Been wanting to visit the Gardiner Museum because it is right opposite the ROM. Finally visited today, and I was not disappointed. The museum specializes in clay and ceramic works . It has beautiful displays from all over the world both contemporary and ancient. If you want a quiet place to look at art without being overwhelmed then this is the place to visit. Was so lucky to even meet one of the local Canadian artists Silvana Michetti. She took time to explain to me how she makes her pieces. Her art is exquisite! Tickets are $15 for adults but admission is free on Wednesday afternoons from 4pm. And presto card holders get 20% off. Pro-tip: You can get in for free if you have a reservation at the Clay Restaurant but note that the restaurant is only open from 11am-3pm.

This is a smaller Museum and there is lots to see for sure. But my friend and I noticed that the curation wasn't very great and didn't speak to the diversity of the pieces that were there. There are a lot of pieces collected by older white folks for many years and while that might be the case the curations didn't speak to the pieces themselves and the history of the pieces in terms of how they might have been obtained and the difficulties with that.

Small museum with a very interesting collection of ceramics and porcelain from many different cultures and centuries. I really enjoyed it. There is a nice cafe/restaurant on the top. Friendly staff.

Such a unique and beautiful collection of ceramics. The first floor consists of pottery from the Americas and some new exhibits. The second floor has a wide collection of Japanese and Chinese ceramics - vases, tea sets, plates, and figurines. There is a beautiful set of figurines in the European section on the same floor. If you appreciate decorative ceramics and glass, then this is a must see!

my favorite museum in toronto so far! the ceramic pieces were very delicate with fine details, accompanied by thoughtful explanations / captions. the hallway / staircase featured an exhibition on queer body, with plants, paintings and ceramics, a great addition to the experience. museums cafe and outdoor patio were also delightful.

Intimate weddings at this stunning wedding venue are just perfect. My couples really love a modern editorial aesthetic and Clay Restaurant really allows their vision to come to life. There are so many beautiful nooks in this space to photograph in.

Speciality museum. Enjoyed looking through the artifacts and reading about their histories. There is some incredibly old stuff here. I visited during the weekly complimentary admission, it wasn't too crowded.

Walk by this all the time to go to the ROM and didn't even know it existed until yesterday. It was a great experience to learn about all the pottery and clay and all the history. Good for a visit. I was reading all the banners and descriptions finding myself lost in history. I even learned something new about bone China. Will definitely return to do some pottery, that looks fun too! Yes and bring your presto card.

Unique and interesting museum right across the ROM! It’s not as big but it features a wide selection of pottery, ceramics, and sculpture from different regions of the world. I really enjoyed the Housewarming exhibit. Definitely worth the visit!

*review for Gardiner Museum pottery classes* We were so excited to try pottery classes at the Gardiner as it's really hard to get spots in their drop-in classes. Due to the process, there were a few more costs than just the class fee. You have to attend at least two classes, and after each class, each piece has to be glazed. In total for two people, it cost us $108. This process is described on their website, so we should've read that in more detail. Our first class was a bit different from expectations. We selected the hand-building option, while another side of the class was learning how to use the wheel. The instructor that day seemed very focused on the wheel students, and gave the rest of us next to no instruction. Nevertheless, it was a fun experience to get familiar with the clay, and the Gardiner is well equipped with everything you need to make pottery. When you're done your class, you can also take a gander at the museum's exhibits. At our second class where we were painting our pieces, we realized just what we missed out on in our first class. The instructor this time outlined various tools that you could use to roll out a pattern on your pottery, the different molds available that you could use to shape your clay, and was overall more detailed in her instruction for both the hand-building and wheel students. We were already at the painting step so we couldn't go back and refine our pieces, but I wish we had gotten all of this information in the first class. I guess it's a bit of a lottery on the instructor you get. Unfortunately, when we went to pick up our pieces (now on our third visit), the staff were unable to find our pottery. After some searching in different cabinets, the front desk staff said that it's possible there was some delay in firing our pieces, so the Gardiner would contact us when our pieces were found. After several weeks of radio silence, I emailed the museum again. It was confirmed shortly after that our works were lost. The initial offer we received was a refund of 2 firing fees (aka $10). We were shocked by this suggestion, and after some back-and-forth, only managed to get $54 refunded (half of our total expenses). Though we did still get a valuable experience from the classes, I would think that a museum would empathize with losing one's works. We would've really loved to take home our pieces. Now, we would have to spend another $108 if we wanted to have a tangible output. We don't live super close to the museum, so that won't be worth it for us. I hope that others are able to have a more positive experience.

I can’t believe the number of times I’ve been to the ROM and didn’t even know this gem of a museum existed so close! I went in to see the pieces created by Japneet Kaur and ended up really appreciating how much of the content was Southern American (esp. Peruvian) and south East Asian (esp. Japanese and Chinese). Very clean and low key so you can just have a quite stroll through the place!

