Art Galleries and Museums to Explore in Ontario
By Meaghan Flokstra
Published on: September 9th, 2024
Art galleries and museums make for fantastic day trips. Whether you want to go alone or with friends and family, there are many places to visit to learn about culture, art, science, history, and more. Ontario has a wide range of art galleries and museums, so there is plenty to explore and discover.
The Art Gallery of Hamilton was founded in 1914 and is the oldest art gallery in southwestern Ontario. There are over 10,000 works in its collection to check out. Visitors have the option to get involved in various tours and workshops. Kids can participate in art camps during March Break and summer vacation, as well as other family-friendly events all year long.
Located in Toronto, the Art Gallery of Ontario has a diverse collection that includes over 90,000 works of art. The gallery features artwork by some of the most famous artists in Canadian history, such as the Group of Seven. You can find a list of their current exhibitions here.
The Art Gallery of Ontario is also a partner of Canoo (formerly known as the Cultural Access Pass program), which gives eligible newcomers to Canada access to various cultural experiences for free. Ontarians who are younger than 25 can visit the Art Gallery of Ontario for free as well.
The Bay of Spirits Gallery in Toronto specialises in Indigenous art. They showcase an array of stunning artworks made by Indigenous artists, including paintings, sculptures, and masks. Since it’s a retail gallery, the Bay of Spirits Gallery is a great place to visit if you want to expand your personal art collection. Some prominent artists featured at Bay of Spirits are Norval Morisseau, Daphne Odjig, and Loreene Henry.
The Canadian Museum of Nature is in Ottawa, Ontario, the capital city of Canada. Visit this natural history museum to learn about nature and wildlife from across Canada. It runs various exhibits and programs and features everything from live creatures to fossils. Beyond visiting the museum, you can also check out their Nature Channel online.
Considering that hockey is Canada’s most popular sport, it’s no surprise that we have a Hockey Hall of Fame. This Toronto museum is dedicated to the history of hockey and features a wide range of memorabilia. Most notably, the Hockey Hall of Fame is home to the Stanley Cup, the championship trophy of the National Hockey League.
Located in Ottawa, the National Gallery of Canada is one of the largest galleries in North America. It is celebrated for both its incredible architecture and its impressive collections of Canadian and Indigenous artworks.
One of the most notable pieces here is the famous sculpture Maman (1999) by Louise Bourgeois. This grand sculpture of a spider is over nine metres tall, and many visitors love to take pictures from underneath it.
Located in the heart of Toronto, the Royal Ontario Museum is Canada’s largest and most-visited museum. It displays art and artifacts from all over the world, including dinosaur fossils and meteorites. They also feature some Hands-on Galleries to give visitors an interactive experience.
If you’re travelling to the Royal Ontario Museum by subway, you can hop off at Museum Station, which was named after it.