Montréal Insectarium Museum

Address: 4581 Rue Sherbrooke E, Montréal, QC H1X 2B2, Canada

Website: https://espacepourlavie.ca/en/insectarium

The Montréal Insectarium is a museum in Montreal, Quebec, dedicated to insects and their role in ecosystems, combining live displays, preserved specimens and educational exhibits.

Galleries present insect diversity, life cycles, ecology and human-insect interactions with both live enclosures and large reference collections of pinned and preserved specimens. The facility commonly includes tropical and butterfly displays that require climate control and may have seasonal operation schedules.

Opened in the late 20th century, the Insectarium has developed collections and public programs focused on entomology and environmental education. It is managed alongside other Montreal natural-science institutions.

The Insectarium is located near the Montreal Botanical Garden in the city’s east end, as part of the area dedicated to natural-history institutions and green spaces.

• Setting and timing: Part of Montreal’s network of natural science institutions and located next to the Montreal Botanical Garden; plan visits seasonally for live butterfly displays.

What to See#

• Exhibit galleries: Live insect exhibits and display galleries with preserved specimens and educational panels presenting insect diversity and biology.
• Live butterfly/tropical displays: Butterfly and tropical displays that house live lepidoptera in climate-controlled enclosures at certain times of year.

The Montréal Insectarium is part of the Space for Life complex in Montréal’s Parc Maisonneuve, next to the Botanical Garden and Olympic Park. Take the Montreal Metro Orange line to Pie‑IX or Viau station and walk about 10-15 minutes to the Insectarium (both stations provide straightforward pedestrian routes via Boulevard Pie‑IX). There is also parking around the botanical garden if you drive.

• Visit the Insectarium early on a weekday to avoid school-group peaks-the facility is on the grounds of the Montreal Botanical Garden (Space for Life) and shares the site's heavy visitor flows.
• Combine the Insectarium with a visit to the adjacent Botanical Garden or Biodome on the same day to make the most of the location; check the Space for Life website for exhibit opening hours and special programs before you go.
• Don't skip the live displays and interpretive zones: these smaller, quieter sections often give a better close-up view of species than the main display halls and are easy to miss in a brief visit.