AURA is Montreal’s Notre-Dame Basilica light show: a 40–45 minute evening projection experience with tickets from CA$37.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Old Montreal gets crowded around dinner, and the AURA time slots can turn a simple evening plan into a ticket scramble. For the Notre Dame Basilica Montreal Light Show, buy the AURA ticket if you only want the night performance, or buy the combined ticket if you also want the daytime Basilica visit.
The show is not a regular church tour with a few colored lights. AURA is a seated multimedia performance by Moment Factory, preceded by illuminated stations that let you walk through the nave before the 25-minute projection and music sequence begins.
Once you have picked a date, compare the current AURA time slots before you build dinner around it:
Is The AURA Light Show Worth It?
AURA is worth it for most first-time visitors who want to see Notre-Dame Basilica after dark without taking a long tour. The strongest reason to go is the setting: the projections use the Basilica’s vaults, columns, altarpiece, and blue-and-gold interior as the screen.
The experience works well for couples, families with older kids, architecture fans, and travelers with one free evening in Montreal. The weaker fit is a visitor who wants a detailed history lesson, since AURA is wordless and sensory rather than lecture-based.
Expect a polished, calm, indoor show rather than a loud concert. General admission seating means your exact pew is not assigned, so arriving early matters more than paying for a different seat category.
Notre Dame Basilica Light Show Tickets: What Each Option Includes
AURA tickets are sold by category, and the standard ticket covers the evening experience only. Daytime sightseeing access is separate unless you choose the combined day-and-night offer.
Current official rates are listed in Canadian dollars, with US estimates rounded at about CA$1 to US$0.71. Taxes and date-based pricing can change the final checkout total, so treat the USD figures as planning estimates.
| Ticket Option | What It Includes | Rough Price |
|---|---|---|
| Adult AURA ticket | Evening AURA access only | From CA$37, about US$26 |
| Senior AURA ticket | Evening access for ages 65 and up | From CA$32, about US$23 |
| Student AURA ticket | Evening access for ages 17 to 22 with student status | From CA$31, about US$22 |
| Child AURA ticket | Evening access for ages 6 to 16 | From CA$22, about US$16 |
| Child 5 and under | Evening access with a valid free child ticket | Free |
| Family rate, 2 adults and 2 children | Four AURA tickets in one family bundle | From CA$104 total, about US$74 |
| Family rate, 2 adults and 1 child | Three AURA tickets in one family bundle | From CA$81 total, about US$57 |
| Group AURA ticket | Evening access for groups of 10 or more | From CA$35 per person, about US$25 |
The Basilica’s official hours and rates page lists AURA starting prices, daytime visit prices, visiting hours, and the rule that ticket sales are final.
What Happens During The Show
The AURA experience has two parts: a short walk through illuminated stations, then a seated projection show. The full visit usually takes 40 to 45 minutes, with the seated show lasting about 25 minutes.
Doors normally open 30 minutes before the time printed on your ticket. Use that window. The pre-show walk is part of the experience, not just waiting time, and it gives you a better look at the side aisles before everyone sits down.
The performance then runs in three acts, using orchestral music, video mapping, and laser effects across the interior. AURA does not require French or English fluency, so it is easy to attend with mixed-language groups.
How To Pick The Right Time Slot
The right AURA time slot depends on dinner, daylight, and how much of Old Montreal you want to see before the show. Early evening is easier for families, while a later slot pairs better with dinner near Place d’Armes or the Old Port.
- Pick the early slot if you are traveling with children, staying outside Old Montreal, or relying on the Metro late at night.
- Pick the later slot if you want dinner first and a slower walk through the Old Port after dark.
- Avoid a tight dinner reservation within 45 minutes before your entry time, since seating is general admission and late arrival weakens the experience.
- Check the exact date selector before planning around a fixed hour, since show times vary by date and season.
Weekend evenings and holiday periods need earlier booking. A midweek ticket usually gives you more choice and a calmer arrival at the Basilica doors.
Daytime Visit Or AURA: Which One Fits Your Trip?
The daytime visit is better for history, stained glass, and slower architectural detail. AURA is better for an evening plan and for seeing the Basilica as a sound-and-light canvas.
The daytime ticket costs less and suits travelers who want photos and context. The AURA ticket costs more, but it turns the interior into a performance space and feels more like a planned night out.
Choose the combined offer if Notre-Dame Basilica is one of your main Montreal stops. The combined ticket usually makes more sense than buying separate tickets when you want both the daytime visit and the evening show, since each activity has its own entry timing.
Where To Stay For An Easy AURA Night
Old Montreal is the easiest base for the AURA light show because Notre-Dame Basilica sits on Notre-Dame Street West, beside Place d’Armes. Downtown Montreal also works well if you want more restaurants, larger hotels, and easy Metro access.
For a low-friction night, look within Old Montreal, the Quartier International, or the downtown blocks near Square-Victoria-OACI and Place-d’Armes stations. Staying near those areas makes the return simple after the show:
Getting There Without Making The Evening Hard
Place-d’Armes station on the Orange Line is the easiest public transit approach to Notre-Dame Basilica. Driving is possible, but the Basilica has no visitor parking lot, and Old Montreal parking can turn a short night plan into a slow search.
A simple arrival plan looks like this:
- Reach Place-d’Armes station at least 35 minutes before your AURA ticket time.
- Walk to 110 Notre-Dame Street West and join the entry line before doors open.
- Use the illuminated-stations time before sitting down for the main show.
- Afterward, walk toward Place Jacques-Cartier, the Old Port, or a reserved dinner spot nearby.
A taxi or rideshare can be convenient after a late slot, but pickup may be easier a block or two away from the Basilica frontage when pedestrian traffic is heavy.
Which Ticket Should You Buy?
Buy the standard AURA ticket if you want the Notre-Dame Basilica evening light show and nothing else. Buy the combined daytime visit plus AURA ticket if you want stained glass, art, and architectural detail by day, then the projection show at night.
The standard adult AURA ticket is the clean choice for a short Montreal stay, a date night, or a first evening in Old Montreal. The family bundle is the better fit when two adults are bringing one or two children aged 6 to 16.
Visitors who care most about history should not rely on AURA alone. Pair the daytime visit with the show, then leave dinner for after the performance so you are not rushing the pre-show walk.
Compare the date selector before you lock in your evening plan, especially on Fridays, Saturdays, and school-break weeks:
References & Sources
- Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal.“Hours & Rates.”Supports current AURA ticket categories, starting prices, visiting hours, ticketing notes, and access details.