Description of Historic Place

The Family Museum sits next to the manor on the picturesque estate grounds of the Manoir Papineau National Historic Site of Canada. It is a one-storey, masonry building with a gable roof that forms a pediment on each gable wall. The plain, stone and brick walls of the building are windowless except for the main façade. Decorative elements soften the austerity of the building’s exterior. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The Family Museum is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and architectural and environmental value.

Historical Value
The Family Museum, as an added component of an existing seigneurial complex, is associated with the continued occupancy of the estate by the Papineau family. Built at the urging of Amédée Papineau, son and heir of Louis-Joseph, the head of the Petite-Nation seigneurie, the building housed his collection of family portraits, paintings, sculptures and travel mementoes. It was later used as a gymnasium and then converted to a chapel in 1935. The building was subsequently owned by the Seignory Club and then the Canadian Pacific Railway before the Parks Canada Agency became the custodian in 1993.

Architectural Value
The Family Museum is valued for its good aesthetic and very good functional design. The design is consistent with the picturesque logic of the estate and reflects a neo-Classical influence with its neo-Roman accents. These elements, including two ceramic medallions representing Diana and Apollo, are the vestiges of a since-vanished program of iconic images from the main façade of the museum. Likely inspired by European museums that Amédée Papineau visited, the building is also similar in functional design to the curiosity shops that were popular in the 19th century. The windowless walls maximize display space and skylights provide ample natural lighting. Good craftsmanship is evident throughout.

Environmental Value
The Family Museum reinforces the picturesque character of its estate setting at the Manoir Papineau National Historic Site of Canada and is a familiar building at the estate.

Sources: Yvan Fortier et Michel Bédard, Le lieu historique national du Canada du Manoir-Papineau (les édifices relevant de la juridiction de Parcs Canada), Montebello, Québec, Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office, Building Report, 01-087; Family Museum, Montebello, Québec, Heritage Character Statement, 01-087.

Character-Defining Elements

The following character-defining elements of the Family Museum should be respected.

Its good aesthetic and functional design and good craftsmanship and materials, as for example: the neo-Classical spirit of the building, as evidenced in its proportions, its solemn massing, and its gable roof forming a pediment on each gable wall; the denuded appearance of the exterior, with walls constructed of plain stone and brick without any openings other than those of the main façade; the decorative elements that enliven the exterior, such as the neo-Roman cast-iron window with twisted columns, and the ceramic medallions representing Diana and Apollo; the features such as the windowless walls that maximize the display space, scissor framing that keeps interior spaces open, skylights to let in overhead natural lighting, and adaptable open space; features associated with the building’s initial program of iconic images, reminiscent of curiosity shops as they were designed in the 19th century.

The manner in which the Family Museum reinforces the picturesque character of its estate setting and is a familiar building, as evidenced by: its overall scale, design and materials that complement the adjacent manor and the picturesque landscape surroundings; its high-profile at the Papineau Estate owing to its location next to the manor, which makes it familiar.

Heritage Character Statement

Disclaimer - The heritage character statement was developed by FHBRO to explain the reasons for the designation of a federal heritage building and what it is about the building that makes it significant (the heritage character). It is a key reference document for anyone involved in planning interventions to federal heritage buildings and is used by FHBRO in their review of interventions.

The Papineau Estate family museum was designated a “Recognized” Federal Heritage Building primarily because of its architectural qualities and environmental significance.

Historical value
As an added component of an existing seigneurial complex and like all the other outbuildings on the property, the family museum reflects the continued occupancy of the estate by the Papineau family. Built at the urging of Amédée Papineau, son and heir of Louis-Joseph as head of the Petite-Nation seigneurie, the building housed his collection of family portraits, paintings, sculptures and travel mementoes. It was later used as a gymnasium and then converted to a chapel in 1935. The building was subsequently owned by the Seignory Club and Canadian Pacific before Parks Canada became the custodian in 1993 and committed to its conservation. The Family Museum is also part of the Manoir-Papineau National Historic Site of Canada.

Architectural value
Although the museum has a somewhat stripped appearance, the design is consistent with the picturesque logic of the estate. The one-storey brick and stone building has a gable roof that forms a pediment on the gable wall and reflects a neo-Classical spirit with its neo-Roman accents, such as the round arch doorway and the wrought-iron window with twisted columns. These elements, along with the two ceramic medallions representing Diane and Apollo, are the vestiges of a since-vanished program of iconic images from the main façade of the museum and the only elements to soften the austerity of the exterior. Likely inspired by European museums that Amédée Papineau visited, the building is also similar in functional design to the curiosity shops that were built in the 19th century. Despite a few changes made to accommodate a chapel, the simple, yet sturdy building is relatively well preserved.

Environmental value
The building strengthens the character of the area associated with the 19th-century seigneurie. The museum’s connection to its associated landscape remains relatively intact due to its inextricable link to the picturesque treatment of the whole, designed in the spirit of A.J. Downing. While the old museum is used much less often as a chapel today, its location next to the manor makes it a high-profile element of the Papineau Estate.

Character-Defining Elements

- The neo-Classical spirit of the building, as evidenced in its proportions, its solemn massing, its gable roof forming a pediment on each gable wall, etc.
- The denuded appearance of the exterior, with walls constructed of plain stone and brick without any openings other than those of the main façade.
- The decorative elements that provide the sole relief from the austerity of the exterior: the neo-Roman cast iron window with twisted columns, and the ceramic medallions representing Diane and Apollo are the vestiges of a since-vanished program of iconic images on the façade.
- Features which are associated with the building’s initial program of iconic images, reminiscent of curiosity shops as they were designed in the 19th century. Essentially, these features consist of the windowless walls that maximize the display space, scissor framing that keeps interior spaces open, skylights to let in overhead natural lighting, and adaptable open space.
- The relationship between the museum, the manor and its associated landscape, which respects the picturesque aesthetic of the whole inspired by A.J. Downing and rooted in such elements as topography, vegetation, circulation and sightlines.