Royal Ontario Museum

09/04/2026

This is the most valuable Japanese ceramic in the ROM’s collection: a tea bowl made by the famous potter, Nonomura Ninsei. This piece was from the home of Sir William Van Horne, the president of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the late 19th century.

Later on, this tea bowl was donated to ROM by Sir William Van Horne’s grandson. For a while, it was considered to only be a copy of Ninsei’s work, and it was in the collection’s storage for over 60 years. Finally, in 2007, a Japanese scholar who specialized in this type of tea bowl came to take a look, and she declared it to be a real piece!

See this tea bowl and 80+ other Japanese objects (including textiles, armour, paintings, and more) at Shokkan: Material Encounters in Japanese Art. This is your final weekend to see the exhibition!

09/03/2026

Say goodbye to summer break with a whimsical journey into the world of bees! ROM is open all long weekend. 🐝✨

This stunning, new kind of immersive experience brings together the beauty of art with the power of science, sharing the story of these incredible creatures and their relationship to us and the natural world.

BEES: A Story of Survival is created by National Museums Liverpool and designed by Artist Wolfgang Buttress.

09/02/2026

09/01/2026

Coming Soon (Sep 8, 2026 to Oct 1, 2026)

Stolen Childhoods presents the lived experiences of children at the Mohawk Institute, the longest-running Indian Residential School in Canada, located just 100 km from downtown Toronto in Brantford, Ontario. The exhibition was created by the Survivors’ Secretariat with support from Know History and funding from the Museums Assistance Program (MAP).

Through archival records, photographs, multimedia interviews, and a 7-foot sculpture, Stolen Childhoods shares the history of the Institute and the children who were forced to attend it.

Rooted in Survivor Truths and community knowledge, this exhibition centres Indigenous voices and the intergenerational impacts that continue today. Visitors are invited to reflect, learn, and take part in ongoing conversations about Truth, justice, and reconciliation.

Please note: ROM offers free admission, including surcharged exhibitions, to all Indigenous Peoples.

Stolen Childhoods may include content that is distressing for Survivors, intergenerational Survivors, Indigenous Peoples, communities and others. Please take care while engaging with this material.

The exhibition will have a dedicated Indigenous reflection space that includes sacred medicines for Indigenous visitors.

//

Prochainement (sep 8, 2026 au oct 1, 2026)

Conçue par le Secrétariat des survivant.e.s, avec le soutien de Know History et du Programme d’aide aux musées (PAM), l’exposition Enfances volées présente les expériences vécues par des enfants contraints de fréquenter le Mohawk Institute, le plus ancien pensionnat autochtone au Canada, situé à 100 kilomètres de Toronto, à Brantford, en Ontario.

Dossiers d’archives, photographies, entrevues multimédias et une sculpture haute de 2 mètres sont autant d’éléments qui racontent l’histoire du Mohawk Institute et des enfants contraints de le fréquenter.

Ancrée dans les vérités des survivant.e.s et les savoirs de la communauté, l’exposition fait place aux voix autochtones et met en lumière les impacts intergénérationnels durables. Les visiteurs sont invités à réfléchir, à apprendre et à prendre part aux conversations sur la vérité, la justice et la réconciliation.

À noter : Les Autochtones bénéficient de l’entrée gratuite au ROM, y compris aux expositions payantes.

L’exposition peut inclure du contenu susceptible de perturber des survivant.e.s, des survivant.e.s intergénérationnel.le.s., des communautés et d’autres personnes.

Un espace de réflexion et des médecines sacrées sont mis à la disposition des visiteurs autochtones.

08/31/2026

Happy ! This giant catfish is a suckermouth armoured catfish, also known as the Lyre Tail Pleco.

The scientific name of this species is Acanthicus adonis. Acanthicus comes from the Greek akánthinos, meaning “thorny,” “spiny,” “made of thorns,” which refers to how spiny it is, being covered in external teeth.

Adonis is an eponym referring to the handsome young man in Greek mythology who was loved by the goddess Venus. The adonis name refers to their really beautiful juvenile spotting pattern!

08/28/2026

Get your tickets to FAN EXPO Canada and check out our booth! There’s a chance of winning a ROM membership, and you can learn more about our exhibition, Bees: A Story of Survival.

We’ll be there at booth CZ4, just underneath the escalators on Level 800 🐝

08/27/2026

A notice to ROM visitors:

We have learned that fraudulent websites may be trying to sell counterfeit tickets to ROM.

As the Museum investigates this matter, we remind visitors to purchase tickets through ROM’s official website at rom.on.ca.

If you have any questions, please contact ROM Visitor Experience at [email protected].

08/27/2026

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Yayoi Kusama, one of Japan's most internationally renowned contemporary artists.

Here in Toronto, her work has a special place in the hearts of many. Her INFINITY MIRRORED ROOM – LET'S SURVIVE FOREVER, in the collection of the AGO - Art Gallery of Ontario, offers a powerful expression of her exploration of infinity, reflection, and human connection. The Royal Ontario Museum's Pumpkin (Black) is another remarkable work that embodies Ms. Kusama's distinctive creativity and reflection of self.

We extend our deepest condolences to all those who were touched by her life and art.

08/26/2026

Ever wonder what the world looks like through a bird’s eyes?
These special glasses offer a glimpse into an aspect of bird vision that humans can’t experience on their own.

Behavioural studies have shown that birds can detect the linear polarization of light. This ability is thought to contribute to navigation, particularly during long-distance migration. However, the physiological mechanism is not understood, and it is still unclear how birds perceive polarized light.

Look closely….as the glasses move over the camera lens, a hidden image appears on the screen.

08/21/2026

She tried her best! 🫶

Journey into the world of bees in a stunning new kind of immersive experience that brings together the beauty of art with the power of science. 🐝✨

BEES: A Story of Survival is created by National Museums Liverpool and designed by Artist Wolfgang Buttress.

08/20/2026

This + phone on dnd 😌

There are only a few weeks left to see Shokkan: Material Encounters in Japanese Art. Transcending the tactile sensations felt at the fingertips, shokkan is the personal, psychological impression of touch that is influenced by sight, sound, language, and memory.

This first-of-its-kind exhibition showcases over 80 objects, including textiles, armour, paintings, lacquer works, ceramics, prints, and contemporary art, many of which were made as integral parts of everyday life rather than solely for display. On now until Sept. 07, 2026.

08/17/2026

José Benítez Sánchez's yarn painting tells the Huichol creation story of how divine life-force emerges through the collective efforts of deities, including Mother Pe**te (green gourd at the bottom left corner).

Psychedelics: Art. Culture. Science is on now through December 6, 2026.

🖼️: The Deification of Tatéi Haitsi Kipiri, Our Mother Dew Soul, 1975 José Benitez Sánchez (born Mexico, 1938-2009)

08/15/2026

We’ve been spreading the word around town about BEES: A Story of Survival, the fun, family friendly exhibition on now at ROM. Based on research and full of imagination, BEES blends art and science, creating immersive experiences, larger-than-life visuals, soundscapes, and more to help us better understand these incredible, essential creatures. Haven't visited BEES yet? Buzz on by before October 18.