Enjoy art by Indigenous Canadians, attempt a shootout against NHL stars or step back in time on a historical battle ground. Here’s some of the city’s best museums and why Toronto should be on any art aficionado’s list this autumn.
For the art lovers who truly feel the experience – Art Gallery of Ontario
Showcasing over 95,000 masterpieces from around the globe, Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), is one of North America’s largest and most distinguished art museums. Located in the heart of downtown Toronto, AGO houses an expansive collection offering something to every art lover, from classical masterpieces to contemporary works that are at the forefront of artistic innovation. Visitors can enjoy Canadian and Indigenous Arts, highlighting the country’s rich artistic heritage and histories of its Indigenous Peoples, alongside European paintings and sculptures. Uniquely, the gallery has free heart-rate monitors that visitors can where whilst they explore the works, providing deeper, and personalised, insight into the effect art has on us.
Don’t miss: One of Canada’s most influential artists and social activists, Joyce Weiland, is exhibiting until 4th January 2026. Works by The Group of Seven are also available to see, the Canadian artists collective was formed in 1920 with the AGO hosting their inaugural exhibition, their vibrant Canadian landscape paintings were a break from the traditional Academic painting styles of the time and capture Canada’s wilderness.
Admission starting from £16 for over eighteens, kids under 10 can enter for free
For the fashion-obsessed – Bata Shoe Museum
The Bata Shoe Museum is a unique Toronto gem showcasing over 1,000 shoes and related artefacts from a collection of nearly 15,000 objects that span 4,500 years of history housed in Raymond Moriyama’s award-winning building, visitors can wander through four niche rotating exhibits on four floors, exhibiting everything from Chinese bound-foot shoes and ancient Egyptian sandals to chestnut-crushing clogs and glamorous platforms.
Don’t miss: The current impressive curations range from the cultural history of sneakers, ‘Art/Wear’, on until March 2026, to a historical overview of cowboy boots ‘Rough & Ready’ on until October 2026.
Admission starting from £8.50 for adults
For the sports fans – Hockey Hall of Fame
A must see for sports fans in the city, Toronto’s Hockey Hall of Fame is home to the world’s largest collection of hockey history and memorabilia. Wander through the Esso Great Hall, host to portraits and biographical sketches of honoured members and major NHL trophies, including the coveted Stanley Cup, or look through numerous artefacts, including masks, hockey sticks, championship rings, and even the original NHL minute book.
Don’t miss: The museum’s multitude of interactive activations; visitors can lay forward or goaltender against life-sized animated versions of today’s NHL stars in a model hockey rink or test out their broadcasting skills by calling a play-by-play of some of hockey’s greatest goals.
Admission starting from £13 for 14-year-olds and upwards
For creatives interested in complex conversations – Museum of Contemporary Art
The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) hosts a rotation of exhibitions of contemporary artists of the 21st century that captivate and spark conversation. Central to the museum’s work is experimentation, inclusivity and rooting work in the impact of colonisation in modern Canadian life. MOCA hosts Free First Friday Nights on the first Friday of every month from 5pm till 9pm, so visitors can enjoy an evening of modern art with free entry.
Don’t miss: MOCA’s survey of Jeff Wall, one of Canada’s most influential living artists and photographers. Wall’s first major Canadian survey in over 25 years, the exhibition spans all three floors of the museum and runs until March 2026.
Anyone aged 18 years and under can enjoy free admission to MOCA, over 18s admission starts from £7.50
For history buffs – Fort York Historical Park
Preserved as a 43-acre archaeological park, Fort York Historical Park is the site of the bloody Battle of York where British soldiers, First Nations warriors and Upper Canadian militiamen stood together against the United States and its mission to capture Toronto in the War of 1812. Sitting on the shores of Lake Ontario, surrounded by the skyscrapers of downtown Toronto, the historical park’s location gives visitors a clear comparison on how the city has grown into the cultural hub is today. Visitors will relive moments of the battle through an immersive multimedia experience, learning about stories of unsung heroes and those who defended the city.
Don’t miss: The ‘immersive experience’ exhibit, which takes visitors through the steps leading up to the Battle of York and the explosion of the fort’s Grand Magazine.
General admission is free, some exhibits may have admission fees
