What Musée de la Gaspésie does

The Musée de la Gaspésie is a private non-profit regional museum founded in 1962 (Société historique de la Gaspésie) and operating from its current site in Gaspé, Quebec since 1977. Its mission is to collect, conserve, interpret, and disseminate the history, heritage, and culture of the Gaspé Peninsula. The institution maintains an accredited archive centre (since 1990), co-houses the regional BAnQ Gaspé branch (since 2010), publishes the quarterly Magazine Gaspésie (continuous since 1963, 200+ issues), and operates a flagship permanent exhibition 'À la confluence des mondes' featuring 250+ artifacts and multimedia installations on a $1M+ investment.

The museum's product portfolio spans exhibitions (permanent and rotating temporary), immersive VR ('Partez en mer' on Oculus Quest 2), gamified digital school programs ('Mission Artefact' built with CREO Montreal), curriculum-aligned K-12 and CEGEP educational visits, a summer day camp for ages 5-12, venue rentals (conference room, archives hall, 105-seat outdoor amphitheatre), and a retail boutique stocking 75+ Gaspésian artisan consignors. Distribution is hybrid: physical site on Gaspé Bay, Shopify-powered e-commerce with Canada-wide shipping, traveling exhibitions to partner museums across Quebec, Ontario, and New Brunswick, and a pilot decentralized 'in situ' preservation model with Sainte-Madeleine-de-la-Rivière-Madeleine.

The revenue model is mixed: approximately 50% self-generated (admissions, memberships at $10/year, boutique sales, Magazine Gaspésie subscriptions, venue rentals, day camp fees, donations) and 50% government funding (PAFIM and other Quebec/Canada programs). Customers span K-12 schools, post-secondary institutions, general public and tourists, corporate event clients, and the regional cultural community. The institution has run three consecutive deficit years that exhausted reserves, prompting a 2025 coalition-led advocacy campaign with four other eastern Quebec museums requesting $2.54M in additional public funding.

Name

Musée de la Gaspésie

Legal name

Musée de la Gaspésie

Website

https://museedelagaspesie.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Musée de la Gaspésie is a non-profit regional museum in Gaspé, Quebec, conserving and presenting Gaspésian history through permanent and traveling exhibitions, an accredited archive, educational programs, a quarterly magazine, and immersive VR experiences for schools, tourists, and cultural visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Museum Services

NAICS

Museums (712110), Museums (71211), Historical Sites (712120)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH), Museum & Landmark Guided Tours (Skip-the-line/Docent-led) (THAJAAAC), Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops (CRALAJAG)

Keywords

• Regional museum services
• Heritage preservation
• Cultural exhibitions
• Educational programming
• Archival collections

Headquarters

HQ city

Gaspé

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Admissions and ticketing: Visitors purchase tickets for museum entry and special experiences (VR, guided tours). The museum offers online ticketing via Shopify. Regular hours are daily 9h–17h. Group and school visit pricing is differentiated.
2. Gift shop and boutique: The Boutique du Musée sells regional artisanal products (100% Gaspésian), books, souvenirs, and locally made crafts on consignment from 75+ Gaspésian artisans. Open year-round to museum visitors and the general public.
3. Memberships and donations: Affordable membership at $10/person (free for children 17 and under) providing free admission to exhibitions, reduced-cost cultural programming, and 10% off the boutique. The museum also solicits major gifts, planned giving, and collection donations.
4. Magazine Gaspésie subscriptions and newsstand sales: The museum publishes the Magazine Gaspésie (founded 1963, 200+ issues published), available in print and digital formats by subscription, single issue, or bundled offer. The magazine covers the history, culture, and heritage of the Gaspé Peninsula.
5. Summer day camp fees: The museum operates a day camp for children aged 5–12 (June 22–August 14, 2026) at $175/week with optional before/after care at $35/week. Multi-week discounts apply (15% for weeks 5–7, 20% for week 8).
6. Room and venue rentals: Multifunctional rooms are rented for corporate events, conferences, 5 à 7s, and private functions. Spaces include a conference room (10–12 people, basement), the Archives Centre hall (40 people, ground floor, evenings/weekends), and an outdoor Amphitheatre (105-seat bleachers, stage 12m × 5m). Ancillary services include AV equipment, Wi-Fi, catering (coffee at $2/person).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Musée de la Gaspésie operates a regional museum on the shores of Gaspé Bay, Quebec, curating permanent and temporary exhibitions on the history, heritage, and culture of the Gaspésie Peninsula. The museum sells admission tickets, educational programs for schools, a summer day camp, gift shop merchandise, magazine subscriptions, and venue/room rentals for events. Its flagship offering is the permanent exhibition 'À la confluence des mondes' featuring over 250 artifacts and multimedia installations.

