Secondary

The Origins: The Rise and Fall of Nature in the Age of Darwin

The nineteenth century saw the rise of the natural sciences. Great exploratory voyages revealed the diversity of the living world. People questioned the origin of human beings, their place in nature and their relationships with animals in a world now understood as an ecosystem. From Monet and Kandinsky to the decorative arts, from the infinitely small to the immensely big, this exhibition at the crossroads of art and science casts a sensitive eye on our world at a time when debate about humanity’s impact on nature is more relevant than ever.

Information

Duration
60-min. tour + 60-min. creative workshop activity

Cost
$260

Location
Michal and Renata Hornstein Pavilion for Peace at 2075 Bishop Street

Reservations

514-285-2000

Topics explored

Students will learn how artists questioned the themes of nature and the sublime as well as the interaction of systems.

Discussion

Throughout the tour, students will participate in various theme-based activities:

Interactive discussions
Observation games

The workshop

Students will draw inspiration from the challenges that characterize relationships between organisms in the living world through a personal batik creation.

Materials used:

Oil pastels
Coloured ink
Brushes

The learning progression

Thanks to its encyclopedic collection, the Museum is a fertile ground for stimulating reflection on ethical issues, learning about history, discovering the diversity of the world’s cultures and developing critical-thinking skills. Beyond artistic discovery, students will build their understanding of the world at the Museum. In this activity, students will specifically learn about:

Religious culture and ethics:
2^nd cycle

The future of humanity: Current challenges in terms of human-environment relationships

Science and technology
1^st cycle

Knowledge of the physical and behavioural adaptations of species and their evolution
1^st cycle and 2^nd cycle
General characteristics of the Earth: extinction of species, fossils, landforms

2^nd cycle

Diversity of life: effects of factors that disrupt ecological balance

Go more in-depth

EDUCART is an interdisciplinary pedagogical tool for Quebec teachers that was designed by the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Among the many works featured on this platform, we suggest you consult A Paradise Landscape with Animals and Birds in a Wooded Glade by a Pond by Jan Brueghel the Elder on the theme of animals.

Planning your visit

We recommend you review the Museum’s code of conduct with your students by referring to our MuseuManners.

Download MuseuManners

General information

COVID-19

Special measures

In accordance with public health recommendations, the Museum has implemented measures to ensure the safety and well-being of visitors and staff.

Face coverings are mandatory for anyone over the age of 12. Everyone must disinfect their hands when they arrive at the Museum.

To respect the recommended social distancing rules, the Museum will provide a smaller mediator-to-student ratio for your groups at no extra charge. Each class will be divided into three, and each sub-group will have its own mediator. Part of your group may therefore be in a separate room (but will not join another class). However, all groups will stay close together and you can move easily from group to group.

It is recommended that each sub-group have a supervisor. Two adult supervisors are therefore required in addition to the teacher.

Mediators, teachers and students must keep a distance of 2 metres apart in accordance with public health requirements.

The activity participants will not share any materials. All reusable materials will be cleaned or quarantined to ensure group safety.

Activities led by museum staff

To book an activity with an MMFA guide or mediator, you must contact us at least three weeks in advance. The earlier you book, the greater your choice of activities.

Partner teacher

Free access for elementary and secondary school teachers!

For many years, we have offered free access for elementary and secondary students, as part of our Partner Teacher program. Interested? Please contact our department to be added to this special list!

Group rates

The prices listed apply to classes of 30 students or less (primary or secondary level), as well as to groups of 22 children or less (kindergarten, preschool or day care). Please note that the price is a group rate and does not reflect the exact number of children.

Confirmation and invoicing by email

You will receive a confirmation letter and invoice by email. Please verify the information in these documents carefully. Payment in full can be made ahead of time or on the day of the activity.

Reservation modifications

We will do our best to accommodate change requests, depending on their nature. Please note that no changes to the number of students are accepted less than 12 business days before the activity.

Cancellation policy

Cancellations are accepted by phone only and can be made free of charge up to 12 business days before the scheduled event. You will then be issued a confirmation number. Cancellations or changes are not accepted within 12 business of the event, and the activity will be billed in full.

Directions and entrance

School buses
A reserved drop-off and parking area is located on Bishop Street.

Public transit
Guy-Concordia metro station (green line), 5 minutes from the Museum by foot; Bus 24, on Sherbrooke Street West – Bishop Street stop (eastbound) and Redpath Street (westbound)

Unless otherwise specified, the group entrance is located at 2075 Bishop Street.

Eating area

The Museum has a designated room where students can eat snacks or cold meals.
Please note that, for health reasons, students may eat in the workshop room reserved for the activity.

Prohibited items

Backpacks, bulky objects, umbrellas and food or drink (including bottled water) are not permitted in the exhibition galleries. Such items must be checked at the cloakroom. Please note that the Museum is not responsible for lost or stolen items.

More activities for high school student

This activity reveals how encounters between Jean Paul Riopelle and Canada’s North and its Indigenous communities shaped this famous artist’s imagination.

Do we inhabit a territory or does the territory inhabit us?

Just like other intelligent species, humans forage their environment to find the resources they need to survive. Pretty smart, eh! And this distinct ability is what enables us to come up with solutions and then apply them. So, we should use our ingenuity to rebalance the ecosystem, halt the disappearance of certain species and manage waste and non-biodegradable materials.