The best museums in Toronto

What Toronto museums should you visit?

• Royal Ontario Museum
• Aga Khan Museum
• Bata Shoe Museum
• Art Gallery of Ontario
• Hockey Hall of Fame
• Spadina Museum
• Gardiner Museum
• Little Canada

One of North America's most renowned cultural institutions and Canada's largest museum is home to towering dinosaur skeletons and awe-inspiring contemporary paintings. The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) houses more than 18 million pieces of artwork, artefacts, and other exhibits from around the world and across the ages.

ROM is the most visited museum in Canada. Here you can learn about the First Nations people and hang out with the prehistoric creatures at the James and Louise Temerty Galleries of the Age of Dinosaurs.

Mar, a family lifestyle blogger who shares her experiences on her To and Fro blog, says: “The ROM, located in the heart of downtown Toronto, is one of those museums that I could visit over and over again with little Miss Morley (Mar’s daughter) and not get bored.

“The museum consists of over 6 million objects and 40 galleries and is one of the world’s leading museums of art, natural history and world cultures. It truly has something for everyone - from a walking, talking nearly two-year-old to her thirty-something-year-old mama.”

If you have your eye on Toronto holidays, then the Royal Ontario Museum really is one of the best attractions to visit.

Top Tip: Check out the museum's what’s on page to find out more about their schedule of exhibitions and special events. There is always something exciting going on, from specialist Halloween-themed events to Friday Night Live events, which transform the galleries into a party with live DJs, food and drinks.

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The Aga Khan Museum’s mission is to give people a greater understanding and appreciation of Muslim civilisations' contribution to world heritage while often reflecting, through both its permanent and temporary exhibitions, how cultures connect with one another.

The impressive building where the museum is located was designed by architect Fumihiko Maki, and inside, you can see countless treasures from the Islamic world. Some of its highlights include a bronze planispheric astrolabe, a 10th-century prayer amulet and countless exhibits of illuminated manuscripts.

Top Tip: Make sure you explore the Aga Khan Park, which has 17 acres of green spaces, gardens and water features. The park provides a lovely contrast to Toronto’s hustling metropolitan centre.

Arguably, the city’s most unique museum is the Bata Shoe Museum, an expo dedicated to footwear from around the world.

The collection includes around 15,000 items on display, with shoes from the ancient world to the present day. You can look at the museum's huge collection of shoes that once cushioned the feet of celebrities such as Drake.

There are also displays that focus on Chinese bound-foot shoes, ancient Egyptian sandals, chestnut-crushing clogs and glamorous platforms. Over 4,500 years of history are reflected in the museum's permanent exhibition, All About Shoes, but there are plenty of temporary exhibitions in the museum's other galleries.

Top Tip: If you bring your smartphone and some headphones, you can download the free "smartguides" detailing topics like the collection, the museum's history, and the building’s architecture.

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The Art Gallery of Ontario is considered one of the world’s most famous art galleries and one of Toronto’s most well-known attractions.

The Art Gallery of Ontario is a work of art itself, as Toronto-born architect Frank Gehry redesigned the gallery to be a sculpture in its own right. The art gallery has a collection of over 120,000 works of art, including world-class Canadian art, that gives you a glimpse into Toronto’s history.

The works range from cutting-edge contemporary art, such as Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrored Room - Let’s Survive Forever, to European masterpieces, such as Peter Paul Rubens’s The Massacre of The Innocents. There are vast collections by the Group of Seven and works from emerging Indigenous Canadian artists.

Anabel, who, along with her partner John, is the writer behind The Glasgow Gallivanter blog. She spoke about her experience of the Art Gallery of Ontario, and she recommended visiting the ‘Benjamin Cheverton exhibition’:

“In the 1820s, Benjamin Cheverton perfected a sculpture-copying machine which produced exact, miniaturised copies of full-sized busts by other sculptors. There were numerous examples on display as well as a case showing how it was done based on a bust of James Watt – one of John’s heroes, so how could he not love that?”

Top Tip: You should consider getting the annual pass for $10 more than a day pass. This allows you to visit multiple times during your trip.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that there is a museum dedicated to Canada’s national sport. The Hockey Hall of Fame is packed with hockey memorabilia, and it pays tribute to some of the greatest players the game has ever seen.

You can visit the permanent home of the Stanley Cup, face off against famed players in the Shoot Out simulation, and gaze at the huge collection of ice hockey kits and other memorabilia.

Shaun, the travel writer behind the This Life In Trips blog, highly recommends visiting the museum if you are on a city break in Toronto. He says that the Great Hall was impressive.

“Winding its way through the museum is the Esso Great Hall, a ‘cathedral to the icons of hockey.’ There, you will find the inductee's stats alongside interesting stories, jerseys, and trophies.

“The most interesting takeaway for me is how much the game has evolved over this span. From the hockey equipment (or lack of) to stand-up goalies and the size and speed of the game today, the transition is pretty clear when visiting the Hockey Hall of Fame.”

Top Tip: An official photographer is stationed in front of the Stanley Cup for those who would like their photo taken. You can also use your own cameras and phones to snap pictures for free.

The Spadina Museum, located in an Edwardian city mansion, transports you back to the early 1900s.

There are exhibitions of what life in the city was like in the early 1900s as you get to experience how the affluent Austin family lived during this period. The Spadina house was home to the family from 1866 until 1982, and many original artefacts are on show today.

These include furniture, artwork, letters, and even grocery lists. Many visitors believe the museum's biggest attraction is the gardens, which were modelled after the Victorian-Edwardian era.

Top Tip: During the summer, the museum hosts themed events like Gatsby parties, which re-enact celebrations from the 1920s.

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The Gardiner Museum is dedicated to ceramics, boasting an internationally renowned collection that includes pottery from the Ancient Americas, Chinese and Japanese Porcelain, and contemporary Canadian ceramics.

There is lots to see and do when you visit the museum. Once you’ve explored the galleries that house around 4,000 pieces, you can discover the special exhibitions that will be on display during your visit, and you can then dine at the Clay Restaurant or find a one-of-a-kind gift at the Gardiner Shop.

Top Tip: You can get your hands dirty as the Gardiner Museum hosts classes. These include classes about regular ceramic techniques, wheel throwing, and slip casting.