Product overview

Musée de la Gaspésie operates as a regional museum offering a diversified portfolio of cultural products and services centered on Gaspésie's heritage. Its core offerings include permanent and temporary exhibitions (with 'À la confluence des mondes' as the flagship permanent exhibition featuring over 250 artifacts and multimedia elements), immersive virtual reality experiences ('Partez en mer'), educational programs for primary through college levels (including the innovative 'Mission artefact' mobile technology game and 'Un Musée dans ma valise' initiative), a summer day camp program, the quarterly Magazine Gaspésie (published since 1963), venue rentals, and a retail boutique. The museum also maintains an archives center and manages exterior outdoor sites with historical sculptures. Revenue streams include ticketing, memberships, donations, magazine subscriptions, boutique sales, and venue rentals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Magazine Gaspésie: A regional history magazine published by the Musée de la Gaspésie since 1963 (originally as Revue d'histoire de la Gaspésie), covering the history and culture of the Gaspésie peninsula.

Products and services

• Permanent and Temporary Exhibitions Rotating portfolio of exhibitions on the history, heritage, and culture of the Gaspésie Peninsula. The flagship permanent exhibition 'À la confluence des mondes' explores 380 million years of Gaspésian history through over 250 artifacts, animated illustrations, three multimedia islands, and interactive registries. Temporary exhibitions rotate (e.g., 'Je vous regarde disparaître', 'Aube sur le plissement de l'écorce').
• Partez en mer Virtual Reality Experience A 360-degree virtual reality film produced with Idées au cube using Oculus Quest 2 technology, transporting visitors aboard a Gaspésienne fishing boat in 1963 with characters Thomas and Jos from Newport. Available in French and English with Spanish and Mandarin subtitles, for ages 6+.
• Summer Day Camp (Camp de jour du Musée) Summer day camp for children aged 5 to 12 running June 22 to August 14, featuring interactive museum visits, outdoor games, cultural workshops, and an 'Apprenti.e-animateur.rice' leadership program for ages 11–12. Priced at $175/week with optional extended care at $35/week and sibling discounts.
• School Educational Programs Curriculum-aligned educational programs for primary, secondary, and college/university audiences, including 'Embarque dans l'histoire', 'Un Musée dans ma valise: Mission artefact' mobile gamified program, 'Jacques Cartier le voyageur', 'Le cabinet de curiosités d'Eugénie', 'La Gaspésie des animaux', and guided visits. Priced at $5.25/student for elementary and secondary, $12/student for CEGEP/university; teachers free.
• Magazine Gaspésie Quarterly publication founded in 1963 (originally as Revue d'histoire de la Gaspésie) covering the history, culture, and heritage of the Gaspésie Peninsula. Available in print and digital formats by subscription, single issue, or bundled offer; over 200 issues published.
• Room and Venue Rentals Rental of multifunctional spaces including a conference room (capacity 10–12), Archives Centre hall (capacity 40, evenings/weekends), and outdoor Amphitheatre (105-seat bleachers, stage 12m × 5m). Services include AV equipment, Wi-Fi, and catering ($2/person coffee). Available for corporate events, conferences, 5 à 7s, and private functions.
• Boutique du Musée (Gift Shop) On-site and online retail store featuring regional artisan products (100% Gaspésian), books, souvenirs, and gifts. Operates on consignment arrangements with 75+ Gaspésian artisans and is open year-round. Online store ships across Canada (free shipping on orders $100+, otherwise $10 standard/$15 expedited).
• Accredited Archive Centre Services Archival research and consultation services at the Centre d'archives, accredited since 1990. Houses the regional branch of BAnQ Gaspé (Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec) since 2010. Provides access to private archival fonds and over 250 artifacts unavailable elsewhere.
• Outdoor Site and Sculptures Tour Outdoor heritage site on the Gaspé Bay waterfront featuring historical monuments and sculptures including the Jacques-Cartier monument by Pierre and Jean-Julien Bourgault-Legros (1982), 'En mémoire d'Elle' by Renée Mao Clavet (2012), 'Être Rivière' by Luce Pelletier (2009), and a Jacques-Cartier cross replica. Accessible to persons with reduced mobility.
• Traveling Exhibitions Traveling exhibitions distributed to partner museums across Canada, including 'Madame Bolduc en tournée' (hosted at Collège Boréal in Sudbury, Ontario, and museums in Quebec and New Brunswick) and 'Cher Léo' (designed to tour Gaspésie).

