produced with cultural organization MINWASHIN.
• Honneur au peuple du Québec (Honour to the People of Québec) Exhibition Commemorative exhibition marking the 40th anniversary of the Ordre national du Québec, showcasing its laureates and related artifacts.
• Foules. Laboratoire humain (Crowds: Humans in Interaction) Exhibition Interactive traveling exhibition on human crowd behavior adapted for its North American debut, with stations and scientific experiments.
• Membership Programs 1- or 2-year subscription tiers offering unlimited exhibition access, priority notifications, exclusive privileges, partner discounts, and ROAM access to 300+ North American museums; includes a Committed Membership tier that bundles a $100 tax-receipted donation to the Fondation du Musée de la civilisation.
• Gift Cards (Cartes-cadeaux) Variable-amount digital gift cards redeemable for tickets, memberships, and boutique purchases both online and on-site, delivered as PDF by email with no expiration date.
• Museum Boutique (Boutique du Musée) Physical retail store in the vaulted cellars of Maison Estèbe (1751) selling books, publications, jewelry, accessories, toys, children's books, local products, tableware, and crafts by local and international artisans.
• Espace saveurs by Nollen Restaurant Museum restaurant on the 2nd level operated by catering partner Nollen, offering healthy meals, specialty coffees, pastries, sandwiches, and seasonal menus, plus private-event catering with 15% member discounts.
• Image Licensing Service Service for requesting images and reproduction rights of collection objects, processed in approximately 30 working days with variable pricing based on request nature and compliance with copyright requirements.
• Collection Loan Services Loan program allowing museums, historical houses, and cultural institutions to borrow objects, archival documents, and rare books for exhibitions and events, subject to policy review and committee approval and requiring requests 6 months in advance.
• Archival Consultation Services On-site consultation room at Pavillon Jérôme-Demers for researchers to access the Séminaire de Québec archives, rare books, and museum collections, supported by professional archivists and complementary online database access; open Wednesday to Friday by appointment.
• Space Rental for Private Events Venue rental for weddings, birthdays, conferences, and business meetings, with catering provided by Nollen and member discounts.
• Educational Activities Programmed activities including guided visits, workshops, spectacles, installations, and educational sessions designed for various age groups and school programs, with special accommodations for students with special needs and free admission for supporting chaperones.
• Place-Royale Visits Off-site guided tours and cultural activities at Place-Royale in collaboration with the Commission de la capitale nationale du Québec, including the Cartier-Roberval archaeological site.

