List of museums in Toronto
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
There are a variety of different museums in Toronto. Types of museums located in Toronto include agricultural museums, art museums, fashion museums, food museums, history museums (including historic houses and living museums), military museums (including local regimental museums), railway museums, science museums, and textile museums.
Current museums
The following is a list of museums current located in Toronto. The following list does not include virtual museums that do not have physical galleries, regardless if they're based in Toronto.
| Name | Image | Neighborhood | Area[note 1] | Attendance | Type | Summary | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48th Highlanders Museum |  | Entertainment District | Old Toronto | Military (regimental) | Regimental museum for the 48th Highlanders of Canada. The museum has been situated in St. Andrew's Church since 1997 | [1] | |
| A Space Gallery | Fashion District | Old Toronto | Art | Artist-run contemporary art gallery | [2] | ||
| Aga Khan Museum |  | Don Mills | North York | Art | Muslim arts and culture | [3] | |
| Applewood Shaver Homestead | Eatonville | Etobicoke | Historic house | Historic house museum situated in a homestead dating back to c. 1850s | [4] | ||
| Art Gallery of Ontario |  | Grange Park | Old Toronto | 974,736 (2018) | Art | Gallery of Canadian and European art, with a collection that includes decorative arts, contemporary art, and sculptures. The museum also includes The Grange, a historic home used as an art space and lounge by the museum. | [5][6] |
| Art Gallery of York University |  | York University Heights | North York | Art | Gallery of contemporary art. A university museum of York University, it is housed in the university's Accolade East Building. | [7] | |
| Art Museum at the University of Toronto | Discovery District | Old Toronto | 63,393 (2018) | Art | A university museum for contemporary art, comprising the adjacent Justina M. Barnicke Gallery at Hart House, and the University of Toronto Art Centre at University College. The two galleries were formerly separate entities before they were amalgamated into the Art Museum at the University of Toronto in 2014. | [8] | |
| Bata Shoe Museum |  | Discovery District | Old Toronto | 110,334 (2018) | Fashion | History of footwear from around the world | [9] |
| Campbell House Museum | .jpg) | Grange Park | Old Toronto | Historic house | Historic house museum that is situated in a house dating back to 1822. The building was converted into a historical house in 1974. The building also includes an art gallery | [10] | |
| Canadian Language Museum | .jpg) | Lawrence Park | Old Toronto | Language | Promotes the languages of Canada and the scientific study of languages. Situated within Glendon Gallery building of Glendon College, an English/French bilingual college of York University | [11] | |
| Canadian Sculpture Centre | Church and Wellesley → Distillery District → North York | Old Toronto | Art | Contemporary Canadian sculpture gallery, operated by the Sculptors Society of Canada | |||
| Casa Loma |  | Casa Loma | Old Toronto | 350,000 | Historic house | A historic house museum situated in an estate completed in 1914. The estate was converted into a historical house in 1937. | [12] |
| Cedar Ridge Creative Centre | Woburn | Scarborough | Art | Art centre with exhibit gallery situated in a house dating back to the mid-19th century. The house was converted to an art centre in 1978. | [13] | ||
| Colborne Lodge |  | Swansea | Old Toronto | Historic house | Historic house museum situated in a building dating back to 1836, and reopened as a historic house in 1890. The museum is operated by the City of Toronto government | [14] | |
| Doris McCarthy Gallery | Highland Creek | Scarborough | Art | A contemporary art gallery of the University of Toronto Scarborough | [15] | ||
| Enoch Turner School |  | Corktown | Old Toronto | Living | A living history museum of a Victorian-era period schoolhouse. The museum is housed in a schoolhouse dating back to 1848. The building was converted into a living history museum in 1970. | [16] | |
| Etobicoke Civic Centre Art Gallery |  | Eatonville | Etobicoke | Art | The gallery is housed in the centre block of the Etobicoke Civic Centre | [17] | |
| First Floor Gallery & Architecture and Design Gallery |  | Discovery District | Old Toronto | Art | The First Floor Gallery and the Architecture and Design Gallery are two university art galleries managed by the University of Toronto's John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design, and located at 1 Spadina Crescent. It features exhibitions of architecture, landscape architecture, urban design and allied design fields | ||
