Culture
The Best Art Galleries and Museums in Toronto, Compared
From the AGO and ROM to the Gardiner, Aga Khan and the free Power Plant — how Toronto's best art galleries and museums compare on scope, specialty and price.
Toronto's museum scene runs from encyclopedic giants to tiny, single-subject collections — and knowing which is which saves you from trying to “do” the wrong one in an afternoon. Here is how the city's leading art institutions compare on scope, specialty and price, so you can match the visit to your mood.
The two giants
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) is one of the largest art museums in North America, with a collection of roughly 95,000 works and a building — Frank Gehry's flowing wooden staircases and the Galleria Italia — that is a draw in itself. The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is broader still: more than six million objects spanning art, world cultures and natural history, so it rewards a whole day rather than a quick stop.
The specialists
If you would rather go deep than wide, Toronto's single-subject museums are the hidden strength of the city. The Gardiner Museum is Canada's only museum devoted entirely to ceramics. The Aga Khan Museum focuses on Islamic, Iranian and broader Muslim art and culture in a striking purpose-built setting. The Textile Museum of Canada collects fabrics, garments and carpets from around the world.
Contemporary and free
For current work, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) occupies the historic Tower Automotive Building in the Junction and functions as a neighbourhood culture hub. The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery on the Harbourfront shows Canadian and international contemporary art and keeps admission free year-round, as does the TD Gallery of Inuit Art downtown — both easy, low-commitment stops.
How to choose
First visit and short on time? Pick one giant — the AGO for art, the ROM for range — and don't try to combine them in a day. Craving something specific? The Gardiner, Aga Khan or Textile Museum reward a focused hour or two. Want art without a ticket? The Power Plant and TD Gallery of Inuit Art are free. Several institutions also run discounted or free evening hours weekly, so it is worth checking each museum's site before you go.
