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Museum Guidelines

Guidelines

We welcome visitors of all ages and do our best to make a visit to the Museum as interesting and enjoyable as possible.

Consult our brochure to learn more about the museum and to see a detailed map of the exhibitions.

The Redpath Museum is a public place for quiet study and observation where specimens and artifacts are preserved, exhibited and available for consultation.

The Museum is also a teaching and research institution: laboratories, storage areas and offices are not open to the public. Because the Museum is a small and sensitive area that supports teaching and research as well as public education, we have drawn up a set of guidelines to allow all our multifarious activities to flourish side by side.

  1. Accompanying adults are responsible for the behaviour of their group. All visitors must be aware of the museum rules and observe them during their visit.
  2. Food and beverages are not allowed in the Museum, with the exception of water. They attract insects that can damage specimens and other Museum materials.
  3. Visitors must speak in a low voice.
  4. Visitors must not touch any specimens in the exhibit.
  5. Visitors must not lean on the glass exhibit cases. They are very old and can easily break.
  6. Visitors should not run through the galleries or speak loudly.
  7. An accompanying adult must be present on each floor visited by their students.
  8. Visitors are allowed to photograph museum exhibits without the use of flash.
  9. The Museum is not responsible for loss or theft. Visitors are responsible for their valuable items at all times.
  10. A limited number of coat racks are on the ground floor. During the winter months, we recommend that you bring indoor shoes to wear.
  11. The toilets are in the basement. The Museum does not have a public telephone.

 

Accessibility

We warmly welcome all visitors and aim to provide helpful information so you can plan your visit to the Redpath Museum with confidence.

Please note that the Redpath Museum is in a historic building that does not currently meet universal accessibility standards. At this time, there are no ramps or elevators, and access to the museum, exhibition galleries (located on 3 floors), and washrooms requires the use of a central staircase.

The building’s washrooms are gendered and located in the basement. The nearest gender inclusive washrooms are located in the McLennan Library Building (M6-37C).

Due to the architecture and open spaces, the exhibition galleries may become noisy during periods of high attendance.

Please also note that the building is not air-conditioned. During hot weather, indoor temperatures can exceed outdoor temperatures.

We recognize that these conditions may limit access for some visitors and are committed to improving accessibility over time.

If you have specific accessibility related questions, we encourage you to contact us at redpath.museum [at] mcgill.ca.

 

For more detailed information, please consult the Keroul 2025 accessibility report.

For more information on the status and scope of the accessibility project, please click here.

Land Acknowledgement

McGill University is on land which has long served as a site of meeting and exchange amongst Indigenous peoples, including the Haudenosaunee and Anishinabeg nations. We acknowledge and thank the diverse Indigenous peoples whose presence marks this territory on which peoples of the world now gather.


Rematriation, Repatriation and Restitution Statement

We acknowledge that the return and restitution of cultural and natural heritage to communities of origin is an essential part of reconciliation and of recognizing the fundamental rights of Indigenous Peoples. As part of wider efforts to activate the standards presented in the Canadian Museums Association Report Moved to Action: Activating UNDRIP in Canadian Museums (2022), the Redpath is working towards pro-active restitution practices. As per our Collections Management Policy (2024), repatriation requests will be received by the Redpath Museum Director and will be treated on a case-by-case basis.

 

Accessibility

We warmly welcome all visitors and aim to provide helpful information so you can plan your visit to the Redpath Museum with confidence.

Please note that the Redpath Museum is in a historic building that does not currently meet universal accessibility standards. At this time, there are no ramps or elevators, and access to the museum, exhibition galleries (located on 3 floors), and washrooms requires the use of a central staircase.

The building’s washrooms are gendered and located in the basement. The nearest gender inclusive washrooms are located in the McLennan Library Building (M6-37C).

Due to the architecture and open spaces, the exhibition galleries may become noisy during periods of high attendance.

Please also note that the building is not air-conditioned. During hot weather, indoor temperatures can exceed outdoor temperatures.

We recognize that these conditions may limit access for some visitors and are committed to improving accessibility over time.

If you have specific accessibility related questions, we encourage you to contact us at redpath.museum [at] mcgill.ca.

 

For more detailed information, please consult the Keroul 2025 accessibility report.

For more information on the status and scope of the accessibility project, please click here.

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