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 250 artifacts and archival documents accessible in the permanent exhibition
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Journées de la culture (Québec)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 September 2026The museum partnered with the 30th edition of the Quebec Cultural Days initiative for the 'J'aime les mots' project, bringing its archives to school environments across Quebec and Francophonia. Mariana Mazza served as ambassador. Activity runs September 25–October 23, 2026.
• ADAUQAR (Association pour le développement des aînés et aînées à l'UQAR)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2026ADAUQAR partnered with the museum to present the conference 'Pierre Fortin, roi du golfe du Saint-Laurent' (May 15, 2026), delivered by historian Christian Blais of the Bibliothèque de l'Assemblée nationale du Québec. ADAUQAR provides learning activities for adults 50+ across the UQAR territory including Gaspésie.
• Musée de Rimouski, Musée de la Mer (Îles-de-la-Madeleine), Musée de la Côte-Nord, Musée du Bas-Saint-LaurentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 October 2025Five eastern Quebec regional museums formed a coalition to jointly advocate for increased government funding ($2.54M request) to address the existential threat of underfunding for 43 remote regional museums. Martin Roussy, DG of Musée de la Gaspésie, serves as spokesperson. Supported by Société des musées du Québec president Jean-François Royal.
• Site historique Marguerite-Bourgeoys (Montreal)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2024Co-produced the exhibition 'Religieuses, enseignantes et... scientifiques' with the Musée des Ursulines de Trois-Rivières. The exhibition highlights the role of religious communities in science education for Canadian girls since the 1830s, developed collaboratively with the museum's curatorial team.
• Musée des Ursulines de Trois-RivièrescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2024Co-produced the exhibition 'Religieuses, enseignantes et... scientifiques' with the Site historique Marguerite-Bourgeoys, coproduced and presented at the Musée de la Gaspésie. Funded by Heritage Canada and the Quebec Ministry of Culture's exhibition aid programs.
• Collège Boréal, Sudbury, OntariominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 28 June 2022First host of the traveling exhibition 'Madame Bolduc en tournée', presenting objects from the La Bolduc collection outside the Musée de la Gaspésie for the first time. The exhibition subsequently travels to other museums in Quebec and New Brunswick.
• CREO Inc.coreTechnology or Integration · 21 February 2022CREO, a Montreal-based company specializing in digital scientific, cultural, and educational content, was contracted to develop 'Un Musée dans ma valise: Mission artefact' — a mobile interactive game for Gaspésian primary schools. CREO is known for its SCIENCE EN JEU virtual world platform and has worked with ministries, school networks, and museum institutions since 2001.
• BAnQ Gaspé (Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec)coreOthers · 1 January 2010BAnQ Gaspé was installed at the Musée de la Gaspésie in 2010. The museum houses the regional branch of Quebec's national library and archives, strengthening its archival mandate and the accredited archive centre established in 1990.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves18 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Site historique Marguerite-Bourgeoys: Historical site and museum in Montreal dedicated to the legacy of Marguerite Bourgeoys. Coproduction partner with Musée de la Gaspésie on the 'Religieuses, enseignantes et... scientifiques' exhibition and a comparable small-team, mission-driven Quebec heritage institution.
• Musée de Rimouski: Regional museum in Rimouski, Quebec, focused on regional history and heritage. A coalition partner with Musée de la Gaspésie advocating for PAFIM funding for remote museums, making it the closest comparable peer in mission, scale, and funding model.
• Musée des Ursulines de Trois-Rivières: Regional museum dedicated to the heritage of the Ursuline order and Quebec education in Trois-Rivières. Coproduction partner with Musée de la Gaspésie on the 'Religieuses, enseignantes et... scientifiques' exhibition, making it a strong operational and content-development peer.
• Musée de la Mer: Regional maritime and heritage museum in Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec. Coalition partner with Musée de la Gaspésie in the 2025 PAFIM funding advocacy and serves a comparably remote, seasonally-dependent population with a similar institutional structure.
• Musée de la Côte-Nord: Regional museum in Sept-Îles, Quebec, covering the Côte-Nord region's history and culture. Direct coalition partner with Musée de la Gaspésie and one of the five museums seeking $2.54M in additional funding for remote Quebec institutions.
• Musée du Bas-Saint-Laurent: Regional museum in Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec, serving the Bas-Saint-Laurent region. Coalition partner with Musée de la Gaspésie in the PAFIM funding request and shares the same remote-region operating model and visitor demographics.
• Château Ramezay: Montreal history museum and gardens dedicated to Quebec's early history. Comparable in mission as a small-team, mission-driven regional history museum, though located in an urban setting and not facing the same remote-region cost structure.

Broad incumbents

• Pointe-à-Callière: Montreal archaeology and history complex operating as a national archaeology museum. A larger incumbent in the Quebec heritage sector with a similar artifact-driven exhibition model, but a much larger budget, urban location, and national/international visitor base.
• Canadian Museum of History: National museum of Canadian history in Gatineau. The dominant incumbent in Canadian history and heritage, with an operating budget and exhibit scale orders of magnitude larger than regional Quebec museums; relevant as a funder, partner, and competitive draw for heritage tourism.
• Musée de la civilisation: Large Quebec City museum covering Quebec's cultural and human history. A larger incumbent in the same Quebec heritage sector that competes for provincial funding, tourism visits, and exhibition partnerships, though with a much broader mandate and urban footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@museedelagaspesie1534
• Facebookfacebook.com/museegaspesie
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mus-e-de-la-gasp-sie
• Instagraminstagram.com/museedelagaspesie
• Pinterestpinterest.ca/MuseedelaGaspesie

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 Gaspésie