With Toronto being such a large and vibrant part of Canada and its history, you’d expect to find plenty of museums covering the culture and background of the area within the city.
And you’d be right!
If you’ve recently moved into one of the fantastic houses for sale in Toronto and are through settling in, you’re probably looking to branch out from the whole “moving” thing now. It does get tiring!
So, if you want to learn about Toronto, for one thing, and entertain yourself and your family for a few hours at the same time, you might find yourself looking into the different museums and galleries of Toronto.
Here’s a list to help you get started.
Casa Loma
First up on our list is Casa Loma, the 1914 Gothic Recicalist castle built for Sir Henry Pellatt.
Pellatt was a Canadian financier who is best known for instituting hydro power at Niagara Falls. Pellatt’s financial fortunes were not to last, however, and he and his family had to leave the massive home after declaring bankruptcy.
His loss is Toronto’s gain, however. The city bought Casa Loma in the 1930s, and it now stands as a museum open to the public. Go inside to check out the massive suites, towers, secret passageways, and beautiful outdoor gardens.
It’s a great way to spend a few hours with the whole family while also learning more about Toronto’s history.
Bata Shoe Museum
All right, let’s walk things back now from the large and extravagant to the small and often delicate: shoes. And that’s because we’re now headed to the Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto’s gigantic gallery on shoes and all things related to shoes.
No kidding: the museum holds about 13,000 shoes from all periods and countries around the world. From Chinese shoe bindings to the platform shoes of the modern era, you can find it all at the Bata.
You can check out multiple exhibits that are either semi-permanent or change with the seasons. If unusual and rare history is your thing, then you are sure to learn a lot at the Bata Shoe Museum that you really couldn’t anywhere else.
Aga Khan Museum
The people of Toronto know that their city is one of great multiculturalism and acceptance of people from all walks of life. And that tolerance is fully on display at Toronto’s Aga Khan Museum, which honors, celebrates, and teaches the public about Islamic art, history, and culture.
The museum, which itself is an architectural wonder–sporting unusual angles not typically seen–houses items, documentation, and other forms of education concerning the Islamic world’s additions to the areas of art, science, culture, and academia.
It is here that you’ll see the best that the world’s Muslims have to offer, and you’ll also learn just how much modern society owes to Islam.
No matter where you go in Toronto, you’re sure to find a museum or gallery that offers visitors something worth learning about. And that is an encouraging thought if you’re lucky enough to call this city home.
