ArtandCulture, Hamilton

The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) Collection features more than 100,000 great works of art, from cutting-edge contemporary to classic European masterpieces. View iconic paintings by the well-known Group of Seven as well as amazing art by established and emerging Indigenous, Inuit and Métis artists, sculptures, photographs, prints & drawings and so much more are on display in a beautiful building that itself is a work of art, with design details created by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry. http://www.seetorontonow.com/listings/art-gallery-of-ontario/#sm.0017houyxdtier210nr1h126u6a73

The world’s one and only! Experience the game that defines Canada and a sport that has been adopted by over seventy countries. Spread across 65,000 square feet, the Hall of Fame offers something for everyone: the finest collection of hockey artifacts at all levels of play from around the world; simulation games that challenge shooting, goalkeeping and broadcasting skills; themed exhibits dedicated to the game’s greatest players, teams and achievements; theatres; a replica NHL dressing room; an unrivalled selection of hockey-related merchandise and memorabilia within our gift store; and NHL trophies including, best of all, hands-on access to the STANLEY CUP. http://www.seetorontonow.com/listings/hockey-hall-of-fame/#sm.0017houyxdtier210nr1h126u6a73

No trip to Toronto is complete without a visit to the Royal Ontario Museum — Canada’s largest museum showcasing art, culture, and nature from around the globe and across the ages. The ROM is home to a world-class collection of more than six million objects and specimens, featured in 40 gallery and exhibition spaces. Explore special exhibitions, as well as the Museum’s permanent collections of dinosaurs, South Asian art and culture, gems and minerals, ancient Egyptian treasures, biodiversity, and much more. http://www.seetorontonow.com/listings/royal-ontario-museum/#sm.0017houyxdtier210nr1h126u6a73

Toronto’s newest centre for arts, culture, food and entertainment. This national historic site includes 44 heritage buildings and numerous brick-lined courtyards. Explore the district’s many restaurants, art galleries, artisan boutiques, specialty retail stores and more. https://www.seetorontonow.com/listings/distillery-historic-district-the/

This National Historic Landmark building was built in 1901 during the Pan-American Exposition, and now houses The Buffalo History Museum (renamed in 2012). Research library includes a repository of genealogical information; the museum features exhibits and an extensive collection of artefacts, manuscripts, books and photographs chronicling the development of Buffalo and the Niagara Frontier. http://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/businesses/the-buffalo-history-museum/

An outstanding center of modern and contemporary art, the Albright-Knox Art Gallery has a 150-year tradition of collecting, conserving, and exhibiting the art of its time, giving rise to one of the world’s most extraordinary art collections. The Albright-Knox Art Gallery has temporarily closed its Elmwood Avenue campus to begin the construction phase of its AK360 Campus Development and Expansion Project. As part of the project, the museum will construct a signature new building on the north side of its campus and renovate its current facilities. Albright-Knox Northland, a new project space at 612 Northland Avenue in Buffalo, will open on January 17, 2020. The new Buffalo AKG Art Museum is expected to open in Spring 2022 on the Elmwood Avenue campus. http://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/businesses/albright-knox-art-gallery-3

From the architects George J. Dietel and John J. Wade, Buffalo City Hall was built between 1929-1931. Buffalo City Hall is an Art Deco masterpiece with outstanding murals depicting the city’s history and industry. Common Council Chamber with exquisite skylight and sculptures are a must-see. Observation Tower gives a spectacular view of the waterfront and the Ellicott radial street design for Buffalo. Closed weekends and holidays. http://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/businesses/buffalo-city-hall/

The RMG houses a permanent collection of over 4,500 works, The Thomas Bouckley Collection, an outdoor public sculpture and 4 galleries of changing exhibitions, an art library and archives. Each of these collections tells the continuing story of Canadian modern and contemporary art. The Thomas Bouckley Collection was donated to the RMG by the late Thomas Bouckley, collector and history enthusiast of Oshawa. The computerized collection comprises over 3,000 historical photographs of Oshawa and Durham Region, spanning over 100 years. The collection is a remarkable resource for understanding and engaging with Oshawa’s local history. The RMG Library is the largest library in Durham Region devoted to fine art and the history of visual arts, and the largest and most comprehensive art library located between Toronto and Kingston. It is available to those interested in art for pleasure or serious research. Library resources include art books, artist monographs, artists’ files, clipping books, Canadian exhibition catalogues, slides, auction catalogues and an extensive journal collection. http://rmg.on.ca/about/

