Musée de la sculpture sur bois

Over the course of the 20th century, Saint-Jean-Port-Joli established itself as Quebec's undisputed capital of wood carving, a reputation forged by the exceptional legacy of the Bourgault brothers—Jean-Julien, Médard, and André—whose artistic craftsmanship profoundly shaped the cultural identity of this picturesque village along the St. Lawrence River. The Wood Carving Museum, formerly known as the Musée des Anciens Canadiens and celebrating its fiftieth anniversary of museum operations this year, positions itself as North America's premier interpretation center and most prestigious museum dedicated to this artistic discipline. The permanent collection, recently refreshed and enriched with bilingual interpretive panels, features over 250 remarkable works by acclaimed artists, including life-size sculptures of prominent Quebec figures such as René Lévesque and Félix Leclerc, demonstrating these artisans' ambition to capture not only traditional subjects but also contemporary Quebec history. A recent and exceptional donation of 162 works and objects belonging to Jean-Julien and Pierre Bourgault to the municipality further strengthens Saint-Jean-Port-Joli's role as guardian of this cherished artistic tradition. The museum is now part of a broader initiative, the Wood Carving Heritage Space, which will ultimately unite the museum, the neighboring Médard Bourgault Estate, and Pierre Bourgault's workshop into a single cohesive museum experience.