| Fort York |  | Fort York | Old Toronto | Military | Fort York was a defensive fortification, featuring buildings from the late-18th to early 19th century. Operated by City of Toronto government, it is presently used as a War of 1812 museum, featuring exhibits and historical re-enactments. The fort was reopened for public use by the city in 1934. | ||
| Gallery Arcturus |  | Garden District | Old Toronto | Art | Free, public contemporary art museum with rotating exhibits as well as workshops | [18] | |
| Gardiner Museum |  | Discovery District | Old Toronto | Art | Ceramic art | ||
| Gibson House |  | Willowdale | North York | Historic house | The historic house museum is situated in a house dating back to 1851. The building was converted into a heritage house in 1971. The museum is operated by City of Toronto government | ||
| Hockey Hall of Fame |  | Financial District | Old Toronto | 256,754 (2017) | Sports | Ice hockey hall of fame | [19] |
| InterAccess | Dovercourt Park | Old Toronto | Art | Media arts | [20] | ||
| Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre Gallery | Don Mills | North York | Art | The gallery at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre houses contemporary art with an East Asian perspective | [21] | ||
| Koffler Centre of the Arts |  | Trinity-Bellwoods | Old Toronto | Art | Contemporary arts centre housed in the Artscape Youngplace building | ||
| Lakeshore Grounds Interpretive Centre | New Toronto | Etobicoke | Arts | Free exhibit and gallery spaces, workshops, & interpretive tours | [22] | ||
| Mackenzie House |  | Garden District | Old Toronto | Historic house | Historic house museum built in 1830. The building was re-purposed into a heritage museum in 1936, and is operated by the City of Toronto government | ||
| Market Gallery | .jpg) | St. Lawrence | Old Toronto | Multiple | Changing exhibits of Toronto's history, art and culture, located inside St. Lawrence Market | ||
| Mercer Union | Wallace Emerson | Old Toronto | Art | Artist-run contemporary art centre | |||
| Montgomery's Inn |  | The Kingsway | Etobicoke | Historic house | Period historic inn situated in an inn completed in 1832. The museum is operated by the City of Toronto | ||
| Morris and Sally Justein Heritage Museum | Lawrence Manor | North York | Cultural/ethnic | Located in the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, exhibits of Judaic heritage and culture | [23] | ||
| Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada |  | Junction Triangle | Old Toronto | 30,000 (2018) | Art | Also known as MOCA. Formerly known as the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art | [24] |
| MZTV Museum of Television |  | Liberty Village | Old Toronto | Media | Historic television sets and memorabilia | [25] | |
| Neilson Park Creative Centre | Markland Wood | Etobicoke | Art | Includes two galleries for exhibits of contemporary fine arts and crafts | [26] | ||
| OCAD University Galleries |  | Grange Park | Old Toronto | Art | Art galleries managed by the OCAD University art school, includes its Graduate Student Gallery | ||
| Ontario Science Centre | .jpg) | Flemingdon Park | North York | 900,225 (2018) | Science | Themes include geology, nature, astronomy, music, technology, anatomy, communications | [27] |
| Open Studio Contemporary Printmaking Centre | Fashion District | Old Toronto | Art | Artist-run printmaking centre | [28] | ||
| Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books |  | Grange Park | Old Toronto | Literature | Located in the Lillian H. Smith branch of the Toronto Public Library, changing exhibits of books, art, documents and more from the collection | [29] | |
| Power Plant |  | Harbourfront | Old Toronto | 77,243 (2018) | Art | Contemporary art gallery | [30] |
| Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Regimental Museum |  | Casa Loma | Old Toronto | Military (regimental) | Regimental museum of The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, located on the third floor of Casa Loma | ||
| Redpath Sugar Museum |  | Harbourfront | Old Toronto | Food | Sugar manufacture and industry in Canada, located at the Redpath Sugar Refinery | ||
| Reuben & Helene Dennis Museum | Humewood–Cedarvale | York | Cultural/ethnic | Located in Beth Tzedec Synagogue, it contains Jewish art, ceremonial objects and history | [31] | ||
| Riverdale Farm |  | Cabbagetown | Old Toronto | Agricultural/historic farm | Working heritage farm with an 1860s to 1920s Ontario focus | ||
| Royal Canadian Military Institute Museum |  | Grange Park | Old Toronto | Military | Features guns, swords, spears, other weapons from around the world, badges, uniforms, medals, art, miniatures, photographs and other military memorabilia. Located at the Royal Canadian Military Institute. | ||
