Looking to escape the heat while still soaking up some of the city’s culture? Toronto’s museums have you covered this summer with a bold mix of exhibitions, hidden gems, and imaginative fun.
Whether you’re an avid “arty” rediscovering the creativity of your bustling city or a new and eager explorer, the city’s museum scene offers a rich tapestry of art, history, and innovation.
From immersive art experiences at the Van Gogh exhibit to unique historic displays at the Village at Black Creek and speciality presentations at the MZTV Museum of Television, there is no shortage of creativity for the city’s most enthusiastic and inspired art lovers.
With that, we rounded up a list of some of the best museums across Toronto to add to your calendar, each promising to make your summer a little more colourful, imaginative, and fun.
The New Immersive Van Gogh
Address: 1 Yonge St.
Reimagine Van Gogh’s artistic journey with a one-of-a-kind, multi-sensory experience and chapter, immersing visitors in the artist’s world from now through September.
The unique exhibit will be showcasing more than paintings through its advanced projection technology, transforming the well-renowned artist’s brushstrokes into tangible architecture and landscape.
The museum will also be hosting paint and sip, art and flow yoga, and parent partner yoga events throughout the summer to those looking to experience immersive art in more ways than one.
Looking to buy tickets? You can get started here.
The MZTV Museum of Television
Address: 64 Jefferson Ave.
Take a break from your screen to check out the evolution of these ones: the MZTV Museum of Television aims to preserve, protect, and promote the instruments of television history.
With focus on the evolution of technology, you can travel through 60 years of television receivers from the 1920s to the 1980s – even the original TV sets of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley.
Want to see more? Click here.
Bata Shoe Museum
Address: 327 Bloor St. W.
Your shoes were made for walking, so take a step into the Bata Shoe Museum this summer!
The gallery showcases over a thousand pieces of footwear and related artifacts from a collection of nearly 15,000 objects spanning various continents and centuries.
From Rough and Ready to Exhibit A, the museum is sure to offer a unique lens into the cultures and identities of those who walked before us, those who walk with us, and those who walk beyond us.
You can buy your tickets here.
The Toronto Dominion Gallery of Inuit Art
Address: 79 Wellington St. W.
Tucked into the TD Centre, the rotating Gallery of Inuit Art highlights the creativity and inspiration of Indigenous artists across Canada through its variety of creative pieces.
The exhibit focuses on sharing the historical and ongoing cultural importance of Indigenous communities in Canada, offering a window into the ever-evolving art scene of the North.
Admission to this museum is free, and you can learn more about it here.
Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)
Address: 158 Sterling Rd. #100
Looking for a museum dedicated to ceramic arts? MOCA Toronto, located near U of T’s campuses, has you covered.
The clay oasis offers an outstanding collection, guided tours, and pottery classes for everyone. And the first Friday night of every month is free from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
To learn more about this museum, click here.
Aga Khan Museum
Address: 77 Wynford Dr., North York
The Aga Khan Museum is home to a permanent collection of over 1,200 pieces assembled by the late Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, and is dedicated to Islamic arts and culture.
It also features educational programs and performing arts to further foster its focus on intercultural dialogue and understanding.
Planning a visit? Click here.
Hockey Hall of Fame (HHOF)
Address: 30 Yonge St.
Hockey lovers, this one is for you.
Fans of the great Canadian sport can check out the Hockey Hall of Fame, home to the world’s biggest collection of hockey memorabilia, themed exhibits and games, 3D films, and hands-on access to the renowned Stanley Cup.
The museum invites guests to shoot targets that have challenged some of the leagues greatest players, take a look at some game-worn equipment, try their luck at broadcasting by calling a play-by-play, and stopping by to see a replica of the NHL dressing room.
Mark your calendar and find tickets to HHOF here.
Little Canada
Address: 10 Dundas St. E.
Explore Canada, one of the world’s largest countries, in miniature, in the heart of the city at Little Canada!
The 45,000-sq. ft museum features a 12-foot CN Tower replica, a 400L basin simulating the Bay of Fundy, and 40,000 mini figures.
Meanwhile, you can explore some of Canada’s most breathtaking attractions from Niagara Falls, Ottawa, Toronto, and Quebec.
This museum may be home to some small pieces, but it can leave a big mark on your summer calendar. Click here to learn more.
Spadina Museum
Address: 285 Spadina Rd.
History lovers look no more. You can step back into 1920s and 30s Toronto with a tour of the charmingly restored Austin family mansion, which sits atop a ravine overlooking the city.
The Spadina Museum, one of 10 historic sites operated by the city, also hosts guided tours, exhibits, school programs, lectures and workshops that bring the city’s dynamic past to life.
Meanwhile, the museum will be featuring the Queer Toronto and the Austins: Layers of History in the 1920s and 30s, a free exhibition highlighting queer history in the city during Pride month, from May 28 to June 29.
To learn more about guided tour tickets, click here.
Village at Black Creek
Address: 1000 Murray Ross Pkwy.
Travel back in time at this living history museum, where costumed interpreters bring 19th-century Ontario back to life.
The Village at Black Creek, established in 1960, features historic buildings, crafts, food, and agricultural practices.
While there, you can check out exhibits like the Half Way House Inn, and the Printing Office.
To learn more about this museum, click here.
Museum of Illusions
Address: 132 Front St. E.
This site invites you to see the city differently through the lens of the impossible, where you’ll find that not everything is as it meets the eye.
At the Museum of Illusions, you’ll be immersed in over 70 visual and educational games, illusions, installations, holograms, stereograms and perspective changing rooms.
Find tickets to this one-of-a-kind edutainment destination here.
Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO)
Address: 317 Dundas Street W.
For a traditional art walk that you will not forget, head over to the AGO – one of the city’s cultural cornerstones.
Home to over 120,000 works of art, the museum boasts a vibrant collection ranging from Indigenous art to contemporary pieces.
And the best part? Admission to the museum is free on the first Wednesday night of each month between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
You can also dive into stunning exhibitions like Light Years: The Phil Lind Gift and Recuerdo: Latin American Photography at the AGO all summer long.
For more must-see exhibits, click here.
Royal Ontario Museum (ROM)
Address: 100 Queens Park.
As Canada’s largest museum, the ROM takes you through natural history, world cultures, and all things creation – housing 18 million artworks, artifacts, and specimens.
Once inside, you can check out the Auschwitz: Not long ago. Not far away and Nature in Brilliant Colour exhibits, among others. Its diverse gallery and interactive displays aim to cater to all artistic ages and interests.
Find tickets to the ROM over the summer here.
For more events, visit Now Toronto’s events calendar here.
