must-visit in TorontoMuseum

Royal Ontario Museum

📍 100 Queens Park, Toronto, ON M5S 2C6, Canada

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4.6/ 5.0

★★★★★

Quick Facts

Location: Canada, Toronto
Category: Museum
Duration: 2.5–4 hours; half a day with a special exhibition or children
Opening Hours: Daily 10:00-17:30 · Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–17:30 (last entry 17:00); closed Mondays and 25 December. Free third-Tuesday evenings 16:30–20:30 (special exhibitions excluded).
Ticket Price: Adult: Free · Adult CAD 26 Plan Ahead; senior CAD 21, student and youth CAD 20, child 4–14 CAD 16, under 3 and Indigenous Peoples free; special exhibitions extra. Ontario students free Tuesdays.
Address: 100 Queens Park, Toronto, ON M5S 2C6, Canada
Coordinates: 43.6677, -79.3948

Introduction

The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) sits beside Queen's Park on the northern edge of the University of Toronto's St. George campus — Canada's largest museum and among the largest museums of world cultures and natural history in North America. Established by the Government of Ontario in 1912, it opened to the public on 19 March 1914. Its collection of more than 18 million artworks, artifacts and natural history specimens fills over 40 permanent galleries and spans some 4.5 billion years of Earth and human history, from dinosaur fossils, minerals and meteorites to ancient Egypt, East Asian art and Indigenous Canadian history. The ROM is internationally known for its Chinese collection — more than 30,000 works, among the most complete assemblages of Chinese art outside Asia. In 2007 the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, designed by architect Daniel Libeskind, added five interlocking glass and aluminium prisms that gave the century-old institution its most recognizable modern landmark. The current OpenROM project adds a bronze-canopied entrance and expanded public spaces.

✨ Highlights

18 million objects

Canada's largest museum, spanning roughly 4.5 billion years across 40+ galleries — a major world-cultures and natural-history institution in North America.

Michael Lee-Chin Crystal (2007)

Five interlocking glass and aluminium prisms by Libeskind, named for the donor; the museum's main entrance sits inside the Crystal, one of Toronto's most recognizable contemporary buildings.

Temerty Galleries of the Age of Dinosaurs

Near-complete T. rex and Barosaurus skeletons plus Burgess Shale fossils — one of the most celebrated dinosaur collections anywhere.

Chinese art outside Asia

More than 30,000 Chinese works and artifacts — temple components, sculpture and objects — making the ROM a major centre for Chinese art outside Asia.

World cultures and Indigenous art

Egyptian mummies and tombs, Greek and Roman objects, Middle Eastern ceramics, the Korean and Japanese galleries, plus First Nations, Inuit and Métis art in the Daphne Cockwell Gallery.

Free third Tuesday evenings

Every third Tuesday, 16:30–20:30, general admission is free (special exhibitions excluded; reserve a timed ticket). Post-secondary students across Ontario are free every Tuesday.

🛈 Practical Info

→Free options：1) Free third-Tuesday evenings 16:30–20:30 (special exhibitions excluded; timed ticket required). 2) Ontario post-secondary students free every Tuesday. 3) Toronto Public Library tpl:map passes drop at 14:00 on the first Wednesday of each month. 4) Canoo app gives newcomers free year-round admission. 5) During the Canada Strong Pass (19 June–7 September 2026) ages 4–17 enter free and 18–24 get 50% off.

→Transport：Subway Line 1 to Museum Station reaches the south Weston entrance on Queen's Park. Paid parking is available at Cumberland Parkade (148 Cumberland St); there is no museum lot, so transit is easier. During OpenROM construction the Bloor Street Crystal entrance is closed — use the Weston entrance.

→On-site services：Free daily docent-led tours (except holidays); free coat check; wheelchair access throughout with free entry for carers. Photography is allowed in most galleries without flash, though some special exhibitions prohibit it. Druxy's ROM Café and the ROM Boutique open Tuesday–Sunday.

→Planning：Five floors and 40-plus galleries — allow at least 2.5–4 hours, or half a day with a special exhibition or children. Toronto CityPASS bundles the ROM with the CN Tower, Ripley's Aquarium and Casa Loma for about 38% savings over nine days.

→Worth it?：Yes — the best-value indoor stop in Toronto whatever the weather. Families should head for the Temerty dinosaur galleries, the Bat Cave and WonderWorks; architecture and Chinese-art fans should not miss the Crystal and the Level 2 China gallery.

→Watch out：During OpenROM construction the Bloor Street Crystal entrance is closed; enter via the Weston entrance on Queen's Park. The galleries run cool to protect the collections, so bring a layer in summer. The free third-Tuesday evenings are very crowded — skip them if you want quiet.

→Transportation：Subway Line 1 to Museum Station reaches the south Weston entrance; parking at Cumberland Parkade. During OpenROM works the Bloor entrance is closed — use Weston.

Opening Hours

Opening Hours
Tuesday	10:00-17:30
Sunday	10:00-17:30

Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–17:30 (last entry 17:00); closed Mondays and 25 December. Free third-Tuesday evenings 16:30–20:30 (special exhibitions excluded).

Ticket Information

Ticket Information
Adult	Free

Adult CAD 26 Plan Ahead; senior CAD 21, student and youth CAD 20, child 4–14 CAD 16, under 3 and Indigenous Peoples free; special exhibitions extra. Ontario students free Tuesdays.

💡 Tips

• During OpenROM construction the Bloor Street Crystal entrance is closed — enter via the Weston entrance on Queen's Park, and confirm the day's entrance on rom.on.ca before you go.

• The ROM prices like an airline: Plan Ahead rates are lowest weeks out online, and walk-up weekend tickets are the dearest.

• The third Tuesday of each month, 16:30–20:30, is free for everyone (special exhibitions excluded) with a timed ticket — but expect crowds; skip it if you want quiet.

• Ontario post-secondary students are free every Tuesday with student ID; ROM members also enter free.

• Toronto Public Library tpl:map family passes drop at 14:00 sharp on the first Wednesday of each month and go fast; newcomers can use the Canoo app for a year of free admission.

• The galleries run cool to protect the collections — bring a layer in summer. Photography is allowed in most galleries without flash; check signs for special exhibitions.

• Five floors and 40-plus galleries take at least 2.5–4 hours; the Toronto CityPASS pairs the ROM with the CN Tower, Ripley's Aquarium and Casa Loma for about 38% savings.

FAQ

What are the opening hours of Royal Ontario Museum?

Tuesday: 10:00-17:30; Sunday: 10:00-17:30; Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–17:30 (last entry 17:00); closed Mondays and 25 December. Free third-Tuesday evenings 16:30–20:30 (special exhibitions excluded).

How much is the admission for Royal Ontario Museum?

Adult: Free; Adult CAD 26 Plan Ahead; senior CAD 21, student and youth CAD 20, child 4–14 CAD 16, under 3 and Indigenous Peoples free; special exhibitions extra. Ontario students free Tuesdays.

Any practical tips for visiting Royal Ontario Museum?

During OpenROM construction the Bloor Street Crystal entrance is closed — enter via the Weston entrance on Queen's Park, and confirm the day's entrance on rom.on.ca before you go. The ROM prices like an airline: Plan Ahead rates are lowest weeks out online, and walk-up weekend tickets are the dearest.

How long should I spend at Royal Ontario Museum?

A typical visit takes 2.5–4 hours; half a day with a special exhibition or children.

Prices, hours and free programs from rom.on.ca and GO Transit promotions (checked October 2026). The ROM uses Plan Ahead dynamic pricing, and entrances may shift during construction — confirm on the official site.