The 10 best museums in Toronto

This institution dedicated to Canada's national pastime is packed with hockey ephemera. Even visitors have to pay tribute to Canada's hockey greats—it's practically a law in this ice-obsessed nation. Visit the permanent home of the Stanley Cup, face off against famed players in the Shoot Out simulation and check out the unrivalled collection of jerseys and other relics in the massive Tissot World of Hockey Zone.

Reopened in a new home at the Tower Automotive Building in 2018, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCa) was formerly known as the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (Mocca). The art is still fantastic. Smack dab in the middle of the city's Junction Triangle (formerly called the West Queen West neighbourhood home), the museum is home to a slew of need-to-be-explored exhibits showcasing the cutting edge of contemporary art. 

On the artistic side, the Art Gallery of Ontario is a sure thing; it’s a work of art itself. Toronto-born architect Frank Gehry redesigned the gallery to be a sculpture in its own right, and its collection contains more than 95,000 works of art, including a vast collection of Canadian art.

The first museum on the continent dedicated to Islamic civilizations, the Aga Khan Museum is well worth a visit. The building designed by architect Fumihiko Maki – a piece of art in its own right – holds countless treasures from the Islamic world. Highlights of the collection include a bronze planispheric astrolabe, a 10th-century prayer amulet and exhibit after exhibit of gorgeously illuminated manuscripts.   

Let your boots do the walking all the way to the Bata Shoe Museum, an expo dedicated to footwear from around the world. The collection includes more than 13,000 items on display, with shoes from the ancient world to the present day, all housed in Raymond Moriyama’s award-winning structure. 

This museum devoted to textile arts is the only one in Canada. With a permanent collection of nearly 13,000 artifacts spanning nearly 2,000 years and 200 regions around the world, the downtown museum focuses on the role of cloth and fabric in society.

This museum's expansive collection of cultural and historical artifacts makes it a must-see. Stop by the Royal Ontario Museum to learn everything from the art of the First Peoples to modern fashion to the age of dinosaurs. The museum has an ever-revolving schedule of exhibitions and events, including the summer-long Friday Night Live, which transforms the galleries into a party with live DJs, food and drinks.

All things clay are on display at this museum dedicated to ceramics. Get your hands dirty at one of the Gardiner Museum's regular classes in hand building, wheel throwing and slip casting. If you'd prefer to leave the messy stuff to the experts, spend some time admiring the collection of some 4,000 pieces from the ancient Americas to today.

The last home of Toronto's first mayor is now a museum supposedly haunted by his ghost. Before you start thinking that all Canadian history is quiet and polite, swiftly dispel your misconceptions with a stop at Mackenzie House. The city official and radical journalist was forced into exile in the States after leading the Rebellion of 1837. Check out the exhibits and watch out for his ghost, who has been spotted working at the printing press.

Constructed in 1914, Casa Loma is styled to look like a very over-the-top European château, complete with an 800-foot tunnel, towers, stables and five acres of gardens. Canada might be a relatively young country, but that doesn’t mean Toronto can’t have its very own castle. The former home of Canadian financier Sir Henry Pellat fits the bill perfectly. Get your fill of Downton Abbey-esque rooms before heading to the Queen’s Own Rifles Museum on the third floor.