Le Forum de Montréal – aka, the Montréal Forum – stood for over 70 years as a cathedral of hockey, a hallowed ground where the Maroons and Canadiens etched their names into the annals of NHL history. This iconic arena, with its distinctive art deco architecture and often electric atmosphere, was the spiritual home of the Canadiens and a cultural touchstone for the city until the late 1990s when the building was redeveloped. Reincarnated as a shopping centre, the Forum persists today as a history-filled tribute to hockey in Montréal and is a place for fans from across the province – and the continent – to explore and enjoy.

The beloved Forum first opened in 1924 for the Montréal Maroons, with the Canadiens arriving two years later. The venue saw 13 Stanley Cup hoistings by its primary tenants and was the site of countless iconic moments for the Canadiens as they stormed their way to becoming the NHL’s winningest franchise. At the end of its life, the Forum boasted a capacity just shy of 18,000 and featured steep, close-to-the-ice seating that created a gameday experience unmatched by the rest of the league.

Sadly, the aging Forum could not keep pace with the modern demands of professional sports, with the Canadiens moving a few kilometers away to Centre Bell in 1996. Rather than demolishing the entire structure, the iconic façade of the building was preserved and the interior was transformed into a shopping mall two years later.

Refurbished seats from the Forum line one of the more history-rich hallways, tucked away on one of the mall’s highest levels, while championship banners and team photos decorate the walls and ceilings. Elsewhere, there’s a special space dedicated to Maurice Richard, arguably the greatest hockey played in the city’s history and a native son of Québec. An old scoreboard hangs in one corner of the mall, while a Canadiens emblem marking center ice on the main level ties everything together.

Sadly, there used to be more. When the arena was first converted into a mall, the artifacts and exhibits were featured much more prominently and were truly the centerpiece of the building. Due to vacancies and falling revenue in recent years, the space has been reimagined, resulting in an unfortunate reduction in the hockey history on display. But while the magic of the Forum may be gone, its enduring legacy lives on – both in the mall that now occupies its place, and in the memories of those who were fortunate enough to witness the arena’s golden era.

Forum de Montréal: 2313 Saint-Catherine St. W, Montreal, QC H3H 1N2
Metro: Atwater 🟢