Site Historique Maritime De La Pointe-au-pere

What Site Historique Maritime De La Pointe-au-pere does

Site historique maritime de la Pointe-au-Père (SHMP) is a non-profit organization founded in 1980 in Rimouski, Quebec, that operates a three-attraction maritime heritage complex at the Pointe-au-Père Lighthouse National Historic Site. Its core offerings are the Empress of Ireland Museum, which documents the 1914 sinking of the Canadian Pacific transatlantic liner (1,012 victims in 14 minutes, Canada's worst maritime tragedy), the Onondaga submarine — Canada's first publicly accessible submarine and a 90-meter vessel decommissioned from National Defence in 2000 — and the historic lighthouse station (Quebec's second-highest at 33 meters). The site integrates digital interpretation tools including the award-winning immersive show "Le dernier voyage" with sensory effects (heat, wind), trilingual audio guides (French, English, Spanish), and the 2022-launched tablet-based educational activity "Les superpouvoirs de l'Onondaga."

SHMP's business model is a direct-to-consumer tourism operation with seasonal operations (June–November). Revenue is generated through on-site ticket sales (individual or combined attraction tickets ranging from $5.00 to $27.50, free for children 7 and under), the premium overnight "Nuit à bord" submarine experience ($150 adult / $95 youth, limited to 15 participants), group bookings (15+ with reservation), the Café du Hangar seasonal food service, and a maritime-themed gift shop featuring Quebec-made products. The organization supplements ticket and ancillary revenue with multi-tier government grants (Canadian Heritage, Tourisme Québec, Ville de Rimouski) and partnerships with Parks Canada, Desjardins, Marsh Canada, and regional tourism organizations. All ticket purchases occur on-site with no online reservation system, and the site relies on regional tourism partnerships and social media for visitor acquisition.

The customer base is highly diversified across domestic and international tourists, families, school groups, maritime history enthusiasts, and regional event attendees. The site has won multiple tourism industry awards, including the Gold medal at the Grands Prix du Tourisme québécois (2000) and the Prix Télé-Québec for best audiovisual show (2013). SHMP is governed by an independent board of directors under Director General Hélène Théberge, with no parent company, venture capital, or private equity ownership.

Name

Site Historique Maritime De La Pointe-au-pere

Legal name

Site historique maritime de la Pointe-au-Père

Website

https://shmp.qc.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SHMP is a non-profit maritime heritage organization in Rimouski, Quebec, operating a museum complex featuring the Empress of Ireland Museum, Canada's first publicly accessible submarine (Onondaga), and Quebec's second-highest lighthouse, serving tourists, families, and school groups through seasonal on-site ticketing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Heritage Museum

NAICS

Historical Sites (712120), Historical Sites (71212), Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Historic Sites, Heritage Landmarks & Archaeological Sites (THAJACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

UNESCO & Protected Landmark Sites (THAJACAI), Museum & Landmark Guided Tours (Skip-the-line/Docent-led) (THAJAAAC)

Keywords

• Maritime heritage museum
• Submarine tour experience
• Lighthouse historical site
• Cultural heritage tourism
• Interactive museum exhibits

Headquarters

HQ city

Rimouski

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Admission tickets: The museum generates primary revenue through ticket sales for three distinct attractions: Empress of Ireland Museum, Onondaga Submarine, and Lighthouse Station. Tickets can be purchased individually or as combined packages. Additional revenue comes from the 'Nuit à bord' (Night aboard) overnight submarine experience.
2. Gift shop sales: Maritime-themed gift shop located at the Onondaga pavilion offering exclusive and artisanal products including educational games, toys, books, clothing, dishes, jewelry, and souvenirs. Most items are manufactured locally in Quebec.
3. Café du Hangar food service: Café operated from mid-June to early September offering fresh sandwiches, pizzas, pastries, hot and cold beverages, snacks, and maple products. Also provides picnic tables for visitors who bring their own food.
4. Group bookings and events: Revenue from organized group visits (minimum 15 people) available by reservation, and event venue hosting including the 5@7 Hangar 14 summer event series with free admission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Site historique maritime de la Pointe-au-Père operates a maritime museum complex featuring three main attractions: the Empress of Ireland Museum (chronicling Canada's worst maritime tragedy with over 200 recovered artifacts and an immersive show), the Onondaga submarine (Canada's first publicly accessible submarine, 90 metres long), and the historic Lighthouse Station (Quebec's second-highest lighthouse at 33 metres). The site offers guided tours, audio-guided visits in multiple languages, educational programs for children, and supplementary experiences including the overnight "Nuit à bord" submarine stay, a seasonal café, and a maritime-themed gift shop.

