Bonjour again!

As promised, I’m back with part two of my Montréal trip. While Old Montréal swept me away with its historic charm, this second leg of my adventure explored the city’s contemporary art, wildlife exhibits, and food scene—from Korean BBQ to a decadent French brunch. If you're planning a trip, or just love to travel through stories, read on for more discoveries.

This enclosed, domed building is different from a typical zoo—it features full ecosystems where wildlife lives in more natural environments. It also allows you to explore several habitats in just a few hours. With over 200 species at the Biodome, you can observe different types of penguins in the subpolar region, then hop over to the rainforest to see parrots, capybaras, bats, and more. Finally, explore a maple forest and the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

The rainforest and maple forest areas were the most immersive. The rainforest was especially cool—the birds, parrots, and even the endangered golden lion tamarins felt remarkably close. You can walk up to an upper mezzanine to get a nice overhead view of both regions.

The gigantic tank representing the Gulf of St. Lawrence was also impressive. You begin with an underwater view and exit to see the same body of water from above.

The polar exhibits, in my opinion, were the least immersive. They’re located in a smaller area where you can observe several varieties of penguins and other Arctic birds swimming or resting—but compared to the other habitats, it felt more like a traditional exhibit.

Like any zoo, there’s some controversy about the ethics of containing wildlife for human observation. The Biodome sometimes cares for animals in need—but mostly it creates simulated environments for educational and research purposes. That said, the habitats are considered better than most traditional zoos. The facility is staffed with researchers, scientists, and wildlife experts and supports reintroduction programs for certain species.

I found it interesting that about 70% of the animals come from Canada, 27% from South America, 2% from Antarctica, and 1% from Asia.

Tickets are CA$23.75 (about US$17.23) and must be purchased with a time slot. We almost ran late due to nearby construction at the Olympic Stadium, which made it difficult to find from the recommended parking lot. If you take the metro, you'll have no trouble. If you’re planning to visit all five of the “Espace pour la vie” museums, it’s worth buying a Passport ticket.

Love contemporary art but don’t want to spend hours in a massive museum? Arsenal art contemporain is a perfect stop. This art and event space features rotating exhibits of sculptures, paintings, and interactive installations.

Currently on display in the main gallery are select pieces from the Collection Majudia—a collection of approximately 500 works by national and international artists. Some featured pieces include:

Then past the main exhibition room, towards the back, you’ll find another section featuring large installations including Barbecue by Rebecca Manson—made up of thousands of ceramic leaves arranged in piles alongside various artifacts. It’s a visually striking, hard to capture in photos and much better experienced in person.

We ended our visit viewing a short documentary called For It Shall Rule (2023) by Étienne Morneau, exploring Montréal’s housing history through the lens of a fictional photographer and their professor.

Tickets were CA$18 (about US$13). It’s a great post-dinner activity since they're open until 8 p.m.

Most visitors head straight for poutine in Montréal—and I did try it during my first trip to the Old Quarter. This time, though, we explored some other food experiences.

Brunch at Le Passé Composé
We kicked off with cozy drinks like a London Fog—made with Earl Grey tea, steamed milk, and vanilla syrup. The menu had plenty of savory and sweet options, including an absolutely decadent Belgian waffle with caramelized bananas, praline mascarpone, sweet plantain chips, roasted hazelnuts, passion fruit coulis, five-spice white chocolate ganache, and berries.

Main dishes were around CA$30, and drinks ranged from CA$10–15—roughly US$32 per person plus tip.

Dinner at Daldongnae Korean BBQ – MTL Bishop
This was one of my favorite meals! We shared vegan, beef, and pork BBQ options, all cooked right at the table, by us(!). The meal includes a variety of side dishes and takes about an hour and a half—plenty of time to savor everything and enjoy good conversation.

I always love how travel opens up unexpected contrasts—like experiencing a rainforest ecosystem, studying an art installation made up of thousands of ceramic pieces, or trading poutine for a Korean BBQ grill. Montréal continues to surprise and inspire, and I hope this mini-guide helps you plan your own memorable visit.

‘til next week, happy exploring!
Kathleen

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