Any excuse to meander around Old Montreal and not study for midterms is a good one, right? Currently showing at the Montreal History Centre, Nous Sommes Ici is an interactive photography exhibit that documents the lives of immigrants to Montreal, and their past struggles with violence in their countries of origin.

Jaw-dropping statistics about the number of “Montrealers” previously considered  refugees, and the stories about their past lives they lived  are especially eye-opening. A multimedia experience through pictures, text, video, and artifacts draws you into the lives of the hardship of the exhibit’s subjects. Although the pieces pose thought-provoking questions to the viewer, it is disappointing to find that they are never answered. The exhibit does not show why Montreal was chosen, how cultural identites are reconciled, nor why the refugees stayed in the city. Nous Sommes Ici is an exhibit to show the lives of a large demographic of Montreal—yet the city is always kept at arm’s length.

Nevertheless, Nous Sommes Ici is incredibly informative, relevant, and relatable to Canadians. Visiting this exhibit will help one begin to understand, if not completely ingrain, the overlooked suffering that many of these immigrants faced. By exploring others’ lives through art, we become a more conscious and involved society.

Nous Sommes Ici, on display at the Montreal History Centre, runs through Apr. 14 2013. $6 for general admission.