For over 60 years, the Oshawa Museum (OM) has celebrated its City’s history with engaging events, inspiring exhibits, and an immense collection of archival materials. Nestled on the shores of Lake Ontario in beautiful Lakeview Park, the OM tells the story of Oshawa from Indigenous inhabitants to present day. Home to Oshawa’s history, the OM is managed by the Oshawa Historical Society. OM collection is diverse and highlights include a photograph/postcard collection from the late Thomas Bouckley, newspaper microfilm dating to 1862, reference library featuring local history books, artifacts from the Henry, Robinson and Guy families and other early settlers, medical instrument collection, extensive camera collection, 7,000 item Grandview artifact collection and vast photograph collection depicting Oshawa events, places and personalities. The Oshawa Museum is an important heritage resource in Oshawa. As one of the few remaining heritage districts and Oshawa's only community museum, the four buildings that comprise the Museum are ideally situated to tell the story of Oshawa from its earliest native occupation to present times. http://www.oshawamuseum.org/index.html

Step back in time and experience the home of the late R.S. McLaughlin, Canadian auto baron and founder of General Motors of Canada. Inspired by early 20th century Beaux-Arts design, this 15,000 square foot, 55-room mansion was built between 1915 and 1917. The art, architecture, gardens, landscaping and original furnishings are all faithfully preserved in this National Historic Site. Immerse yourself in the beauty and history of this National Historic Site through daily site experiences, a variety of special learning opportunities, and events that will engage your senses. From Mansion & Garden experiences to afternoon teas, there’s always something unique to experience at Parkwood. https://www.parkwoodestate.com/

Oshawa Little Theatre provides an increasingly diverse audience and its theatre practitioners with consistently high-quality, excellent-value live performances, education and mentoring in an outstanding performing arts facility. http://oshawalittletheatre.com/about/

Founded in 1972, Geva serves up to 160,000 patrons annually, including more than 16,000 students. Geva’s productions are created and rehearsed in and for Rochester. https://www.gevatheatre.org/about-us/

Constellation Brands - Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center is the site of popular concerts and entertainment. 5,000 covered seats, lawn seating for 10,000 +, new state-of-the-art lawn video and sound system, expanded stage and concessions. Photo by Brian Richardson http://www.visitfingerlakes.com/listings/cmac-(performing-art-center)/190/

Discover the private estate of one of America's most iconic automotive families. The stunning architecture, the expansive lakefront gardens and grounds, the historic cars - all give a glimpse into the Ford family's life at the estate. https://www.fordhouse.org/

The redesigned Art Sparks at the Speed Art Museum is a new interactive gallery for all ages. 15 hands-on learning stations help adults and children connect with art and with each other. Art Sparks is open the same hours as the Museum and is free with regular admission and on Sundays. The space is divided into three sections that focus on Noticing, Making, and Talking about art. Noticing: Visitors are introduced to different ways of seeing the world around them. The exhibits and activities focus on light and color activities, pattern, and composition. Talking: Visitors are encouraged to share their perspectives about art from the collection. Exhibits help visitors develop the vocabulary to discuss art and also gain a visual familiarity with the collection. https://www.gotolouisville.com/directory/art-sparks-at-the-speed-art-museum/

