Among the many benefits of being a U of T student is free visits to the museums and art galleries around campus, and it is one you should definitely take advantage of! Here is a list of 6 museums and art galleries on and around campus you must not miss out on, and a guide to help you decide which ones to visit first depending on what you are interested in!
- The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM)
Location: Bloor and Queen’s Park (100 Queen’s Park)
About: The ROM is one of Canada’s largest museums, showcasing art, culture, and nature from all around the world. If you are interested in arts, archaeology, sciences, and history, then this place is definitely for you!
Currently Happening: Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature (an exhibition you must not miss if you are a J.K. Rowling fan!)
Benefits: Admission is free on Tuesdays for all Post-Secondary Students! All you need is your Student I.D. Card. Click here for more information on admissions at the ROM.
- The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO)
Location: Dundas and McCaul (317 Dundas St West)
About: The AGO, also one of the largest art museums in North America, focuses mostly on contemporary art by Indigenous, Canadian, and Europeans artists. If you are into sculptures, paintings, and all sorts of artworks, then this place is definitely for you!
Currently Happening: Faith and Fortune: Art Across the Global Spanish Empire (an exhibition happening till October 10th, so make sure to pass by as soon as you can!)
Benefits: Admission is free for everyone on Wednesdays from 6 pm to 9 pm, and free for everyone below 25 years old all the time! Click here for more information on admissions at the AGO.
- The Gardiner Museum
Location: Bloor and Queen’s Park (111 Queen’s Park)
About: The Gardiner Museum showcases all different types of ceramics and clay art. On top of that, not only you can go take a look at the different sculptures exhibited, but you can also enroll in ceramics classes!
Currently Happening: Crafting Narratives (exhibition featuring the artworks of YWCA members, happening till October 30th!)
Benefits: Admission is free for everyone on Wednesdays from 4 pm to 9 pm, and free for students all the time! All you need is your student I.D.! Click here for more information on admissions at the Gardiner Museum.
- The Bata Shoe Museum
Location: Bloor and St. George (327 Bloor St West)
About: The Bata Shoe Museum is an unusual and unique kind of museum you definitely must check out! As the name implies, it is a museum that displays all sorts of shoes. Whether you’re into shopping, or arts (or both!), this place is definitely an attraction you cannot miss out on!
Currently Happening: Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting Edge Kicks (All about digitally designed and 3D printed shoes and sneakers)
Benefits: Admission is free for everyone on Sunday, and is discounted on other days for all students, so make sure to have your student I.D. with you! Click here for more information on admissions at the Bata Shoe Museum.
- Art Museum at Hart House (On St. George Campus)
Location: U of T St. George Campus (7 Hart House Circle)
About: Also known as the Justina M. Barnicke Gallery, it is one of the art galleries on campus accessible for everyone and showcases all different types of arts! Make sure to pass by and check out the exhibitions happening there!
Currently Happening: Drift: Art and Dark Matter (Make sure to check it out before October 8th!)
Benefits: Free for everyone!
- Art Museum on University College (On St. George Campus)
Location: U of T St. George Campus (15 King’s College Circle)
About: Another art museum accessible to everyone on campus!
Currently Happening: As We Rise: Photography from the Black Atlantic
Benefits: Free for everyone!