| Royal Ontario Museum |  | Discovery District | Old Toronto | 1,440,000 (2018) | Multiple | Includes dinosaurs, Near Eastern and African art, East Asian art, European history, and Canadian history | [32] |
| Royal Regiment of Canada Museum | .JPG) | Fort York | Old Toronto | Military (regimental) | Regimental museum covering the history of The Royal Regiment of Canada, located in the Fort York Armoury. | ||
| Saint Mark's Coptic Museum | Steeles | Scarborough | Art | Coptic and Christian art, icons, coins, crosses, manuscripts, pottery, woodwork | [33] | ||
| Scarborough Museum |  | Bendale | Scarborough | Historic houses | Local history, 1910s period house, mid-19th century log house, carriage works, operated by the City of Toronto government | [34] | |
| Spadina House |  | Casa Loma | Old Toronto | Historic house | Historic mansion reflecting four generations and periods, operated by the City of Toronto government | ||
| Taras Shevchenko Museum |  | High Park North | Old Toronto | Biographical | Life and works of Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko | [35] | |
| Textile Museum of Canada |  | Discovery District | Old Toronto | 29,190 (2018) | Textile | Includes fabrics, ceremonial cloths, garments, carpets, quilts and related artifacts | [36] |
| The Image Centre |  | Garden District | Old Toronto | Art | Operated by Toronto Metropolitan University, includes gallery spaces for photography, new media, installation art and film | ||
| Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library |  | Discovery District | Old Toronto | Literature | Changing exhibits of books, art, documents and other literary works from its collections | ||
| Tollkeeper's Cottage Museum |  | Wychwood Park | Old Toronto | Historic house | 1800s heritage museum, an example of tollkeeper's cottages in Ontario during the 19th century | ||
| Todmorden Mills |  | Old East York | East York | Multiple | Includes local history and industry museum, art gallery, theatre, operated by the City of Toronto government | ||
| Toronto Dominion Gallery of Inuit Art | Financial District | Old Toronto | Art | Located in the Toronto-Dominion Centre, collection of Inuit art, a cooperative project of Cadillac Fairview and the Toronto-Dominion Bank | [37] | ||
| Toronto Police Museum and Discovery Centre |  | Discovery District | Old Toronto | History (law enforcement) | Museum on the history of the Toronto Police Service. The museum is located at the Toronto Police Headquarters | [38] | |
| Toronto Railway Museum |  | CityPlace | Old Toronto | Railway | Located at Roundhouse Park | [39] | |
| TD Gallery at the Toronto Reference Library |  | Yorkville | Old Toronto | Literature | Changing exhibits from its collections in the TD Gallery. Located in the Toronto Reference Library | [40] | |
| Toronto Scottish Regiment Museum | New Toronto | Etobicoke | Military (regimental) | Regimental museum covering the history of The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Own) | |||
| Toronto Sculpture Garden |  | St. Lawrence | Old Toronto | Art | Small park with changing sculpture exhibits | [41] | |
| Fourth York Post Office |  | Old Town | Old Toronto | History (postal) | Historic working post office and museum | [42] | |
| Ukrainian Museum of Canada, Ontario Branch |  | Harbord Village | Old Toronto | Cultural/ethnic | Located in the St. Volodymyr Institute, Ukrainian art, folk art, clothing, jewelry, religious objects, heritage and culture | [43] | |
| The Village at Black Creek | .jpg) | York University Heights | North York | 141,000 (2017) | Living | A living history museum situated in North York. The property contains a number of early-to-mid 19th century buildings. | [44][45] |
| Zion Schoolhouse |  | Don Valley Village | North York | Living | A living history museum for education, situated in a one-room schoolhouse built in 1869 (period restorations c. 1910). Operated by the City of Toronto Cultural Services. | [46] | |
| Toronto Holocaust Museum |  |
Bathurst Street | North York | History | A space for education and dialogue about the Holocaust and its ongoing relevance. |
Non-permanent museums
Myseum of Toronto is a "pop-up" museum that provides exhibitions throughout the Greater Toronto Area, and does not have a physical location. It attempts to celebration the evolution of local communities, cultures, and urban and natural spaces of Toronto.[47]
Theatre Museum Canada presently hosts travelling exhibits in various venues in Toronto. The museum's administrative offices are located in Toronto. In 2011, the museum announced it would move into a permanent facility at 355 King Street West. The museum would be situated inside the King Blue condominium development in the Entertainment District.[48]
Former museums
Relocated
The following table includes museums whose facilities were formerly located in Toronto, although have since moved beyond the city limits.