Volunteers were the sole staff until 1924 when city support made it possible to hire a professional director. The Great Depression tightened finances and ended City funding, forcing the institute to again rely entirely on volunteers from 1931 to 1945. It functioned — much of that time in borrowed spaces — as an art center, offering classes and exhibiting mostly local artists. The collection was small, eclectic — containing archaeological artefacts and decorative as well as fine art — and composed entirely of gifts. In 1937 the institute moved into its first permanent home, a historic mansion. Just four years later, a disastrous fire destroyed the building and much of the collection, threatening the institute’s existence. Over the next quarter-century, the museum has continued to enrich the lives of those in Northeast Ohio and beyond through modern and contemporary art. Its nationally recognized collection was documented through the publication of collection catalogues. Three acquisitions endowments were created to ensure the collection’s future growth. A greatly enlarged general endowment provided increased, more stable funding, allowing the staff to undertake ambitious programs and exhibitions with national and even international impact. In 2007, its eighty-fifth year, the museum more than tripled in size with the opening of the new John S. and James L. Knight Building, which adjoins the 1899 building. Spanning three centuries, like the museum’s collection, together they symbolize the museum’s dual role as preserver of the past and herald of the future. https://akronartmuseum.org/history/

The DIA, among the top 10 museums in the country, offers over 100 galleries with art from ancient to modern times. Among the DIA's renowned works are French Impressionist, German Expressionist, American and Flemish paintings. https://visitdetroit.com/profile/the-detroit-institute-of-arts/

Agnes Etherington Art Centre is a research‐intensive art museum located on the historic campus of Queen’s University. It illuminates the great artistic traditions of the past and the innovations of the present through year-round programs of exhibitions and outreach activities staged across eight beautiful galleries, the Biéler Studio, and assorted public spaces including the gracious period rooms of the historic Etherington House. As a space of display, innovation and exchange, the Agnes is an experiential learning space for diverse disciplines at Queen’s, and the public gallery for Kingston region. Its superb collections—numbering over 17,000 works―include cutting edge contemporary art and fine examples of Canadian historical art, Indigenous art and artifacts, and material culture including an unusual collection of Canadian Historical Dress and the Lang Collection of African Art. The Bader Collection, focusing on Rembrandt and his school, centres on more than 200 paintings from the Dutch Golden Age, including one portrait and three beautiful character studies by Rembrandt. https://agnes.queensu.ca/about/profile/

One of the main cultural venues in the greater Kingston region, the City of Kingston’s Grand Theatre serves as the prime performing arts venue for hundreds of professional and amateur performances annually including ballet, modern dance, theatre, variety, musicals, comedy and more. The building houses an array of performance and reception spaces including the Regina Rosen Auditorium, the Baby Grand, a black box theatre, two lounges used for receptions and art exhibits; as well as a lobby and backstage facilities. Located in the heart of downtown Kingston on Princess St., the Grand Theatre is a year-round destination for residents and visitors. https://www.visitkingston.ca/kingston-members/grand-theatre/

Step back in time and experience 19th-Century military life at Fort Henry. As one of Ontario’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Fort Henry is a hotbed of historic activity. Take a guided tour, fire a rifle, sit in on a class in a Victorian schoolroom, watch a parade of traditional marching music, and stick around in the evening for a dramatic reenactment during the Sunset Ceremony. Visit Fort Henry throughout the year as it plays host to a number of Kingston’s favourite events like the YGK Craft Beer Fest, Cannonball Crush, and Fort Fright. Fort Henry is a can’t-miss stop during your time in Kingston. https://www.visitkingston.ca/see-do/fort-henry-kingston-national-historic-site/

Visitors will enjoy the Frick Art Museum; the Car and Carriage Museum; Clayton, the restored 19th-Century Victorian home of Henry Clay Frick; the Cafe at the Frick; the Greenhouse; and the Visitors' Center which once served as the Frick children's playhouse. http://www.thefrickpittsburgh.org/

Carnegie Museum of Art is arguably the first museum of contemporary art in the United States, collecting the "old master of tomorrow" since the inception of the Carnegie International in 1896. Today the Museum of Art is among the most popular and esteemed cultural institutions in the region, providing visitors with access to great works of art, studio art classes, and interpretive programs that inspire, provoke, and delight. Carnegie Museum of Art has collection of more than 32,000 objects features a broad spectrum of visual art, including painting and sculpture; prints and drawings; photographs; architectural casts, renderings, and models; decorative arts and design; and film, video, and digital imagery. The museum also houses the archive of over 70,000 negatives by photographer Charles “Teenie” Harris. https://cmoa.org/