Product overview

Site Historique Maritime de la Pointe-au-Père is a non-profit maritime heritage organization operating three main attractions: the Empress of Ireland Museum documenting the 1914 sinking of the Empress of Ireland steamship (Canada's worst maritime tragedy with 1,012 victims), the Onondaga submarine (Canada's first publicly accessible submarine at 90 metres), and the Lighthouse Station (Quebec's second-highest lighthouse at 33 metres built in 1909). The site offers combined and individual attraction tickets, plus supplementary experiences including the 'Nuit à bord' overnight submarine stay, the Café du Hangar restaurant, and a maritime gift shop. A complete site visit takes approximately 3 hours.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Musée Empress of Ireland (Empress of Ireland Museum) Permanent museum exhibition "L'Histoire continue" covering the history of the Empress of Ireland steamship, including wreck exploration, passenger testimonies, the 1914 sinking tragedy with 1,012 victims, and over 200 recovered artifacts, photos, videos, and archival documents. Features the immersive show "Le dernier voyage" with sensory effects (heat, wind) recreating the final voyage atmosphere. For general visitors, school groups, and history enthusiasts.
• Sous-marin Onondaga (Onondaga Submarine Tour) Self-guided audio tour in French, English, and Spanish through Canada's first publicly accessible submarine, a 90-metre vessel that criss-crossed the North Atlantic from 1967 to 2000. Visitors explore compartments including the control room, engine room, crew quarters, and torpedo room. A complete visit takes approximately 45 minutes. For tourists, school groups, and maritime history enthusiasts.
• Station de phare (Lighthouse Station) Guided tour of the historic lighthouse station featuring Quebec's second-highest lighthouse at 33 metres, built in 1909, with 128 steps to a 360-degree view. Includes the Keeper's House with the "River Sentinels" (Veilleurs de fleuve) exhibition and the Foghorn Shed with sound signal systems exhibit. Lighthouse operational until 1998. Takes approximately 1 hour. For general visitors and heritage enthusiasts.
• Nuit à bord (Overnight Submarine Experience) Overnight experience on the Onondaga submarine where participants become apprentice submariners under a bosun's command and earn their "dolphins" insignia. Includes training on submarine systems, evening activities in the torpedo room, and overnight accommodation in crew quarters. Maximum 15 participants, ages 9 and up. Adults $150, ages 9-17 $95. Does not include regular day visit fees.
• Hangar 14 Exhibition space and event venue on-site, originally featuring the 1914 Quebec life exhibition, now serving as a rest area for visitors and the venue for 5@7 evening cultural events during the summer season. For visitors attending events and seasonal programming.
• Café du Hangar
• Boutique (Maritime Gift Shop) Maritime-themed gift shop located at the Onondaga pavilion exit offering exclusive and artisanal Quebec-made products including educational games, toys, books, clothing, dishes, jewelry, and souvenirs. For on-site visitors.

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting, major and minor.

