Aga Khan Museum
This museum opened in 2014. It is the first museum of Islamic art and culture in North America. It features around 1000 exhibits, all spanning from the 8th to the 21st century, showcasing the inexhaustible power of traditions in contemporary art. The museum's goal is to highlight the contributions of Muslim civilizations to world heritage and to promote dialogue, cultivate tolerance, and foster understanding among people. In addition to its permanent collection, the museum also hosts rotating exhibitions, music and dance performances, theatrical productions, lectures, seminars, and film screenings. The Aga Khan Museum enjoys international recognition and maintains close ties with the Louvre, the Hermitage, and the Museum of Islamic Art.
Address: 77 Wynford Drive, Toronto, Ontario, M3C 1K1
Art Gallery of Ontario
This art gallery is one of the largest in North America. It was founded in 1900. The museum has over 120,000 exhibits, including works of Canadian art, European painting, and sculptures by Henry Moore. In addition to the exhibition spaces, the museum also has the office and studio of a resident artist, a café, event spaces, a gift shop, a library and archives, a theater, a lecture hall, a research center, and a workshop.
Address: 317 Dundas St W, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1G4
Art Museum at the University of Toronto - University of Toronto Art
Centre
This museum hosts a year-round program of exhibitions and an extensive list of educational activities. Admission is completely free.
The Art Museum at the University of Toronto is one of the largest gallery spaces in the city. It organizes major exhibitions at both local or regional and international levels.
Address: 15 King's College Cir, Toronto, ON M5S 3H7
Bata Shoe Museum
This unique museum is a must-visit if you have a weakness for footwear—whether it’s running sneakers, a classic pair for a night out, or glamorous disco shoes.
Bata Shoe Museum (BSM) is spread across four floors. One features a gallery of the history of footwear, showcasing 4,500 years of development, along with an exhibition of shoes belonging to 20th-century celebrities. The other three galleries regularly change exhibits so that visitors can always see something new. The museum holds over 13,000 different artifacts: from Napoleon's silk stockings and traditional Chinese shoes to ancient Egyptian pieces and Elton John's footwear.
Address: 327 Bloor Street West, Toronto.
Bau-Xi Gallery
Bau-Xi Galleries focuses on contemporary art by Canadian and international artists. The gallery is divided into three spaces, which can be visited for free seven days a week.
Bau-Xi Galleries operate not only in Toronto but also in Vancouver. They were established to showcase the works of artists and photographers at various levels, from emerging to established masters.
Address: 340 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M5T 1G5
Black Creek Pioneer Village
This living history museum allows visitors to experience a village from 1867: it features 40 historic buildings similar to those in the early Canadian settlers' villages, and museum staff are dressed in the style of the mid-19th century. Black Creek Pioneer Village showcases the everyday life, crafts, and main activities of the first Canadians, and includes a working water mill, a blacksmith shop, and even animal pens that are sure to delight young guests.
Address: 1000 Murray Ross Pkwy, North York, Ontario, M3J 2P3
Casa Loma
This castle museum in neo-Gothic style is popular among photographers and newlyweds, as it looks absolutely magical. Each year, over 650,000 visitors come to Casa Loma and its surrounding gardens. In 2014, a modern theater and seasonal outdoor event space were added, and the castle itself was air-conditioned.
Annually, the site hosts over 250 private events, weddings, and other occasions. Performances occasionally take place on the grounds, and there is also a restaurant and gift shop. If this place seems familiar, don't be surprised—it's been featured in films numerous times.
Address: 1 Austin Terrace, Toronto, Ontario, M5R 1X8
Colborne Lodge
A historic house museum located in a home built in 1836. It was constructed by John Howard, an architect and engineer living in Toronto in the 19th century. Later, the house became a museum, and the surrounding land became High Park. Colborne Lodge preserves 19th-century furniture and decor, paintings, as well as plans and inventions of John Howard himself. The museum offers tours, seminars, and other public events, such as celebrations of New Year's, Easter, and Thanksgiving.