The Valentine Theatre is a 109-year-old, 901-seat facility operated by the Toledo Cultural Arts Center, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to providing the community with an eclectic schedule of cultural and performing arts experiences. Presenting everything from classical concerts to world-renowned ballets, the Valentine Theatre has attracted more than 40,000 visitors since it's $28 million renovation and gala unveiling in 1999. Everyone feels at home in this beautiful, intimate venue. Community groups including the Toledo Symphony, Toledo Opera, Toledo Ballet, Toledo Jazz Society, Masterworks Chorale, University of Toledo, Central Catholic High School and St. John's High School present their concerts, plays and dances at the Valentine. And international and national touring acts have felt right at home, including the Grigorovich Ballet and the National Ballet of Bahia. https://www.toledo.com/area-directory/microsite/microsite-valentine-theatre/

The Toledo Museum of Art's architecturally significant campus is the gem of the Glass City. Our Neoclassic, marble-clad main building is joined by a Frank Gehry-designed Center for the Visual Arts and the newest addition, the Toledo Museum of Art Glass PavilionTM. The Glass Pavilion, designed by Tokyo-based SANAA, is an architectural wonder whose interior and exterior walls are made of curved glass panels. Surrounded by green spaces, an expanding outdoor sculpture garden and the celebrated Victorian homes of Toledo's historic Old West End neighbourhood, our campus offers a visual delight for all tastes. The Toledo Museum of Art is world-renowned for its collection of Old Master paintings, decorative arts and glass. In addition, the Museum has growing collections of contemporary, Asian and African art as well as art from antiquity. The Museum is admired for both the quality and comprehensiveness of its collection, which continues to grow through the acquisition process. There is always something new to see at TMA. Free daily glass blowing demonstrations in the Glass Pavilion bring TMA's extensive glass collection to life. Learn how glass is made and how the studio glass movement, born in Toledo, changed the face of glassmaking. https://www.toledo.com/area-directory/microsite/microsite-toledo-museum-of-art/

Local history and contemporary works of art come together in the lush surroundings of the Art Gallery of Sudbury. Housed in a turn of the century mansion, the former residence of lumber baron William Joseph Bell, the Art Gallery of Sudbury has a unique architectural appeal. Originally operating as the Laurentian University Museum and Art Centre, the gallery was incorporated in 1997. Our exciting exhibitions, lecture series, art classes, special events, and our boutique stocked with Canadian art, makes the gallery a gathering place for the local community. Its located near both Bell Park and the downtown core making it an ideal stop while exploring Sudbury. The gallery’s year-round exhibitions feature works by local, regional, provincial, and national artists. The Art Gallery of Sudbury’s permanent collection boasts over 2000 pieces from noted Canadian and international artists such as A.Y. Jackson, Ivan Wheale, Norval Morrisseau, and Franklin Carmichael, one of the founding members of the Group of Seven.The Art Gallery of Sudbury is a dynamic bilingual public art gallery creating meaningful engagement opportunities in dialogue with contemporary artists and our permanent collection. https://www.northeasternontario.com/partner/art-gallery-of-sudbury/

1890 - 1990 Northern Ontario railroad memorabilia, a record of the railroads impact on early settlements of the area. The museum provides a nostalgic look at Northern ontario heritage, and a historical account of the mining and lumber industry and their railroads. The museum is located within a historically designated museum house built in 1916, and was the former CN superintendent's residence. In 2012 the museum purchased the old Town of Capreol Fire Hall and is currently using it as a Heritage Centre. http://www.sudburytourism.ca/explore/article.php?type=explore&lang=&id=212

The Farm in the Heart of the City! The Museum offers programs and exhibitions on Canada’s agricultural heritage, food literacy, and on the benefits and relationship of agricultural science and technology to Canadians’ everyday lives. Visit the animal barns and explore the captivating exhibitions. Celebrate a Canadian crop in the Museum’s newest exhibition — Canola! Seeds of Innovation. Other exhibitions include Tractors, Food Preservation: The Science You Eat (presented by Nestlé Canada), and Discovery Park. Programming includes special weekend theme events, school programs, summer day camps, interpretive tours, and demonstrations. All admission prices do not include applicable taxes and are subject to change without notice. https://www.ottawatourism.ca/member/canada-agriculture-and-food-museum/

