Art Gallery of Ontario

Good sized and easy to maneuver art gallery. Enjoyed all the different types of art from early 1400s all the way up to contemporary. Architecturally beautiful, service and staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. Don’t forget to stop by the café for rum raisin gelato. It is amazing. Street parking available.

I really enjoyed this place! I wish I had planned to spend more time. It was larger than I thought. They have an amazing restaurant with amazing staff. Our waiter was full with positive vibes. He was great and assisted me on understanding the menu. There’s a cafeteria on the lower level. I loved the store. I loved the expo. I will go back on my next vacation.

Super interesting gallery. I don’t go to art galleries often but this one seems to be at the top because of it’s diversity of art works in history and types of art. It has art from a ton of eras and has paintings, sculptures and a variety of different styles of painting. The staff also seems very knowledgable and passionate when describing and telling the history behind different art works. I wish I had more time to look around because it was very interesting and has a lot of high quality, marvellous pieces here!
I would highly recommend this place to people interested in having a new experience or haven’t even been to an art gallery before. It is very interesting to hear staff talk about the pieces because they have so much insight and knowledge that make the experience so much better.

A incredible gallery. Fun and knowledgeable staff. Check out the wooden spiral staircase that leads to the top gallery. Large gift shop. The building itself is amazing architecture. Don’t miss out on the model ships in the lower level.

Great place to just roam around. Enjoy the art and the architecture. There’s even lots of stuff for the kids to do in the Weston Family Education Centre, accessible at the West end of the gallery in the lower level. Don’t forget to visit the ship models donated by Ken Thompson.

Great! Beautiful and unusual exhibits! Be ready to do a lot of walking, because this place is huge!

my friend and I had a marvelous time at the gallery, though admittedly we didn’t leave the first floor. we got lucky because I found out that free night coincided with our very first night ever in Canada!
I really loved the room that juxtaposes the French Academy style with more progressive impressionists. I couldn’t stop staring at the big Monet landscape. I also thought the temporary exhibition of Japanese photos from Hiroshima and Nagasaki were really special, albeit sad. My friend particularly enjoyed the medieval stuff. all in all, a nice mix, and a good way to spend an evening

I love art, and nothing says a perfect rainy day to me more than ambling about a gallery, chilling out in their café with a book and a good coffee and doing it all over again. You always miss stuff the first time round!
Anyway, the AGO is the first gallery I’ve had the pleasure of visiting in Toronto and I was blown away. It’s an assault on the senses. The building itself has lots of different levels and angles and the night I was there, there was a dance class on the basement floor with the music pumping throughout certain rooms. Great acoustics!
There was a storm on the way, so I left before I saw ¾ of the works, but I cannot wait to go back! The AGO strikes me as somewhere that is a little bit different every time you visit, for reasons you can never quite put your finger on. I’ll update this review on my next (3^rd) visit.

We came here for the First Thursday @ AGO ($ 15 a ticket online). We went on time and was glad to see there was no ridiculous line out the door like at Friday Night @ ROM. The crowd seemed more diverse, but also on the trendier side. There was a cash bar and no need for buying vouchers in advance (i.e. nothing ROM bucks).
The building itself is definitely beautiful, despite the corridors often being crowded. This is especially true near the entrance where the bar is set up and people tend to linger. This is probably because there are no food or drinks allowed for most of the areas, blocked off by a rope and security guards (for good reason, I suppose). There were also food dishes (~$ 5 a pop) and live music.
I won’t pretend to know about art, but the first two floors are great. They have wonderful Group of Seven & Emily Carr exhibits on the second floor. Also live paintings and performances throughout the first two floors. Great place to go for a date!

We went on Wednesday night; free night but it wasn’t too crowded. The staff was lovely, lots of free tours and staff explaining exhibits. Even though your feet are tired, don’t miss the views from the fifth floor and the David Altmjd installation.

It’s a beautiful museum with some lovely Canadian art, but I would have liked to see more description of the works on display. An audio guide would be really nice, but unfortunately is not on offer. I also would have liked to purchase the book specific to the museum, but the one I liked wasn’t available in softcover ($ 40), and the $ 55 price for hardcover was just a bit too steep.
But, oh well. The staff were friendly and, as I said, the focus on Canadian art is impressive. I was not familiar with some of the artists on display, but left as a new fan.

Came here for an appreciation night for my profession a few Wednesday’s ago. The building is quite beautiful; the inside is a popular backdrop on Instagram. Conveniently located, you can access the AGO via TTC easily. There’s also a lot to do before or after visiting, including checking out Kensington. I like the gift shop and think that it’s a great place to pick up unique gifts for family and friends. What makes this place a-​ok is the size; for a ‘world class’ city (questionable in my books, but that’s another Unilocal review), the place is quite small in comparison to other art galleries found.
Good for: art, dates, tourists, sightseeing

Basquiat exhibit was really good. I personally wish there wasn’t 100s of 12 – 14 year olds running around having fun. This is serious artwork people! Although I’m sure Basquiat would approve.
The interior is beautiful, and I heard the renovation was done by Frank Gehry. That means a selfie in the main hallway was a must.
Loved the galleries on the Original Seven. Got to show my Aussie girlfriend that Canada does indeed have an art scene. Although I’m personally let down by Emily Carr’s work. Way overhyped coming from Vancouver.
Extensive gift shop full of little trinkets, I’m sure you’ll find something for everyone there.
Highly recommended. It’s the only museum I’ve been to in Toronto!

