Montreal museum celebrates 50th anniversary of 1976 Olympics with new exhibition

Fifty years ago, the world turned its eyes to Montreal as it stepped onto the global stage to host the 1976 Summer Olympics.

Today, that story comes back to life at the McCord Stewart Museum, where a new exhibition titled Montreal 1976: An Olympic Feat is inviting visitors to relive those Games.

“I went around with my sketchbook and did drawings of reporters dealing with staff or boxers asking how each other’s wives were and all, like offbeat stuff that you don’t see ordinarily in the newspapers or television,” explained Terry Mosher, political cartoonist of the Montreal Gazette.

The 83-year-old’s work could be seen splattered across the walls of the exhibit–- these alongside other archives, collectibles, uniforms, and more.

“Remember in 1976, during the time of the Olympics,” he added. “There were eight political cartoonists poking fun at Jean Drapeau each and every day.”

The exhibition also showcases both the pride and challenges associated with the 1976 Games — highlighting the scale of the preparations required to host the international event, describing the lead-up as a “race against time.”

“If they want to travel in time and go back 50 years ago,” said Christian Vachon, curator of the exhibition. “This is the place to come and see what happened.”

The exhibit also examines the architectural, cultural, and sporting legacy left behind, including landmarks such as the Olympic Stadium and Olympic Village.

The retrospective also touches on the broader social and political context of the Games, including security concerns, international boycotts and controversies tied to municipal policies at the time.

The 1976 Montreal Olympics were the first ever held in Canada.

It is remembered for many moments, like Romanian gymnast Nadia Comăneci’s historic perfect 10s, and Caitlyn Jenner’s decathlon world record.

And it inaugurated the “Big O” stadium.

“Proud Montrealers, English, French, newcomers, whoever they are,” said Mosher. “Will understand Montreal a little bit more if they come and see this.”

The exhibition runs from March 27 to Sept. 13 and is part of a wider series of commemorations marking the anniversary, with additional programming planned both in-person and online later this year.