Haunted Montreal Blog #126 – Montreal Art Center and Museum

Welcome to the one hundred and twenty-sixth installment of the Haunted Montreal Blog!

With over 600 documented ghost stories, Montreal is easily the most haunted city in Canada, if not all of North America. Haunted Montreal dedicates itself to researching these paranormal tales, and the Haunted Montreal Blog unveils a newly researched Montreal ghost story on the 13^th of every month!

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Our outdoor public tours are on pause until the Spring, but we are launching a new indoor Paranormal Investigation in February, March, and April at the Montreal Art Center and Museum, the subject of this very blog.

Our Haunted Pub Crawl still runs every Sunday at 3 pm in English. Tours in French happen on the last Sunday of every month at 2 pm.

We are also offering the Travelling Ghost Storyteller experience. Bring our stories to your party or event.

You can still book all of our experiences, except for Haunted Mountain, as private tours. These can be booked at any time based on the availability of our actors. Clients can request any date, time, language and operating tour. These tours start at $235 for small groups of up to 8 people.

More information on this, our schedule, Gift Certificates and other events and projects in the works in our Company News section.

This month, we head to the Montreal Art Center and Museum, housed in the former Caledonian Iron Works Factory. We speak with some of the museum staff to learn of encounters with spirits from the building, and Griffintown’s, industrial past.

Haunted Research

Nestled among the new condo towers in western Griffintown, the Montreal Art Center and Museum stands out like a rare gem. It occupies the former 1879 Caledonian Iron Works factory, a Victorian-era company that produced engine parts for ships and trains, turbines and other complex metalworks.

During the era, there were no safety codes or labour laws. The factory witnessed fatal industrial accidents, major fires and life-altering injuries during its operations. The Caledonian Iron Works was a theatre of both industry and tragedy until it wound down its operations with the changing of the times in the mid-20^th Century.

Today, the Montreal Art Center and Museum is considered as one of the most historical – and haunted – buildings in Griffintown.

In 2010, the heritage structure was acquired by painter Allan Diamond. He wanted a home for the Montreal Art Center, a not-for-profit community arts organization he had founded.

The building was run down and showing its age. The empty structure was dirty and rat infested.

Slowly, with other members, Allan began to clean the place up, renovate it and create the Montreal Art Center.

According to its website:

“The center provides working studios for artists, creating a nurturing environment where creativity flourishes. It is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and supportive art community.”

Since its opening, the arts space has hosted various community events, performing artists, concerts, lectures and movie nights.

In early 2022, the art center officially became a museum. There are now art galleries featuring the Italian Renaissance, French Baroque and New France. The center’s permanent collection of European masterpieces include works on paper by Picasso, Monet and Rembrandt.

Furthermore, member artists’ works are displayed in other galleries and many are on sale.

Museum guests also can see a 140-year-old safe, antique furniture, Douglas fir wooden structural elements, and various other interesting displays.

Artisan and painter Roxanna Kibsey joined the art center in February 2011 and was instrumental in helping Allan Diamond to realize his mission.

She recalls how run down the building was when she first set foot in it. It was dark, grungy and creepy.

One her first day there, her brother visited in the evening and noticed the gloomy atmosphere. He asked her if she had been visited by something yet. When she asked him to clarify, he told her that Griffintown was full of ghosts, including the infamous – and headless – Mary Gallagher.

When Roxanna heard this, she was concerned so asked all of the mean ghosts to leave the building the following day. She added: “Paddy, you can stay.”

“Paddy” was a common nickname for Irish people during the Victorian era and many of them worked at the Caledonian Iron Works.

Roxanna believed Irish ghosts were not malevolent, which is why she said “Paddy” could stay. Ever since, those witnessing paranormal activity in the Montreal Art Center and Museum usually put the blame on “Paddy.”

The most common occurrence is the manifestation of shadowy figures lurking in the building. Once, while Allan was showing a woman around the art center, she jumped when she noticed a shadow moving out of the corner of her eye.

In another case, a woman claimed that something had just walked in when nobody else saw it. On another occasion, a man applying to work as a cleaner claimed that there were spirits in the building.

There was also an incident when something lightly pushed Roxanna as she was descending a flight of stairs. A volunteer named Brenda said: “You look like you’ve just been pushed!” Roxanna replied that it was “Paddy.”

Just a few years later, in 2014, the City of Montreal ordered the art center to decommission or repair its ancient freight elevator. With an estimated cost of over $200,000 to restore it, administrators decided to remove it instead, keeping only the old mechanism for historical value.

