In the 1940s the university moved out and headed for a new campus on the north slopes of Mount Royal, far from the downtown borough.

In the late 1960s UQAM was born and established itself in the Ville-Marie borough, giving a modern underpinning to the name.

The Grande Bibliothèque du Québec was opened in the area in 2005, joining the Cinémathèque québécoise as a key cultural attraction.

The National Film Board of Canada's CinéRobotheque facility was based here until April 2012, when it was closed as part of cuts imposed by the 2012 Canadian federal budget.

[1] Other notable attractions include the Metropolis and Les Foufounes Électriques concert halls, Place Émilie-Gamelin and the Archambault music retailer.