Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO)

The Art Gallery of Ontario, known as the AGO, occupies a large site at 317 Dundas Street West beside Grange Park, on the edge of Chinatown in downtown Toronto, Ontario. Its collection holds more than 120,000 works, ranging from European old masters and Impressionists to a major body of Canadian art, including work by the Group of Seven and Tom Thomson, and a growing collection of Indigenous and Inuit art. The building is notable in its own right: architect Frank Gehry, a Toronto native, redesigned the interior and added a glass-and-timber facade along Dundas Street, together with the Galleria Italia, a long wooden-ribbed gallery overlooking the street, and a dramatic spiral staircase at the rear that has become a favourite photo subject. The Henry Moore Sculpture Centre houses one of the largest public collections of that artist's work, and the Thomson Collection includes ship models and Canadian paintings. Large touring exhibitions run in special galleries and usually carry a separate or upgraded ticket. Visitors typically need two to three hours to see the permanent collection at a comfortable pace, and longer if a feature exhibition is included. The gallery is quietest on weekday mornings shortly after opening, while weekends and school holidays bring families and larger crowds. Wednesday evenings extend the opening hours on some weeks and attract a more social crowd. Admission is free for visitors aged 25 and under, and an annual membership may suit those planning several visits. The Grange Park lawn outside, the OCAD University building next door and the Baldwin Street restaurants are a short stroll away, which makes the AGO an easy anchor for a day of downtown walking. Visitors should check the website for current opening days, since the gallery is closed on Mondays.