When they took off some old wooden planks, they discovered something surprising written on an old wall. The name “Pat” was clearly written along with a family name that might be Leary, Leahy or something similarly Irish. The writing included a date: Feb. 2/27.

While some staff members feel that this is uncanny proof that the ghost of “Paddy” is real, research into the name and circumstances of its writing is inconclusive.

Incidentally, the Montreal Art Center and Museum is currently fundraising for a new elevator to better service its mobility-reduced visitors.

Another important note is that the venue is well-known for hosting Halloween parties and events.

The most recent Halloween party in 2025 was billed as the “Witches Night Out: A Haunted Evening of Art, Music & Magic.”

The advertisement stated: “Step into the spellbinding atmosphere of the Spooky Halloween at the Museum 2025—an unforgettable night where history, art, and enchantment collide. Set inside a 140-year-old Griffintown landmark—home to the legendary ghost of Mary Gallagher—this celebration transforms the museum into a playground for witches, vampires, and mystical beings of every kind.”

Roxanna recalled one of the first Halloween parties in 2012 or 2013. A transformer on a pole outside exploded into flames, plunging the art center into darkness right as the party was about to begin.

Staff began placing candles throughout the building and the atmosphere was soon just perfect for Halloween night! It was widely described as one of the best parties the center has ever hosted.

Returning to the headless ghost of Mary Gallagher and the art center’s connection to her, it is interesting to note that beyond the Halloween advertising, Allan has also been inspired by her spirit.

On many occasions when Allan mentioned Mary Gallagher’s name, the lights started flickering. This uncanny activity inspired him to create a painting of her ghost, which is now on display in the museum.

Another creepy story relates to the New France Gallery. This space features colonial artworks along with several historical waxworks from Montreal’s former Musée Grévin, the first international branch of the famous Paris wax museum.  

Located in Montreal’s Eaton Centre, the Musée Grévin opened in April 2013. It contained over 120 waxwork figures arranged in various scenarios.

Themes featured inspiring historical figures, stars from the world of entertainment and colonists from New France.

The life-like waxworks included Albert Einstein, Elvis Presley, Charlie Chaplin, Harold Houdini, Lady Gaga, Mahatma Gandhi and many others.

Controversial colonial figures such as Jacques Cartier, the Sieur de Maisonneuve and Queen Elizabeth II were also present.

Unfortunately, the Musée Grévin officially closed on September 16, 2021.  Some say it was due to economic hardships caused by the pandemic. Others blamed its haunted reputation, which was seen to deter customers.

Indeed, since its opening, there had been many reports of tourists feeling uncomfortable within the attraction. Some clients felt like they were being followed or stalked. Others complained that the eyes of certain waxworks were glaring at them.

There was even an incident in 2018 when a tourist complained about being touched inappropriately by one of the wax figures.

As things got worse, in 2019 The Daily Hive wrote:

“Houdini’s ghost is said to haunt Grevin’s wax museum in the Eaton Centre. Staff members claim to constantly hear chatter and music from the museum’s main ballroom after the doors have been locked up. From wax figurines, don’t use the legacy of the dead to make money or Harry Houdini may make sure of it.”

Sales soon plummeted by over 50%. In 2021, the Musée Grévin had no choice but to shutter its operation and vacate the Eaton Centre. It also needed to liquidate its assets – including the waxworks.

The museum offered some of its 128 wax figures to the real-life celebrities they portrayed. Other statues were sent to the original Musée Grévin in Paris, and the rest were sold or donated to various Quebec institutions.

Allan Diamond was able to acquire some of the colonial waxworks for his New France Gallery, such as Jacques Cartier, Marie de l’Incarnation and Paul de Chomedy, Sieur de Maisonneuve.

However, soon after the waxworks were installed, paranormal activity in the New France Gallery started to manifest.

Harper Tallon, responsible for artist studio rentals, is also in charge of the New France Gallery. Part of Harper’s job is to lock the room’s gate at night to deter any potential burglaries. As a meticulous person, she always checks to make sure everything in the New France Gallery is perfect, ensuring morning visitors get the best experience possible.

However, when she arrived one morning and unlocked the gate, Harper noticed that something was amiss.

More specifically, certain things on the Marie de l’Incarnation waxwork were out of place. The nun’s habit had been re-arranged during the night. The veil was now covering her face, whereas the day before it had been pulled back. The rosary beads in her hands had moved in their position and her Bible, which had been closed, was now open.