Quantifiable outcome

• Access to over 300 museums in North America through ROAM membership
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie (Paris)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreated the Crowds: Humans in Interaction exhibition in partnership with the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, which the Musée de la civilisation adapted for its North American debut.
• Max Planck Institute for Human Development (Berlin)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie to create the Crowds exhibition, providing research expertise on human crowd behavior and interactions.
• MINWASHINcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesigned and produced the NIN exhibition to mark the International Decade of Indigenous Languages. Mobilizes the creative forces of the Anicinabe nation and its allies to celebrate Anicinabemowin language.
• Radio-CanadacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for the My Place exhibition. Major media partner for the Pleasures exhibition.
• Via CapitalecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for the My Place exhibition.
• Commission de la capitale nationale du QuébeccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for the In Other Words, Québec exhibition, presenting the Cartier-Roberval archaeological site section. Also provides interactive game Le Fort d'en haut and educational activity La mission du Roy.
• Aliments du QuébecminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for the In Other Words, Québec exhibition.
• La PresseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner for the In Other Words, Québec and Pleasures exhibitions.
• KaleidominorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for the My Place exhibition.
• Mode CoeurminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for the My Place exhibition.
• Ordre national du QuébeccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the Honour to the People of Québec exhibition celebrating the 40th anniversary of this nonpartisan institution awarding Québec's highest distinction.
• Musée national des Beaux-arts du Québec (MNBAQ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution for the ICOM Exhibitions 2026 conference, hosting Wednesday afternoon visit and closing ceremony. Dedicated to promoting Quebec art with excellence and innovation.
• Monastère des AugustinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConference opening venue on October 4, 2026, followed by a visit to the Resonances exhibition. Historic monastery and wellness retreat with museum, experiential accommodation, and cultural programming.
• Huron-Wendat MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConference venue for Monday afternoon visit, featuring permanent and temporary galleries, Ekionkiestha' National Longhouse, and the Tsawenhohi Heritage House.
• Hydro-QuébeccoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEducational programming partner for the museum.
• La Boîte Rouge VIFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with the museum during the creative process of the This is Our Story exhibition, working in closed collaboration with Québec's 11 Indigenous nations.
• NollencoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCatering partner operating the Espace saveurs restaurant on the 2nd level of the museum. Offers healthy meals, catering for private events, with 15% member discounts.
• ICOM ExhibitionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe museum is hosting the ICOM Exhibitions Annual Conference 2026, bringing together approximately 150 international museum professionals.
• Hotel Partners (ICOM 2026 Conference)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPreferred hotel rates secured with Monastère des Augustines, Château Bellevue, Hôtel PUR, Château Laurier, and Hilton for ICOM conference attendees.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Canadian Museum of History: Canada's national museum of human history located in Gatineau across from Ottawa; directly comparable as a federally operated museum focused on Canadian society, peoples, and cultural heritage with comparable exhibition, education, and loan programs.
• Pointe-à-Callière, Montreal Archaeology and History Complex: Montreal's flagship archaeology and history museum with a strong society-and-civilization focus, archaeological site presentations, and comparable permanent/temporary exhibition programming serving a similar audience and grant-making environment.
• McCord Museum: Montreal-based museum of Canadian social history and contemporary life with a comparable multidisciplinary, society-centered curatorial approach, large research collections, and education/outreach mandate similar to Musée de la civilisation.
• Musée national des Beaux-arts du Québec (MNBAQ): Quebec's national fine-arts museum and active partner institution for the ICOM Exhibitions 2026 conference; comparable in scale, government affiliation, and Quebec-specific visitor base, though specialized to fine art rather than human civilization.
• Huron-Wendat Museum: Quebec-based Indigenous heritage museum partnered with Musée de la civilisation for ICOM 2026; directly comparable as a cultural-heritage institution presenting First Nations collections, permanent galleries, and educational programming to overlapping visitor segments.

Broad incumbents

• Royal Ontario Museum (ROM): Toronto-based broad natural-history and world-culture museum with significantly larger scale; comparable as a major Canadian heritage institution with overlapping natural-history collections, membership programs, and international exhibition partnerships, but operating across many disciplines beyond civilization-focused programming.
• Canadian Museum of Nature: Federally operated natural-history museum in Ottawa with the largest scientific-object collection in Canada; comparable as a national heritage institution holding significant natural-history collections and offering education, exhibitions, and research services to a similar audience.
• Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian: U.S.-based broad incumbent with comparable focus on Indigenous peoples, civilization, and cultural heritage; relevant given overlapping programming themes (Indigenous-language exhibitions, society-centered curation) at a meaningfully larger institutional scale.

Regional players

• Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie: Paris-based science and industry museum that co-created the 'Crowds' exhibition with Musée de la civilisation; directly comparable as a large multidisciplinary science/society museum with major traveling-exhibition output, though serving a different geographic catchment.

Emerging players

• Monastère des Augustines: Quebec City heritage site with museum, wellness, and cultural programming; partnered with Musée de la civilisation as the ICOM 2026 opening venue. Directly comparable as a small heritage institution monetizing cultural programming, lodging, and group experiences around a historic asset.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat1 record

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/mcqpromo
• Facebookfacebook.com/mcqorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mcqorg
• Instagraminstagram.com/mcqorg
• Xx.com/mcqorg

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Musée de la civilisation