The ROM houses the world's largest collection of fossils from the Burgess Shale, a significant Middle Cambrian fossil deposit.
The museum's 'Crystal' addition was constructed using over 3,000 tons of steel and 2,500 tons of glass.
The ROM contains the world's first complete skeleton of a Barosaurus, a long-necked sauropod dinosaur.
The museum’s Chinese Temple Art collection is considered the most significant of its kind outside of China.
It is home to the largest collection of artifacts from the Ming Dynasty currently held in North America.
The building integrates the original 1914 stone facade with modern architecture, showcasing the evolution of museum design over a century.
The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is Canada's largest museum of world culture and natural history, housing over 13 million artworks and specimens. It is famously characterized by the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, a jagged, aluminum-and-glass extension designed by Daniel Libeskind that intersects the original 1914 neo-Romanesque structure. The museum's extensive collections are divided into two main tracks: World Culture and Natural History, spanning global civilizations and biological evolution. It serves as a major research center and is noted for its extensive collection of dinosaur fossils. The museum regularly hosts international traveling exhibitions alongside permanent galleries focusing on Chinese architecture, textiles, and biodiversity. Its location in the downtown core integrates it into the city's primary academic and cultural district.
The interior atrium where the historic stone masonry meets the sharp, modern angles of the Crystal.
Download the museum's digital map before arriving to navigate the vast gallery space efficiently.
Check the 'What's On' page online before visiting to confirm which temporary exhibitions are currently open.
Start at the top floors and work your way down to manage the large square footage effectively.
Attempting to see every single gallery in one visit, which leads to fatigue given the scale of the collections.
Open daily, but occasionally closes on statutory holidays; always verify on the official website before visiting.
Photography is permitted for private use without flash; food and drink are restricted to designated cafe areas.