• Parcs CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership (since 1982) for the preservation and promotion of the Pointe-au-Père Lighthouse National Historic Site. One of the longest collaborations between an OBNL and Parks Canada in Quebec. Parks Canada also conducted major restoration work on the lighthouse and station in 2017. Joint exhibitions presented at the lighthouse station including 'Veilleurs de fleuve' exhibition.
• Tourisme QuébeccoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProvincial tourism ministry partner providing financial support for the museum expansion project and regional tourism promotion.
• Marsh Canada LimitéesupportingOthersInsurance company providing commercial coverage for museum operations and served as a financial partner for the museum expansion.
• Tourisme RimouskimajorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism organization promoting the site as a key destination in the Rimouski area, providing visitor referrals and marketing support.
• Institut maritime du QuébecsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal maritime educational institution. The SHMP held its first exhibitions at the Institut maritime in 1980-1982 before moving to the current site. Ongoing educational partnership potential.
• Idées au Cube (ID3)supportingTechnology or IntegrationCreative firm that designed and created the 'Le dernier voyage' immersive audiovisual show with sensory effects (heat, wind) for the Empress of Ireland Museum.
• ATR du Bas-Saint-LaurentmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism association that has awarded multiple tourism awards to SHMP including recognition in 1999, 2000, and 2004.
• Route des PharessupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional lighthouse route organization promoting maritime heritage sites including the SHMP lighthouse station.
• Distillerie Saint-LaurentminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal distillery partner appearing in events programming and regional tourism network.
• Grands Prix du Tourisme québécoiscoreOthersProvincial tourism awards program that recognized SHMP with gold medals (2000) and bronze medals (2004) in various attraction categories.
• Société des musées québécoiscoreOthersProvincial museum association that awarded the Prix Télé-Québec du meilleur spectacle audiovisuel to SHMP in 2013 for the 'Le dernier voyage' immersive show.
• Association touristique régionale de la GaspésiesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism association promoting complementary attractions across the Gaspésie-Bas-Saint-Laurent region.
• Le Québec MaritimesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional maritime tourism marketing organization promoting maritime destinations across Quebec's maritime regions.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• USS Constitution Museum: Boston-based naval heritage museum tied to USS Constitution ("Old Ironsides"). Comparable naval heritage narrative, museum-plus-historic-vessel format, and U.S./Canadian maritime history positioning.
• USS Midway Museum: San Diego aircraft carrier museum offering self-guided audio tours of a major decommissioned naval vessel. Comparable museum-on-a-ship format, large-scale single-site attraction model, and immersive audio tour mechanics.
• Battleship Missouri Memorial: Pearl Harbor-based naval heritage attraction on a decommissioned battleship. Comparable large-vessel-as-museum operating model with bundled ticketing and an overnight/officer-experience add-on product line.
• USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park: Pearl Harbor-based submarine museum featuring a WWII-era submarine opened for self-guided tours with audioguide. Directly comparable on the core submarine-tour mechanic and museum-plus-historic-vessel format.
• Cité de la Mer (Cherbourg): French maritime heritage complex combining the Redoutable nuclear submarine tour with Titanic-related exhibitions. Most directly comparable to SHMP: a decommissioned submarine opened for self-guided audio tours, a maritime disaster narrative, and bundled attraction ticketing on a single site.
• Battleship North Carolina: Decommissioned WWII battleship museum in Wilmington, NC. Directly comparable in the decommissioned-naval-vessel-as-tourist-attraction category, with similar self-guided exhibit mechanics.
• Maritime Museum of the Atlantic (Halifax): Canada's largest maritime museum covering the Titanic (and notably Titanic victims buried in Halifax), the Halifax Explosion, and Atlantic seafaring. Closest Canadian peer given geography, Atlantic Canada maritime heritage positioning, and overlapping disaster-narrative storytelling.

Broad incumbents

• Royal Museums Greenwich: UK national maritime museum group encompassing the National Maritime Museum, Cutty Sark, and Royal Observatory. Comparable maritime heritage positioning with historic vessels and lighthouse/navigation themes, but at a vastly larger institutional scale.

Regional players

• Musée de la civilisation (Quebec City): Large-scale Quebec provincial museum in Quebec City. Comparable Quebec nonprofit heritage museum with public funding, immersive exhibits, and a family-tourism audience, but with a much broader thematic scope.
• Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Archaeology and History Complex: Major Quebec history museum and National Historic Site in Montreal. Comparable Quebec museum/heritage-site positioning with immersive exhibits and a primary public-funder model, but focused on Montreal foundational history rather than maritime narrative.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/SHMPofficiel
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCBswUgmGs9XeBJGURABb1hQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/SHMPofficiel
• Instagraminstagram.com/shmpointeaupere
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/site-historique-maritime-de-la-pointe-au-pere

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Site Historique Maritime De La Pointe-au-pere