Address: 11 Colborne Lodge Dr, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 2N2
Cooper Cole
Established in 2007 under the name Show and Tell, this gallery has come a long way from Kensington Market, then Dundas West, and now Dupont St. The space has remained true to minimalism while focusing on solo exhibitions that have endeared the gallery to many.
The main spacious hall typically features louder and larger works. From pop-surrealism in its early days, Cooper Cole has gradually shifted towards more serious conceptualism, drawing in artists like the renowned Sara Cwynar from New York. Overall, the gallery possesses a significant international component that guarantees its future growth.
Address: Cooper Cole (Dupont St.), 1134 Dupont St.
Fort York
This French trading post was built in the late 18th century. It now serves as a military museum. The fort consists of several buildings: the officer's house, barracks, garden, and a wartime museum. Visitors can also try on historical costumes, see samples of 19th-century weaponry, and even check out a wine cellar.
Address: 250 Fort York Boulevard, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 3K9
Gardiner Museum
Stepping into this museum feels like attending a dinner party in medieval Europe, and it’s no wonder, as the Gardiner Museum is dedicated exclusively to ceramic art. George and Helen Gardiner founded this museum in 1984, and it now houses nearly 3,000 clay artifacts. You can finish off your trip to this three-story museum with lunch at its cozy restaurant and a visit to the local gift shop.
Address: 111 Queens Park, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2C7
Gibson House Museum
Take a journey back in time by visiting this 19th-century farm museum. As soon as you step inside, you are transported to the 1850s. Learn about the impact David Gibson—a Scottish immigrant, surveyor, politician, farmer, and rebel—had on the history of the community, city, and province.
Gibson House offers visitors a great opportunity not only to approach history but even to taste it.
The museum acknowledges the complex aspects of colonization history and plans to collaborate with Indigenous peoples from 2022 onwards to tell the story through the lens of Indigenous perspectives.
Address: 5172 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M2N 5P6
Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey fans cannot overlook the Hockey Hall of Fame, not only because it is located in Canada, the cradle of this sport, but also because here are exhibits that celebrate the glory of legendary teams and players from both the American and European continents. The pride of the museum is the Stanley Cup. The museum features 15 exhibition halls, each filled with hockey equipment, trophies, awards, photographs, and memorabilia. Each exhibit comes with a detailed description.
Address: 30 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M5E 1X8
Koffler Centre of the Arts
A cultural platform exploring critical ideas and current themes of modernity through year-round exhibitions, performances, literary events, informational initiatives, and educational art programs.
Address: 180 Shaw St, Toronto, ON M6J 2W5
Mackenzie House
The house-museum of Toronto’s first mayor and organizer of the Upper Canada Rebellion, William Lyon Mackenzie, was built in 1836. The three-story building is designed in Georgian style and now serves as a historical museum that features the exhibit “Life in the City in the Victorian Era in the 1860s,” along with personal belongings, letters, portraits, and clothing of William Mackenzie himself. The museum collection holds materials about life in the rapidly developing Toronto of 1860-1890, including the history of local African Canadians and Mary Ann Shadd.
Address: 82 Bond St, Toronto, Ontario, M5B 1X2
Mercer Union
Founded and run by artists since 1979, this non-profit gallery is dedicated to contemporary art. If you want to see installations that truly stretch the limits of modern viewpoints, this gallery, with a total area of 1,800 square feet, is perfect for you.
In addition to the main hall, the gallery also houses separate space for audio and video presentations. The owners place strong emphasis on contemporary art from both Canadian authors and artists from other countries. Here, you might find the most provocative and original works.
Address: Mercer Union, 1286 Bloor Street West.
Montgomery’s Inn
Built in the 1830s for traveling travelers, this inn welcomed people from many regions, providing shelter, food, drinks, games, and much more. Today, this museum shows guests how a Canadian inn was managed in the 19th century—from the ballroom to the kitchen and bar, which are still operational.
Visitors come for the history but stay for the evening in the pub, ghost stories, live music, and dancing. Additionally, various farmers' markets operate here weekly, where you can purchase not only local food but also works of art.