Collection -They had a large varieties of pottery from around the world. I was impressed by the pieces but also the conservation. They look like they were plucked out of time. Staff - Friendly and knowledgeable, they have amazing people working at the museum. Services - They do classes on clay pottery, so be sure to check it out. Also, it is free currently in 2022 Aug. Which is an amazing way to give back to the community. Highly recommend if you love pottery, ceramics, and art in general. 👍

The Gardiner museum is one of my favorite museums in Toronto! Today I was delighted to discover Karine Giboulo: Housewarming's exhibit. I encourage anyone to go and see it. It's really worth it! Special thanks to the friendly and helpful museum staff. You guys are awesome :)

I enjoyed the second floor more than the first floor. The exhibits on the first floor was a bit all over the place. The exhibits in the middle of the room had all the items' description on the left hand side, so you'd be breaking your neck looking back and forth to see the item being described. Some displays are placed waaaay too low on the bottom. The second floor was better organized, better lit, and more interesting (imo). Their website wouldn't let me buy a ticket (clicking on I agree to the terms wouldn't register), so had to go and buy it in person but at least I can get a Presto discount. The floors could've been cleaner and I saw the occasional fingerprints on the glass displays (this was during a working day so not much foot traffic). All that said, it was fun and informative to take in the historical tidbits about Chinese/Japanese/European ceramics/porcelains. You can easily spend above 2 hours if you take your time reading.

You get discounts if you bring your presto card! I think it was 10% off. The museum itself isn’t TOO big but it had beautiful settings and things to look at!

A calm environment with historical, artistic and cultural exhibits. Relaxing music while you learn and discover.

I had the pleasure of creating a flower installation for a wedding client with my business The Moody Blooms last summer. The operations staff were super helpful and loading in was relatively easy. The spaces available for a private function are filled with natural light and the decor/ furniture has a contemporary feel. This was my favorite venue to flower in the city. Thanks for having us! There is a elevator to access the restaurant space on the second floor. I also had a vendor meal during this lovely wedding and it was delicious.

Had a great afternoon at the Gardiner Museum! The collection is impressive and worth exploring. Just a heads up, parking can be a bit tricky, but you can find spots within a 5-10 minute walk.

Museum of ceramics. Four levels. Modern and classic pieces from all over the world. The 4th level is usually for special exhibitions. There’s a restaurant with a terrace on the last floor as well. In the basement there’re pottery studios where you can learn wheeling and handling techniques of work with clay. On Sundays - Family days where you can create with your child from clay - perfect for basic introduction.

Great collection of clay and porcelain works. The museum is moderately sized but densely packed - expect to spend a few hours in here if you want to appreciate everything.

Beautiful hidden gem. Stunning exterior and even cozier on the inside. Very clean with beautiful lighting and lots to see without it being overwhelming like the ROM or AGO. Staff were absolutely wonderful and very helpful for my first visit. Can’t wait to come back!

The Gardiner museum is a great free museum with a lot of contemporary Arts and cultural historical crafts in the mix! There are multiple floors, split by geographic, timeline and such. My favourite was the arts on the top floor, that involved unconventional arts and themes that let you read into the theme (I.e COVID, hoarding of toilet paper, homeless crisis to name a few). The highest floor has a theme that alternates from what I believe was run by a University. There are free coat hangers and lockers to use when you arrive, as you just need to get a key signed out. There are also free small crafts that happen on the main floor, which is separate from the paid workshops from the basement floor. My partner and I got to enjoy some clay making before our self-guided tour around the museum. A lot of the antiques have an info board included, and the overall area was clean and tidy. I would recommend anyone who's a museum fanatic like me, and looking to explore on a budget to visit this place.

I went here on Easter, a public holiday, and used Ontario's government software to get in for free. The museum is not big, you can probably walk through it in an hour. The main exhibits are porcelain. The exhibits are laid out according to the region and age of production. The second floor is the highlight area. The emphasis here is on the human development context, rather than the Chinese habit of focusing on the five kilns of Ru, Guan, Ke, Ding and Jun during the heyday of the Song Dynasty. Porcelain from China is presented as a common product from the Ming Dynasty or later, from Jingdezhen, a famous Chinese porcelain producer. The focus here is more on the value of porcelain as an art object.

Everything about the Gardiner Museum is so special and authentic. It meaningfully connects people of all ages and cultures through the incredibly genuine values of wonder and artistic beauty. The rich heritage on display left me speechless indeed. Highly recommended!

The Sunday workshop is pretty fun and the exhibition is worth to see!

I loved everything about this museum, came across a tiktok about the Wednesday clay classes. Thankfully we found a spot for it! Had so much fun with my friend. Spent at least 2 hours. If you’re a fan of porcelain and miniatures this place is definitely for you! Our teacher was also very helpful and it was our first time making these.

