• Art Gallery of Ontario: Locals were thrilled with Toronto native Frank Gehry’s renovation of the AGO—the design brilliantly revised (and expanded) the space. The fabulous circular, floating staircase is especially impressive. There’s a lot to see here beyond the building itself, of course; the collection numbers 95,000 pieces and growing. Don’t miss the Thomson Collection; central to the AGO, it spans 20 rooms and includes an unparalleled collection of great Canadian art.
  • Royal Ontario Museum: Good for the whole family, especially the massive dinosaur collection and the creepy bat cave, the Royal Ontario boasts many other impressive exhibits, including Chinese temple art, Roman statues, and Middle Eastern mosaics. 
  • Aga Khan MuseumFrom the outside, Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki’s Cubist structure strikes an unapologetically modern pose. Inside, the collection of Islamic and Iranian art and artifacts is the antithesis of its postmodern exterior. Many of the gorgeously preserved centuries-old objects are from the Aga Khan’s personal collection. 
  • Museum of Contemporary Art: On an industrial stretch in west Toronto, down the street from a still-working chocolate factory, is the city’s largest collection of contemporary Canadian art. The museum takes up the bottom five floors of a former Depression-era automotive building.
  • Bata Shoe Museum: Imelda Marcos’ name might be synonymous with footwear fetishization, but Sonja Bata’s collection of some 13,500 shoes and accessories has the former first lady of the Philippines beat. The largest draw at this foot-focused temple? Celebrity shoes, which include John Lennon's Beatle boot and ballroom slippers worn by Queen Victoria. 




Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.