Unspecified/General

Founded in 1900 by a group of private citizens as the Art Museum of Toronto, the Art Gallery of Ontario is one of the largest and most distinguished art museums in North America, holding a collection of some ninety thousand works that ranges from the first century to the present day and spans European, Canadian, Indigenous, African, Oceanic and contemporary art. The gallery grew up around the Grange, a historic Georgian house acquired in 1911 that remains part of the complex, and over more than a century it has been repeatedly enlarged, most strikingly in the transformation completed in 2008 by the Toronto-born architect Frank Gehry, who wrapped the building in a great curving facade of glass and wood along Dundas Street and added a sweeping spiral staircase and sculptural galleries while respecting the older fabric within. The collection is especially strong in Canadian art, with major holdings of the Group of Seven and Tom Thomson, whose vivid landscapes helped define a national vision of the wilderness, and of Indigenous and Inuit art, alongside a celebrated gathering of European masterpieces and one of the most important public collections of the sculpture of Henry Moore, much of it given by the artist himself. Striking modern and contemporary works, photography and prints complete the picture. With its blend of historic house, world-class collection and bold contemporary architecture, the gallery is a cornerstone of cultural life in Toronto, drawing large audiences to its permanent displays and to the major temporary exhibitions it regularly hosts. The transformation by Frank Gehry holds a particular resonance, for the architect spent part of his childhood in the neighbourhood and on visits to the gallery, and his redesign sought to open the building to the city and to light, most memorably through the long facade of glass and Douglas fir along Dundas Street and the spiralling staircase that rises through and beyond the roof. Within, the galleries range across European painting and sculpture, a rich survey of Canadian art in which the bold landscapes of the Group of Seven and Tom Thomson occupy a central place, and major holdings of Indigenous and Inuit art. The collection of works by Henry Moore, the largest public gathering of the sculptor's art, fills a dedicated space and was assembled with the artist's close involvement, while strong collections of photography, prints and contemporary art round out the holdings. Beyond its permanent displays, the gallery is known for ambitious temporary exhibitions and for its programmes, lectures and family activities, standing among the foremost cultural institutions of the country.

Type: Tourist Attraction

Address: 317 Dundas Street West, Toronto, Canada

Telephone: 416 979 6648

Website: https://ago.ca

Opening Date: 01/01/1900