Toronto 
The Gardiner Museum in Toronto is reopening with a completely redesigned ground floor, marking its largest transformation in 20 years.
Gallery of Indigenous Ceramics/Credit: Gardiner Museum
Per the news release, the $15.5 million project redefines the visitor experience by integrating new galleries, learning spaces, and community areas that align with the Museum’s goal of building community through clay.
Opening to the public on November 6, 2025, the revitalized museum coincides with the launch of “Linda Rotua Sormin: Uncertain Ground,” the artist’s largest solo museum exhibition to date.
The exhibition integrates clay, sculpture, video, sound, hand-cut watercolours, and digital fabrication. The immersive installation explores myth, history, and resilience through symbolic imagery such as roosters, tigers, dragons, and sacred texts.
What to Expect
The William B.G. Humphries Collection Galleries/Credit: Gardiner Museum
- New Indigenous Ceramics Gallery: The Gallery of Indigenous Ceramics, titled Indigenous Immemorial: Ceramics of the Great Lakes Region, is curated by Franchesca Hebert-Spence (Anishinaabe, Sagkeeng First Nation) and designed by Chris Cornelius (Oneida). This permanent space presents Indigenous ceramics as an evolving form of cultural knowledge and expression rooted in continuity and community heritage.
- Expanded Collection Galleries: The William B.G. Humphries Collection Galleries now organize ceramics by geography, culture, and time, featuring four sections: Indigenous Immemorial, Ancestral Abiayala (Indigenous Latin America before 1550), Connected Worlds (European pottery in global context), and Modern & Contemporary (recent sculptural works by Canadian and international artists).
- The Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation Entrance Hall: The new entrance hall acts as a bright, accessible hub showcasing year-round ceramics displays and community installations. Designed as an open and inclusive space, it aligns with the Museum’s goal to reduce barriers to cultural engagement.
Makerspace/Credit: Gardiner Museum
- Fully Equipped Makerspace: A new hands-on Makerspace invites visitors of all ages to explore clay through workshops, demonstrations, and drop-in sessions. The facility provides opportunities to create, observe artists in practice, and connect through the process of making.
- Community Learning Centre: Serving as an educational hub, the Community Learning Centre expands public talks, partnerships, and programming. It is expected to welcome over 200 school groups annually, reinforcing the Museum’s commitment to learning and community collaboration.
The Gardiner Museum’s reopening weekend on November 8 and 9, 2025, will feature free admission, curator-led tours, interactive clay workshops, and live performances.
Gardiner Museum is renowned for its international ceramics collection spanning the Ancestral Americas, Asia, and contemporary Canada.
Gardiner Museum Celebration Weekend
Credit: Gardiner Museum
What: The Gardiner Museum is officially reopening with a fully transformed ground floor, marking the Museum’s most ambitious capital project in two decades. This transformation includes the following highlights, a new gallery for Indigenous ceramics, an intergenerational ceramics gallery, a new entrance hall, a makerspace and a new community learning centre.
When: The museum opens on November 6. Free Admission weekend on November 8 & 9, 2025.| 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Where: The Gardiner Museum, 111 Queen’s Park, Toronto
How Much: Free on November 8 & 9, 2025
Admission on other days:
Adults: $15
Seniors (65+): $11
18 and Under: Free (visitors under 12 must be accompanied by an adult)
Students (with valid student ID): Free
Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis): Free
Admission is free on Wednesdays after 4 pm. No advanced registration is required.