The Canadian War Museum is more than a museum that is internationally renowned for its symbolic architecture; it is known for inspiring and touching stories. Canada's rich military history is showcased through artifacts, personal stories, artwork, photos and interactive presentations. Tour the extensive permanent exhibitions and expand your knowledge of the conflicts that shaped Canada, Canadians and the world. Rest and reflect in Memorial Hall. Discover the Museum's fascinating architectural theme. And chat with a veteran to let history come alive. https://www.ottawatourism.ca/member/canadian-war-museum/

Enter the heart of the economic system and explore fun, hands-on, interactive exhibits that cover everything from how people’s expectations affect the health of an economy to how inflation targeting works (hint: you get to fly a rocket ship!). Mixed in with all the high-tech inter actives are informative videos, multimedia stations and old-school exhibits featuring centuries’ worth of economic artifacts: from shells once used as money, to bank notes made from tree bark, together with their history and lore.Stimulating. Engaging. Most of all, fun. Come join us and explore the Bank’s role in the economy and your own, very important, place in it. https://www.ottawatourism.ca/member/bank-of-canada-museum/

Gorgeous architecture and world-renowned exhibitions convene to create Canada’s most-visited museum. Located on the banks of the Ottawa River — with a stunning view of Parliament Hill, the National Gallery of Canada, and downtown Ottawa — the Canadian Museum of History (formerly the Canadian Museum of Civilization) provides detailed insight into 20,000 years of human history. Let your eyes wander high into the sky as you take in the world’s largest indoor collection of totem poles, walk through the largest and most comprehensive exhibition about Canadian history ever created, and sit back to enjoy a CINÉ+ film. Have your little ones in town. They’ll love the on-site Canadian Children’s Museum, filled with hands-on games and exhibits. https://www.ottawatourism.ca/ottawa-insider/canadian-museum-of-history/

Parliament Hill is one of Canada’s most iconic sites and a must-see when visiting Canada’s capital. The historic, neo-Gothic Parliament Buildings stand tall on a hill overlooking the majestic Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa. And although the buildings are home to the country’s federal government (Prime Minister Justin Trudeau works there), visitors are welcome on-site for free tours and programming all year-long. Whether you visit Parliament Hill for a selfie, for a tour, or to experience one of the many free events, you’ll never run out of things to discover! https://www.ottawatourism.ca/ottawa-insider/parliament-hill/

Housed in Ottawa's oldest stone building, the BYTOWN MUSEUM explores Ottawa’s history from the early years of Rideau Canal construction, through the rough and tumble days of Bytown, to its emergence as Canada's capital and beyond. Located in one of the most picturesque areas of the city, the BYTOWN MUSEUM offers family events, a postcard scavenger hunt, new exhibitions, programming and guided tours. Included with admission is a six-language audio guide available in English, French, German, Spanish, Mandarin and Japanese. Just steps from the Ottawa Locks on the Rideau Canal, the BYTOWN MUSEUM is the perfect place to begin your visit to Nation’s Capital! https://www.ottawatourism.ca/member/bytown-museum/

Arachnophobes rejoice, the 30-foot spider outside of the National Gallery of Canada is not real! Maman, the sculpture created by Louise Bourgeois, complete with 26 white marble eggs under its belly, welcomes you to the National Gallery of Canada. Once inside the Gallery, you’ll discover one of the greatest art institutions in the world. It’s home to more than 40,000 works of art (by over 6,000 artists), home to the most comprehensive collection of Canadian art, including a large number by the Group of Seven, and strong collections of Indigenous, Asian, and International works. The Gallery hosts special exhibits throughout the year that bring light to a specific topic, discipline, or renowned and up-and-coming artists. https://www.ottawatourism.ca/ottawa-insider/national-gallery-of-canada/