I love this museum for its intimate feeling and calm spaces. The view from the restaurant is simple yet stunning. The garden out front is welcoming and an interesting use of flag stone. Wednesday are free for everyone to access.

For whatever reason I had never been before, and it's such a gem! Given the behemoth that is the ROM across the street, it's easy to miss, but a really nice collection of ceramics and pottery from around the world, with a main exhibit to really make your time worth it. Highly recommend

I did the clay workshop here, and it wasn’t the best. We had a limited time to make clay mugs, and the instructor wasted half of the time making us watch her make hers first. Also, whenever you did something wrong, she would just take your thing and complete it for you. Overall not very fun.

Honestly, this is a wonderful place to visit if you want to spend a few hours diving into ceramics. It's not loud and crowded like the ROM or AGO, and offers you a peaceful space to closely observe these premodern and modern works. The collections are well curated, and it offers you an truly engaging experience with classical music in the background as well. Definitely one of my favourite places in Toronto now!

Visited today especially for the Ai Weiwei exhibit. Loved this bright and airy museum that houses just ceramics. Has a coffee shop on site with a good view, and a workshop in the basement. They occasionally offer free admittance like today, which kicked off the start of March break. Worth a visit. Parents: I wouldn't suggest this place for kids under 10. They will be bored.

Really good museum. When I was visiting the admission was free as well!

Really nice museum but they have a plaque saying they are trying to be less racist. I don't like the virtue signaling. Either give their works of art or proceeds back to victims or stop with the empty talk wokeism

The Venetian exhibit was beautiful and lunch there was a delightful treat in their big airy dining room.

A terrific museum, a definite "must visit" for all interested in history of art and trade, as well as global cultures. Great exhibitions, truly nice narration of the pieces, and well-designed thought-through floor planning. The Maya and Aztec collections located on the first floor are unparalleled, and could not be found elsewhere in Toronto. The third floor presents exciting European gallery (as of Nov-Dec 2021, dedicated to Renaissance Venice) with not only earthenware and porcelain, but with various carpentry, toiletries, paintings and city artefacts. Only wish the museum had more convenient visiting hours, since now they are almost exclusively overlapped with most of working adults' business hours.

The family loved it...we got an opportunity to make things with Clay. And the museum had 3 floors and there was also a scavenger hunt for kids to keep them entertained.

Well curated, thoughtful and engaging. Great gift shop which highlights local artists. Docents are passionate and knowledgeable. Two lovely patios. Highly recommended!

Was blown away by this collection. If you have any interest in aesthetics of any kind you will thoroughly enjoy this museum. Highly recommended.

My sister and I went to this museum last week and what a lovely find it was! The displays are simply a joy to behold and the descriptions and information sheets make this a real educational opportunity. The restaurant is bright and airy, has excellent items and a great environment. We were lucky enough to get a table on the deck. We only saw one of the two floors of displays since there was so much to see and so much to take in. We are looking forward to returning.

The Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art is great place,I recommend it to you,I also enjoyed to visit the Special Exhibition Hall. 3rd Floor Included with admission. Free for Gardiner Friends(Montreal-based artist Karine Giboulo )3rd floor invited visitors into an immersive reimagining of her home. Brought to life by over 500 miniature polymer clay figures, this is no ordinary house. A response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the waves of confinement and isolation that followed, Housewarming is a sculpted documentary of individual and collective experiences grounded in current events. With the pandemic as a constant presence, the colourful dioramas furnishing each room prompt reflection about the challenges we face as a society.

It is a beautiful museum right across the street from Royal Ontario Museum. a home to beautiful ceramic from all around the world and different time periods on its two levels and amazing temporary exhibits on the third floor (which is shared with a restaurant). the museum also offers classes and workshops (like pottery making). If you planning to go before early in May 2023 make sure to visit the Housewarming exhibit by Quebec artist Karine Giboulo, which is her reflection on the pandemic and how it affected us on personal and global levels. Polymer figurines stage once so familiar scenes of the Covid lockdown. families stuck at home, lining up for food, working comfortably from their living rooms, while those less fortune ones had to toil in crowded warehouses or factories. Residents of nursing homes cut off from the world with their overwhelmed and overworked caregivers portrayed in jars - a powerful metaphor of their loneliness and isolation. the exhibit is original, poignant and thought provoking. the museum is accessible, with elevators. washrooms in the basement level. there is also lovely gift shops. the museum is open late on Wednesday (with free entry from 4pm on that day). a part of the permanent exhibit on the second floor is temporarily unavailable. Regular admission $15 gives you access to the entire building (including the temporary exhibits). I highly recommend! additionally: free coat check (self-serve) and lockers available for larger bags (ask for a key at the ticket counter).

A nice, small musuem showcasing porcelain and ceramic goods from around the world. I enjoyed learning about the history of East Asian influences on European porcelain. Would visit again.