The Montréal Insectarium was created thanks to the initiative of notary and self-taught entomologist Georges Brossard, who, in 1988, donated a major collection of naturalized insects. This collection was displayed until the complete renovation of the permanent exhibition in 2011. Then, in 1989, the scientific and historical collection of Brother Firmin Laliberté was used as a starting point for the Insectarium’s scientific collections. The Insectarium’s scientific collections are composed of more than 225,000 insect specimens and include major specialized collections for certain taxa. They also offer a synoptic overview of Québec’s insects. Over the past five years, more than 900 type specimens have been put into the Insectarium’s scientific collections.