| Name | Image | Type | Year opened | Year closed in Toronto | New location | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada's Sports Hall of Fame |  |
Sports | 1955 | 2006 | Calgary, Alberta | The Canadian hall of fame and museum was located at Exhibition Place from 1955 to 2006. It was situated in the former officers' quarters of New Fort York (pictured) from 1955 to 1957, the Press Building from 1957 to 1961, and the Hall of Fame building from 1961 to 2006. The hall of fame museum was closed in 2006 to make way for BMO Field. The organization reopened its hall of fame museum in Calgary in 2011. |
| Canadian Air and Space Museum |  |
Aviation | 1997 | 2011 | Springwater, Ontario | The museum's collection put in storage in 2011, after the closure of its facility in Downsview Park. The museum's office is presently based in Mississauga-based offices of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority. In 2019, a permanent home for the museum was found at Edenvale Airport in Springwater, Ontario. The museum will be renamed the Canadian Air and Space Conservancy upon its reopening. |
Defunct
The following list includes former museums in Toronto that were closed.
| Name | Image | Type | Opened | Closed | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada's Design Museum |  |
Design | 2012 | 2019 | Housed within the original Toronto Stock Exchange building, the museum was operated by Design Exchange |
| Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame Museum | Sports | Temporary home for the museum for the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame was situated at Downsview Park. | |||
| CBC Museum |  |
Media | 1994[note 2] | 2017 | Located in the Canadian Broadcasting Centre |
| Children's Own Museum | Children's | 1997 | 2002[note 3][49] | Originally opened as a temporary exhibit at the Harbourfront Centre, it was later relocated to the McLaughlin Planetarium in 1998. | |
| McLaughlin Planetarium |  |
Planetarium | 1968 | 1995 | The building was closed in 1995, and was later sold to the University of Toronto in 2009. The university has announced plans to demolish the structure to make way for additional facilities. |
| Museum of Inuit Art |  |
Art | 2007 | 2016[50][51] | Located within Queen's Quay Terminal. Not to be confused with the Toronto Dominion Gallery of Inuit Art (see table on current museums). |
| Parliament Interpretive Centre | Military | 2012 | 2015 | Built atop the First Parliament Building of Upper Canada. The museum was opened from 2012 to 2015 as a part of War of 1812 bicentennial celebrations, and focused on the settlement of York during the war. | |
| Olympic Spirit Toronto | Sports | 2004 | 2006 | An Olympics-themed sports museum. It was located in 35 Dundas Street East. Its building is presently used as the television studios for Rogers Communications' Citytv and Omni Television. | |
| Toronto Free Gallery | Art | 2004 | Non-profit activist gallery. Opened in 2004, and relocated buildings in 2008. | ||
| Toronto Maritime Museum | Maritime | 1958 | 2008 | Established as the Marine Museum of Upper Canada, it was located at Stanley Barracks, it moved to a building at Queens Quay in 1999, before closing in 2008. |
See also
Notes
- Area refer to former lower-tier municipalities of Metropolitan Toronto. The lower-tier municipalities of Metropolitan Toronto were amalgamated to form the new City of Toronto in 1998, after the upper-tier government of Metropolitan Toronto was dissolved. The use of the term Old Toronto is a retronym used to refer to the pre-1998 lower-tier City of Toronto.
- The collection was started in 1960
- Physical museum closed in 2002. Its collection remains in storage.
