Address: Shed 16 Labyrinth, Clock Tower Pier, Old Montreal. Drive east on de la Commune St., and turn onto the last pier. (View map)
Cost: age 3 and under, free; age 4 to 12, $10.50; age 13 to 17, $13; adults (18 to 59), $14.
Website: http://www.labyrintheduhangar16.com/en/index.html
Telephone: 514-499-0099
Lured by rumours of real pirates in Old Montreal, we tried the “Pirate Academy” at Shed 16 Labyrinth. Open from mid-May through October, this pirate-themed maze is located in a shipping shed in the old port.
It takes 60 to 90 minutes to complete the maze, which is surprisingly challenging to navigate (lots of tricky twists, turns and dead ends). There are some fun obstacles along the way, and difficult riddles, which you’re supposed to try to solve before being allowed to move ahead.
Did our little mateys enjoy it? The kids (age 2 and 4.75) definitely enjoyed it, but Captain Mom and Dad were ready to walk the plank. For an outing that’s more fun for the whole family, take kids who are at least three and up, or split up, taking the older child to the maze, the younger one to the adjacent outdoor playground.
The kids both liked going through the maze, the surprise of various obstacles and the fact that they got a pirate academy medal at the end. Although the two-year-old had no concept of the “mission”, he stayed interested for most of the time that it took to complete (about an hour). As soon as we finished, our four-year-old was asking when we could come back.
Do Mom and Dad want to go back? Argggh! Maybe when the kids are older. Although the Labyrinth’s website makes it sound like the activity is appropriate for children as long as they’re walking, I would recommend it for age 3 or 4, up to around age 14. It’s enough to manage a two-year-old and a four-year-old when you DO know where you’re going. So it’s VERY stressful to manage them in a darkened maze, where the whole point is figuring out which way to go next. There are many areas where each path looks the same, and you feel like you’re going in circles; we got stuck for the first 10 minutes and asked for either help or our money back! Given that we had paid $38 admission, plus about $8 for parking, we didn’t care for the stress, or the sweat.
While our four-year-old kept racing ahead, our two-year-old was likely to duck under barriers and disappear into other areas of the maze, so we carried all 30 pounds of him most of the way. Whether you’re pregnant, lugging a child or a large bag (like a diaper bag), some of the obstacles are a tight squeeze. Note also that you can’t take a stroller into the maze. All that said, had we taken only our four-year-old, it would have been much more fun for everyone. Good to know: At the end of the Labyrinth, there’s a snack area with tables, chairs and a beautiful view of the Old Port.
Game Plan
A good plan for families with more than one child under age three is to split up and take the younger one(s) to explore the surrounding Old Port area, while older one(s) do the Labyrinth. There’s a nautical-themed playground right behind the shed, as well as boardwalks and beautiful waterfront views. This is also a great area to explore before or after a visit to the Labyrinth (which opens at 11 a.m. or 11:30 a.m., depending on the day).
Right across from Shed 16 is a pedal boat rental station, as well as a restaurant with a large patio. Close by, you can also rent quadricycles, which have seating for small children.
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