Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto

Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto (must see)

The Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto offers a captivating blend of ancient wonders and cultural treasures, making it a must-visit destination. Whether your interests lie in dinosaurs, meteorology, historical artifacts, famous paintings, or hands-on exhibits, this museum has something for everyone. Delving into the past, whether it be through historical, archaeological, or scientific lenses, is a rewarding experience at the Royal Ontario Museum.

Drawing in over a million visitors annually, the Royal Ontario Museum is a top priority for any tourist exploring Toronto. Its vast collection of over six million artifacts spans ancient history, art, meteorology, science, anthropology, archaeology, and paleontology, leaving no mystery behind its renowned reputation.

Notably, the museum proudly houses the world's most esteemed fossil field, the Burgess Shale, with the largest collection of fossils. Since its establishment in 1912, the museum has maintained a close affiliation with the University of Toronto. However, it was not until 1968 that the Royal Museum became an independent and separate institution.

The architecture of the museum also deserves special recognition. It showcases a harmonious blend of various architectural styles and designs, encompassing Neo-Romanesque, Byzantine, and strikingly modern and contemporary elements. The Royal Ontario Museum is not only a visual delight but also sparks imagination and satisfies curiosity, providing a feast for the senses.

Why You Should Visit:
Royal and relevant; not only are the exhibits great and diverse too – the architecture alone is also an attraction.
Has over 40 galleries, a fantastic kids' area on the 2nd floor, a nice souvenir shop & more.

Tip:
There are special events held often, and on certain Friday nights, the museum will become party central with an organized social, bar, and opportunity to mingle among the artifacts.
Plan on being at the museum for about one hour per exhibit/collection and note that some special exhibitions may have an additional charge.
The c5 Restaurant Lounge, located at the top of the Crystal, offers views of Liza's Garden, a sustainable garden installed on the museum rooftop, as well as the Toronto skyline, and there are also other fine dining/coffee spots inside or close by.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Toronto. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Royal Ontario Museum on Map

Sight Name: Royal Ontario Museum
Sight Location: Toronto, Canada (See walking tours in Toronto)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery

Walking Tours in Toronto, Canada

Create Your Own Walk in Toronto

Create Your Own Walk in Toronto

Creating your own self-guided walk in Toronto is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Distillery District Walking Tour

Distillery District Walking Tour

Toronto's Distillery District is a trendy neighborhood and an architectural treasure dating back to 1859. Once the largest distillery in the British Empire, today this former industrial complex is a National Historic Site of Canada and a unique pocket of Victorian-era architecture, featuring the continent's best-preserved collection of cobblestone pathways and historic buildings housing...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.8 Km or 0.5 Miles
Historical Buildings Walking Tour

Historical Buildings Walking Tour

Once an Anglo backwater, today's Toronto is the cultural and economic hub of English-speaking Canada. The city's architectural beauty is supplemented by its historical richness, with some of the buildings dating back as far as the late 18th century. This self-guided tour invites you to explore the most prominent structures making up the historic heritage of Toronto.

The Gooderham...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Toronto Introduction Walking Tour

Toronto Introduction Walking Tour

Sprawling on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario, the capital of the Canadian province of Ontario, Toronto, is a major metropolis renowned for its dynamic pace and high-rising skyline, incorporating both ultra-modern skyscrapers and historic architecture.

The area of present-day Toronto has been inhabited for thousands of years. Its first known settlers – the Wyandot (or Huron) people –...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.9 Km or 2.4 Miles
Toronto Islands Walking Tour

Toronto Islands Walking Tour

The Toronto Islands, otherwise simply known as “the Islands,” are a chain of islands in Lake Ontario, just off the coast of downtown Toronto. They include three major islands (namely: Centre Island, Algonquin or Sunfish Island, and Olympic Island) and several smaller ones. Collectively they are a great natural retreat set in a peaceful and joyful environment, which, apart from the panoramic...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.3 Km or 2.1 Miles
Toronto's Waterfront Walking Tour

Toronto's Waterfront Walking Tour

It is more than obvious that the locals of Toronto, as well as visitors, cherish and admire the alluring views of Lake Ontario on the shores of which the city is located. Toronto's waterfront is one of the most picturesque places for walking, but it is also a great destination for those in search of entertainment.

At the heart of this waterfront area stands Queen's Quay Terminal, a...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Cabbagetown Walking Tour

Cabbagetown Walking Tour

Once a small community of Irish immigrants east of downtown and one of the poorest neighborhoods in Toronto, Cabbagetown is also one of the city's oldest districts, established in 1840. In 2004, it was declared a historic district and presently claims to be "the largest continuous area of preserved Victorian housing in North America". Attesting to this claim are the picturesque...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.8 Km or 1.1 Miles

Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip


The Epic Toronto Pub Crawl

The Epic Toronto Pub Crawl

There is no better way to see Toronto’s many different neighborhoods and get a literal taste of the Distillery District, the Esplanade, downtown, the Entertainment District and Yorkville. Plus you’ll learn a little about the bar and get its highlights at your fingertips so you’ll be in the...
Traveler's Guide to Toronto: 15 Authentic Canadian Products to Bring Home

Traveler's Guide to Toronto: 15 Authentic Canadian Products to Bring Home

Toronto may well not be the whole Canada, but no Canada is whole without Toronto! By far too many things, quintessentially Canadian, associate with this bustling city, from Niagara Falls to Ice Hockey to... to mention but a few. To mention them all, check out the list of some not-to-be-missed...