Harper was too scared to touch the waxwork. Eventually another employee corrected the arrangement to uncover her face.

In another incident, an antique cup that was on display was discovered flung to the other side of the gallery one morning.

Furthermore, the eyes of the de Maisonneuve waxwork tend to unnerve some people. Visitors have reported feelings of being stared at by the waxwork and of having his piercing eyes follow them around the gallery.

The gallery’s security camera turns on when it detects movement. On many occasions during the night, it has turned on when nobody is present. The camera always indicates that there is movement at the de Maisonneuve waxwork.

On one particularly troubling night, the gallery’s burglar alarm went of at around 4 a.m. Roxanne, who lived only a few streets away at the time, was jolted awake by the alarm.

She rushed out to see what was going on. When she arrived at the Montreal Art Center, the police were already on the scene. The sergeant told her she could not enter the building because officers were doing a sweep.

 A few minutes later, the officers had cleared the building and one of them appeared to be trembling. He was as white as a ghost and his colleagues were laughing at him. When Roxanna inquired what was going on, a sergeant chuckled and told her that a rookie cop had almost shot the waxwork of the Sieur de Maisonneuve because he was armed.

With all this seemingly paranormal activity, the New France Gallery appears to be one of the most haunted areas in the Montreal Art Center and Museum.

There are many other stories, such as the time a medium named Fernanda said she usually saw spirits in the museum but insisted they were all nice.

Given all the ghost stories and paranormal activity, Haunted Montreal dug into the historical archives to see what might be causing these disturbances.

Originally constructed by Scottish entrepreneur John McDougall, the Caledonian Iron Works was a thriving foundry that employed over 300 workers.

They produced components for ships and trains, as well as turbines, pumps, engines and other large and complex metalworks. The company played a vital role in the industrial development of Montreal during the late 19th century.

The archives revealed all sorts of fires, deadly industrial accidents and horrendous injuries that occurred while the Caledonian Iron Works was in operation.

For example, on April 5, 1895, La Presse reported that a man named John Marshall was taking legal action against the foundry.

He demanded $15,000 due to negligence that left him with a severe head injury, including permanent blindness, after an industrial accident at the Caledonian Iron Works.

On March 1, 1902, the same newspaper reported that a worker named John Enger was electrocuted while working there. He was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Montreal General Hospital.

On October 29 of the same year, Le Soleil reported that a mechanical engineer named Meredith Percy had perished after an industrial accident at the iron works. The following day, the The Daily Witness provided more details:

“The evidence showed that Mr. Percy was superintending some extra work in the Caledonian Iron Works, when the electric lights went out. They were run by a dynamo, which was temporarily installed for the occasion, and had been working badly. Mr. Percy took a workman’s torch, and went to examine the dynamo, and seems to have stepped back a little too far, and been caught in a belt, which injured him fatally.”

On July 16, 1904, according to Le Cultivateur two brothers were severely injured when a brick wall collapsed on them at the foundry. Their names were Pierre and Louis Blain.

There were many other industrial accidents at the Caledonian Iron Works, in addition to two major fires.

The first blaze occurred on August 6, 1909, starting in the stables at around 1:30 p.m. According to La Presse, the fire completely destroyed the stables, killing one horse and severely injuring another. The poor creature, which had almost burned alive, had to be put down because it was in agony.

Two adjacent houses also suffered $4000 in damages from the fire.

Just three years later, on April 9, 1912, the Caledonian Iron Works suffered a much larger fire that caused $15,000 in damages to the business. Le Canada suggested that the foundry was largely destroyed by the blaze.

The Montreal Gazette reported that the two-alarm fire had started in the moulding shop at around 9 p.m. and quickly spread. A firefighter named Lieutenant Guthrie was injured by falling shards of glass, which cut his hand. He was treated on scene by one Dr. Morrisson and sent home to recover.

As the years passed, so did the ownership of the Caledonian Iron Works. During the 1920s, the company consolidated and eventually became part of larger industrial conglomerates like Canada Iron Foundries Ltd.

Eventually, with the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959, almost all the factories along the Lachine Canal and in Griffintown began to shutter their operations.

By the 1980s, the foundry was largely derelict, used primarily for storing the company’s massive collection of wooden casting molds.

Returning to the paranormal activity in the Montreal Art Center and Museum, one thing that stands out is the connection between electricity and ghostly activity. When the lights flicker at the mention of Mary Gallagher or when the power fails due to exploding transformers, one wonders if there is any connection to the 1902 electrocution death of John Enger.