Really liked this place. It’s in the heart of Downtown. It has a great shop and is open to the public for free on Wed nights. Also right now there is an art card touch-​screen interface right off the lobby and a place to take pictures under the crowns in the window.
Definitely a great modern museum!
Went back after the first visit for souvenirs.

AGO was such a nice museum. It’s not far from the St Patrick train stop, maybe like 3 minute walk. Just follow the other tourists!
I visited for the Basquiat exhibit which was awesome. This has to be one of the best organized and most beautiful museums that I’ve ever been in. The staff is really friendly as well. Definitely worth a visit.

I was only in Toronto for one day and wanted to check out this museum in the little time I had. Luckily for me, they had a Basquiat exhibition running at the time. The admission was priced at around same as contemporary art museums of its caliber, 25 CAD, which included the Basquiat exhibit, 19 CAD general. The museum has many artworks from all over the world, including many world renowned artists from Bernini to Warhol. It’s a nice stop for art lovers when in Toronto. Unfortunately I was only able to spend about 1.5 hours but hopefully I can stay longer next time I visit.

Great place for art/​architecture enthusiasts, or anybody who appreciates modern and contemporary art. This place has been on our list of places to visit for quite a few years now, and we finally made it this past month. We had a fun time, and though the day we went was a little on the chilly side, the area surrounding the art gallery was wonderful to walk in and see another part of the city.
They do the exhibits here REALLY well — I mean, definitely come out of your way REALLY well. When we came, the Basquiat exhibition was going on, and it just blew my mind on how well the layout of the pieces were displayed, and the hallways directing you to the entrance of the exhibit. It was just enough of a teaser to get you excited without giving away any details. Wood floors had a striking yellow graphic to complement the rest of the art.
Even their permanent displays are thoughtfully designed, curated, and maintained. There’s plenty of space to wander and get lost without disrupting the people around you. For those looking to take a breather, there is ample seating that is quite comfortable too. :)
The Kids’ area was cute and very informative and educational, and the architecture in that section was just whimsical enough to convey a youthful vibe without being disconnected from the rest of the gallery.
Admission is $ 19.50 for non-​member adults, and we spent a good 4 hours there, so worth the money if you intend to spend that much time there. Wednesday nights from 6 – 8:30pm are free for the permanent collections.
Also for parking, I’d suggest parking on the corner lot of McCaul and Stephanie Sts. It was $ 3 for all day the time we were there. It’s about a block and a half from the main front entrance on Dundas.
Lovely architecture in the atrium and they have a really fun wooden spiral staircase that I thought was beautiful. I’ll be back!

This is one of my favourite places to chill in the city. I love taking in an exhibit b/​c they do it so well. You never feel crowded, everything is laid out well. From old to new. classic to eclectic. every style under one roof!
Went on Sunday for the Basquiat exhibit and loved it. Tied in with the comic exhibit it made for a great day!
The AGO also does events like First Thursdays which are pretty cool and I believe they also have yoga classes early in the morning.
A great way to spend an afternoon as there is always something new to see

This is definitely a world class art gallery, up there with The National Gallery in DC, or the de Young in SF.
It’s big. I’ve been twice so far, and I still haven’t seen the entire collection. It’s also hang-​out friendly. Lee and I have spent the entire day in here twice so far. It is warm in the winter, and there are a lot of benches for sitting, and little alcoves.
The collection highlights Canadian art, which makes sense, seeing as it is a Canadian gallery. Of particular interest to me, and a place I’ve visited twice, are the ship models in the basement. You can spend an hour just in that section of the museum.
It *is* expensive, and special exhibitions cost extra, which is something I’ve encountered at other museums, but one thing that is particularly nice is that any price you’ve paid for a ticket is deductible from a membership, and if you’re someone like me, who lives in Buffalo, the price of a distance membership is pretty cheap, and allows you to have another person on the membership who resides in Toronto.
My only other criticism is that the cafes are pretty overpriced, but you can always go outside to one of the many places in the neighborhood.

This review is of the gift shop alone.
I had ordered a few items for Christmas online during the AGO’s Black Friday sale and went in person to pick it up after work but before class (I was in a rush to be honest).
When I arrived, the first lady I spoke to was very confused as to where my order was and asked me to repeat my name a few times. She called over another employee to look for my purchase and I ended up pointing out to the ladies where my bag was sitting from across the counter. They did not ask for my ID nor my credit card to pick up the purchase, only my signature, which does not seem the most secure way for customers to pick up their items???
There was another item I wanted to pick up while I was browsing and I quickly looked inside my bag while I was in the store to make sure the order was correct. I had picked out a really nice razor for my Dad as a gift but the box they gave me was in horrible shape. I asked them to trade me for another one and they looked at me like I had three heads, eventually exchanging it for me when I explained it was a Christmas gift.
All in all, ordering online and picking up was a very bad experience and I will not opt to do so in the future. I will however return to enjoy art at the gallery. ;)

Das AGO ist die Kunsthalle in Toronto und bietet diverse wechselnde Ausstellungen. Für Europäer ist die Kunsthalle aber nicht umwerfend, sondern sie wirkt eher wie eine Ausstellungshalle aus einer Kleinstadt.
Sicherlich kann man das AGO besuchen, wenn man sowieso im Westen unterwegs ist, aber eine extra Tour dorthin lohnt sich nicht wirklich — dann lieber einen Abstecher in die Queens Street West zu den neueren Gallerien. Da kostet es auch keinen Eintritt :)