Project Background

Built in 1829, Manoir Fraser became a seigneurial residence in 1834 and was enlarged in 1888. Today it stands as a landmark heritage site in Rivière-du-Loup. Home to four generations of the Fraser family, it became a museum in the early 1980s, thanks to a handful of dedicated history and heritage enthusiasts. As part of a renovation designed in part to move the site from seasonal to year-round operation, the Manoir's management set out to completely reimagine the visitor experience of this Victorian residence — and turned to La bande à Paul to bring it to life.

What La bande à Paul Brought to the Table

The central challenge was to modernize an exhibition that had stood for many years and no longer met current interpretive standards. To give the Manoir back the spirit of the four generations of Frasers who lived there, the team devised a range of strategies to enrich the visitor experience and make it more sensory. Catching the scent of flowers from the garden, sinking into a chair in one of the rooms, lingering over family objects, reading a touching anecdote, to name just a few. Open, uncluttered spaces, revived colours, and new interpretation rooms invite visitors to “meet” six members of the Fraser family up close, and to better appreciate the profound influence these Scottish descendants had on the history of Rivière-du-Loup