Address:4709 Dundas St W, Etobicoke, ON M9A 1A8.
Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCa)
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Breathing new life into the industrial Sterling Road, MOCA (formerly known as MOCCA) occupies five floors in a former aluminum factory, featuring works by artists from all over the world. The total gallery space covers 55,000 square feet, five times larger than its original location on Queen West.
The first floor is always open for free admission. To see all the exhibits, you need to pay $5 to $10. If you are under 18, admission is free. In addition to permanent exhibitions, the gallery also has space for changing exhibitions.
Address: MOCA Toronto, 158 Sterling Rd.
Olga Korper Gallery
Located in a former mattress factory building in Roncesvalles Village, this stunning gallery boasts truly vast dimensions that allow it to host exhibitions and projects of any size.
Specializing in contemporary art across all main formats, Olga Korper has built an incredible collection over the years, featuring works from heavyweights like Bernd and Hilla Becher, Patterson Ewen, and Wil Alsop (and many others!). This gallery is definitely one to watch as its collection grows, exhibitions change, and you can easily miss someone amazing.
Address: Olga Korper Gallery, 17 Morrow Avenue.
Ontario Science Centre
The Ontario Science Centre was founded in 1969. Here, you can explore discoveries by scientists in areas such as laser technology, telecommunications, optics, biology, atomic physics, meteorology, and space exploration. At the museum, everyone can feel like a scientist: you can participate in experiments and even touch the exhibits. The planetarium, Omnimax theater, and lie detector tests—this and much more can be found at the science center!
Address: 770 Don Mills Rd., North York, Ontario, M3C 1T3
Royal Ontario Museum (ROM)
This largest Canadian cultural and natural history museum opened in 1914. ROM is the fifth-largest museum in North America. The museum houses over six million exhibits, including collections of dinosaurs, Middle Eastern art, African and East Asian artifacts, as well as European and Canadian history.
Address: 100 Queen’s Park, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2C6
Ryerson Image Centre
Ryerson Image Centre is known for its exhibitions of historical and contemporary works by recognized Canadian and international artists. Additionally, the center engages in scientific research and offers various educational programs.
Admission to the gallery is free.
Address: 33 Gould St, Toronto, ON M5B 1E9
Spadina Museum
This extremely romantic and beautiful place is nothing less than an estate consisting of a historical mansion and a garden surrounding it. The architecture and decor of the house reflect the spirit of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The estate became a museum in 1984, after having been privately owned. The garden surrounding the mansion is considered one of the most beautiful Victorian gardens in Toronto, so be sure to bring your camera—your photos will turn out truly romantic.
Address: 285 Spadina Rd, Toronto, Ontario, M5R 2V5
Textile Museum of Canada
The Canadian Museum of Textiles is the only museum in the country that explores ideas and helps build a real understanding of culture through a universal material—textiles.
The museum’s permanent collection includes over 13,000 rare artifacts and covers approximately 2,000 years of history. Here, you can view even those historical facts you already know from a completely new perspective.
Address: 55 Centre Avenue, Toronto.
The Campbell House Museum
The famous Campbell House from 1822 is the last example of Georgian architecture in Toronto. It was once the home of Sir William Campbell, a former Chief Justice of Upper Canada. Later, in the 1970s, it was sold at auction, and today the building operates as a museum and art gallery open to all.
Address: 160 Queen St W.
The Market Gallery
The Market Gallery represents a popular exhibition space that offers its visitors a chance to immerse themselves in the history of the city. You can expect a substantial urban collection of artworks, historical artifacts, and even archaeological samples that unveil the ever-changing face of Toronto.
Address: 95 Front St E, Toronto, ON M5E 1C2
The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery
The Power Plant is considered Canada’s leading public gallery dedicated exclusively to contemporary art.
The gallery presents ideas and works from the brightest representatives of the genre and boasts a long list of awards, in addition to various public programs.
The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery operates year-round. Admission is always free.
Address: 231 Queens Quay West, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2G8
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