Les lignées fondatrices : En quête de l’Acadie gaspésienne

To bring our 35th anniversary celebrations to a close in style, we are delighted to invite you on a journey back in time to a significant period in our history.

From February 1 to May 17, 2026, discover Les lignées fondatrices: En quête de l’Acadie gaspésienne(The Founding Families: In Search of Gaspé Acadian Heritage), an exhibition highlighting two Gaspé families who played a decisive role in preserving the Acadian heritage of the Gaspé Peninsula.

In the 1960s, Acadians in the Gaspé Peninsula saw their heritage rapidly disappearing before their eyes. Trucks filled with objects left the region, most often bound for the United States.

In Bonaventure and Carleton-sur-Mer, two women, Juliette Gauthier-Barette and Évelyne Allard-Landry, decided to take action. By founding the first Acadian museums, they became actively involved in preserving this collective memory. Over the years, their initiative inspired other members of their families, who in turn became historians, collectors, ethnologists, and artists eager to represent their native land.

" The project was born following a meeting with Rodrigue Gauthier. He told us about his family, his brothers, his aunt Juliette, and Bona Arsenault. They were a family of collectors, historians, and artists who were passionate about Acadia. That was the starting point and primary inspiration for the exhibition," says Jeannot Bourdages, curator of the MAQ.

Through its scenography, the exhibition transports visitors back to the era of these pioneers who were committed to preserving heritage. Visitors can discover speeches by Bona Arsenault, objects belonging to Captain Allard, works by the Gauthier brothers, and various pieces from the MAQ collections.

The experience continues with the viewing of audio, photographic, and television archives, in an atmosphere reminiscent of old-fashioned family slide shows.