Home » Special Features » The World’s Best » Best Museums Toronto
These can’t-miss museums offer an array of attractions designed to mesmerize art addicts and curious gallery-goers alike. Distinguished by their modern art masterpieces, architectural triumphs, oddball collections, or undeniable cool factor, these are the best-in-class museums in the world’s hottest cities.
Best Museums in....
Best Only-in-Toronto Museums
Toronto
Bata Shoe Museum 327 Bloor St. W., Bloor-Yorkville, 416.979.7799 batashoemuseum.ca
The Draw: This glittery and fascinating collection of shoes through the ages is both great fun and surprisingly informative. The Scene: The building itself is a work of art, designed on five levels to resemble a shoebox. Some exhibits look at the strictly decorative aspects of shoes, while others put them in a historical and social context. Intriguing facts—and numerous celebrity shoes—abound. Mon–Wed and Fri–Sat 10am–5pm, Thu 10am–8pm, Sun noon–5pm. $ Hot Tip: Check the website for special events, including live music, demonstrations, and lectures.
The Draw: This gallery combines contemporary rotating exhibits with a permanent collection of historic photography. The Scene: With five exhibition areas, Jane Corkin mixes three centuries of artistic influence. Housed in one of the renovated buildings of the Distillery District, the industrial spaces have white walls accented by exposed rick and stainless steel reinforcements. Exhibitions focus on contemporary themes such as the environment and mass media, and showcase Canadian and international talents. Tue–Sat 10am–6pm, Sun noon–5pm. Hot Tip: Make sure to visit the hidden second-level exhibit space, which you can only tell is there if you look around the corner and see the stairs up to it.
Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art 111 Queen’s Park, Bloor-Yorkville, 416.586.8080 gardinermuseum.on.ca
The Draw: This is Canada’s only museum devoted entirely to ceramic art, where the motto is “clay comes to life in fire.” The Scene: The museum’s permanent collection features over 3,000 pieces from Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Major exhibits look at ceramic traditions in both a historic and contemporary context, and have included traveling shows of masters like Picasso. An education program offers classes, and the shop has been a favorite of Torontonians since its opening in 1984. Mon–Thu 10am–6pm, Fri 10am–9pm, Sat–Sun 10am–5pm. $ Hot Tip: Try throwing clay on a wheel yourself during the drop-in clay classes on Fridays 6–8pm and Sundays 1–3pm. Tickets go on sale 30 minutes before class.