Whatever the case, because the Montreal Art Center and Museum has so much creepy and unexplained activity, Haunted Montreal has partnered with the establishment to launch a new paranormal investigation!

For three nights only, paranormal expert Dominique Desormeaux will host the bilingual activity:

• Saturday, February 28 @ 6:00 pm
• Saturday, March 21 @ 6:00 pm
• Saturday, April 18 @ 6:00 pm

Brave guests will use paranormal tools to communicate with the spirits that haunt the former Caledonian Iron Works. Tickets can be purchased here.

In conclusion, entering the Montreal Art Center and Museum is like stepping into the past. Steeped in mystery and haunted activity, this rare gem in Griffintown is a must-visit site for paranormal enthusiasts, art lovers and history buffs. Just make sure to stay alert in case you meet something unexpected!

Company News

Haunted Montreal is running our Haunted Pub Crawl every Sunday at 3 pm in English throughout the winter months. Tours in French happen on the last Sunday of every month at 2 pm.

Our public outdoor tours resume in the spring, and tickets for all of our 2026 dates are now on sale.

Private tours for any of our experiences (including outdoor tours, except for Haunted Mountain) can be booked at any time based on the availability of our actors.

Clients can request any date, time, language and operating tour. These tours are based on the availability of our actors and start at $235 for small groups of up to 8 people. Email info@hauntedmontreal.com to book a private tour!

As mentioned above, we are offering three bilingual Paranormal Investigations at the Montreal Art Center and Museum, the former Caledonian Iron Works Factory. Good for beginners and seasoned investigators alike. Paranormal equipment will be provided, but please feel free to bring your own.

You can purchase your tickets below:

You can also bring the Haunted Montreal experience to your office party, house, school or event by booking one of our Travelling Ghost Storytellers today.

Hear some of the spookiest tales from our tours and our blog told by a professional actor and storyteller. You provide the venue, we provide the stories and storyteller. Find out more and then contact info@hauntedmontreal.com

In other news, if you want to send someone a haunted experience as a gift, you certainly can!

We are offering Haunted Montreal Gift Certificates through our website and redeemable via Eventbrite for any of our in-person or virtual events (no expiration date).

Our online shop is offline for the next few months. If you would like to purchase any Haunted Montreal-branded t-shirts or mugs in the meantime, please contact us at info@hauntedmontreal.com

Our team also releases videos every second Saturday, in both languages, of ghost stories from the Haunted Montreal Blog.

Hosted by Holly Rhiannon (in English) and Dr. Mab (in French), this initiative is sure to please ghost story fans!

Please like, subscribe and hit the bell!

Haunted Montreal also has temporarily altered its blog experience due to a commitment on a big writing project! Until further notice, we will be offering updates on old stories every second month and the regular blog service alternating.

Haunted Montreal would like to thank all our clients who attended a ghost walk, haunted pub crawl, paranormal investigation or virtual event!

If you enjoyed the experience, we encourage you to write a review on our Tripadvisor page and/or on Google Reviews – something that really helps Haunted Montreal to market its tours.

Lastly, if you would like to receive the Haunted Montreal Blog on the 13th of each month, please sign up to our mailing list.

Coming up on March 13: Update on The Phantom Calèche

The sounds of horses trotting in Old Montreal and Griffintown have mostly vanished since former Mayor Valerie Plante banished the animals in 2020. After receiving complaints from animal rights activists, she outlawed horse-drawn carriage rides, which had been a part of the city’s history for centuries. It wasn’t long before Griffintown’s stables were torn down and replaced with condominium towers. However, the Griffintown Horse Palace was converted into a small park to commemorate the past. Recently, the sinister Phantom Calèche has been spotted in the enclosure late at night by an upset condo owner.

Author:

Donovan King is a postcolonial historian, teacher, tour guide and professional actor. As the founder of Haunted Montreal, he combines his skills to create the best possible Montreal ghost stories, in both writing and theatrical performance. King holds a DEC (Professional Theatre Acting, John Abbott College), BFA (Drama-in-Education, Concordia), B.Ed (History and English Teaching, McGill), MFA (Theatre Studies, University of Calgary) and ACS (Montreal Tourist Guide, Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec). He is also a certified Montreal Destination Specialist.

Translator (into French):

Claude Chevalot holds a master’s degree in applied linguistics from McGill University. She is a writer, editor and translator. For more than 15 years, she has devoted herself almost exclusively to literary translation and to the translation of texts on current and contemporary art.