About the Naval Museum

The Naval Museum of Québec (Stanislas Déry Museum) is the only one of its kind in the Quebec City area and is one of the 73 official museums of the Canadian Armed Forces. It opened its doors on May 20, 1995, when the Pointe-à-Carcy Naval Complex was established in the Old Port of Québec. During the grand opening, the Right Honourable Jean Chrétien, Prime Minister of Canada at the time, unveiled an official plaque dedicating the museum to Lieutenant-Commander Joseph-Alexis-Stanislas Déry, a veteran of the Naval Reserve and the first donor of the Museum’s collection. 

In 2008, the Naval Museum of Québec’s exhibition room was named after Mr. Paul-Henri Bouchard, in honour of this Naval Reserve veteran’s dedication. He fought long and hard for the creation of a naval museum and worked as a volunteer at the museum for many years after its opening.

Over the past several years, the Naval Museum has been well positioned in the field of modern museology by proposing new approaches in the world of military museums, such as the theory of impacts. This ethno-social approach focuses on the historical dimension that is connected to objects, their stories and the testimonies associated with them. It allows the objects to “tell” their stories and reveal their multiple significations, which helps raise public awareness about the impacts of war in order to better promote peace.

Today, thousands of people visit the Museum annually. It is a must-see attraction for anyone wishing to learn more about the history of Canada’s Naval Reserve and the naval history of the St. Lawrence River.

The 3477 archival documents preserved at the Naval Museum allow one to dive into the daily lives of World War II veterans. Enrolment, anguish, courage, return to civilian life; the panorama is vast and is the subject of ongoing research by the Museum. A collection of maps and plans, dating back to the French regime, adds to the collection’s depth. This collection of documents has been developed over the course of the Museum’s projects and those of its partners.

The Museum’s library contains 2753 general and specialized works, most focusing on the history of the Royal Canadian Navy, World War II and the history of the St. Lawrence. There is also a collection of rare books in which some unique items are preserved, including Richard Hakluit’s Principal Navigations, Voyages, and Discoveries of the English Nation, from 1599.

To make a donation to the Museum, be it objects, photographs or documents, click here to access the donation proposal page.

Researchers and students can also consult the collections of the archives centre. For consultation requests, you must contact us so that we can evaluate your needs and schedule an appointment.