Quebec City Unveils $61 Million Riopelle Pavilion at the MNBAQ

The grand opening of the Espace Riopelle – Michael Audain Pavilion took place at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (MNBAQ) in Quebec City on October 22, 2026, launching a four-day celebration running to October 25. Designed by Montreal-based FABG Architectes, the new three-storey, 5,000-square-metre building cost C$84 million (approximately US$61 million) and sits at the heart of the museum campus between its two heritage pavilions. It is named for Jean-Paul Riopelle (1923–2002), considered by philanthropist Michael Audain — a co-funder of the Riopelle Foundation — to be "arguably Canada's most internationally known artist," famed for his large-scale gestural abstract paintings made with a palette knife. Over 60 significant works were donated by Audain, his wife Yoshiko Karasawa, and mining magnate Pierre Lassonde. The opening exhibitions span Riopelle's full career across around 100 paintings, sculptures, and works on paper, including a dedicated circular gallery showcasing his monumental 40-metre triptych L'Hommage à Rosa Luxemburg (1992). A virtual reality experience explores Arctic icebergs. Evening projections on the museum architecture, live dance by Fleuve | Espace Danse, and classical music by the Conservatoire de musique du Québec marked the opening night.