Musée Laurier
In 1875, Wilfrid Laurier decided to build a Victorian home in front of his legal practice in accordance to the plans of the architect Louis Caron sr. The couple lived there permanently until Laurier was obliged to move to Ottawa in 1897 in order to fulfill his duties as Prime Minister. However, because of their attachment to Arthabaskaville, the Laurier couple remained owners of the house located at 16-rue de l’Église. They came back to Arthabaska during the summer parliamentary recesses and on statutory holidays.
Following their deaths, the house was bequeathed in 1921 to their niece Pauline Laurier. In 1928 Pauline sold the property to two Westmount businessmen, mister Cameron and Timmins. The two donated the Laurier homestead to the Quebec government under the condition that a museum be dedicated to the memory of Sir Wilfrid Laurier. The Musée Laurier ( Laurier Museum) officially opened its doors in May of 1929.
Recently, the personal residence of the renowned Prime Minister of Canada was classified a Historic Monument by the Quebec Government (1989) and declared a National Historic Site of Canada in the year 2000.
In 1996 more room was allocated in the museum to better evoke the ambiance of this colourful historical and political era in Canada. This legacy safely continues with the forming of the Société du
Musée Laurier in 1997.
