December 21, 2011

The Tsar’s Cabinet is only at the Gardiner Museum for another few weeks, so take this opportunity to explore this amazing collection of imperial Russian porcelain and decorative arts! Grouped according to the tsars in power when they were made, the artwork has been interpreted to help museum-goers understand Russia’s history during the Romanov period. “For example, objects from the reign of Peter the Great are used to illuminate Russia’s early engagement with the West, while objects from Catherine the Great’s reign are used to illustrate Russia’s involvement in the Enlightenment.”

Most of the items in this collection were designed for and used by members of the Russian imperial family, including the tsars themselves. Many of the pieces are extremely rare – items of this calibre are not often available for viewing outside of Russia. As the only scheduled Canadian venue for this exhibition, this is your opportunity to explore amazing examples of works from the Imperial Glassworks, the Imperial Porcelain Factory, and the private firms of Fabergé and Ovichinnikov.

The Gardiner Museum is open today from 10am until 6pm. Tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $6 for students. For more information on this exhibit, go to www.gardinermuseum.on.ca.

December 3, 2011

Discover one of the most amazing civilizations in human history as you explore Maya: Secrets of their Ancient World at the Royal Ontario Museum! You’ll have the opportunity to learn about this advanced Mesoamerican culture, including its rituals, ceremonies, social organization, predictions about the end of the world, and its mysterious 9th century collapse. The Mayans are known for their complex calendar, sophisticated architecture and incredible system of writing, all of which you can explore as you view the nearly 250 artifacts that are part of this impressive exhibit.

The Royal Ontario Museum is open today from 10am until 5:30pm. Admission is $24 for adults, $21 for students, and $16 for children. For more information on Maya: Secrets of their Ancient World, go to www.rom.on.ca.

September 7, 2011

2011 has been declared the “Year of India in Canada” – celebrate with “Bollywood Cinema Showcards: Indian Film Art from the 1950s to the 1980s.” The ROM presents an array of vintage Bollywood cinema showcards and other forms of film advertising, assembled for the first time in our country! Local artisans have created vivid interpretations of scenes from several Bollywood films using a combination of photo collage and hand painting.

Over 100 showcards are on display at the ROM; admission to this exhibit is free with entrance to the museum. For more information, go to www.rom.on.ca/bollywood/exhibition.php.

August 29, 2011

Women the world over would agree that shoes are art! The Bata Shoe Museum examines this idea by presenting an exhibit devoted entirely to visual artwork portraying the cultural importance of shoes. Highlights of the exhibit include a pair of sculpted steel-toed boots made from clay by Marilyn Levin, and an 1827 Thomas McLean caricature depicting a nobleman attempting to remove his uncomfortable, expensive boots.

The Bata Shoe Museum is open from 10am until 5pm today; the Art in Shoes-Shoes in Art exhibit continues until October 1st. For more information, visit the Bata Shoe Museum’s website.

August 10, 2011

If you’re a CSI fan, you’ll love this – CSI: Live! A Live Interactive Performance! Taking place at the Ontario Science Centre, audience members become a part of a special investigation, taking the roles of witnesses, suspects and CSI recruits. By using forensic evidence such as the analysis of mysterious gases, launching projectiles into a target or firing a laser beam, CSI recruits will help solve the crime before it’s too late!

CSI: Live! A Live Interactive Performance is recommended for ages 8 and older. Performances…um…crime-solving will take place daily at 11:30am, 1:00pm, 2:30pm, and 4:00pm. This interactive experience is free with general admission to the Ontario Science Centre. For more information, visit www.ontariosciencecentre.ca.

July 22, 2011

Kids getting restless as summer is nearly at its half way point? Half-Price Friday Nights at the ROM are here to the save day (and save you some money and your sanity)! Starting at 4:30pm tonight (and every Friday), admission is half price to the ROM, meaning that adult tickets are $12, seniors and students pay $10.50, and children 4 to 14 only pay $8 for their tickets! To beat the lines, purchase your Half Price Friday Night tickets in advance online. Keep in mind that these tickets are good for general admission, meaning that separately-ticketed exhibitions are subject to extra fees (Water: The Exhibition is separately-ticketed).

With general admission you’ll have the opportunity to check out almost everything the ROM has to offer! Right now you can enjoy Embellished Reality: Indian Painted Photographs; Sitting Still: Faces of Childhood; Riotous Colour, Daring Patterns: Fashions + Textiles 18th to 21st Centuries and the standard World Culture Galleries and Natural History Galleries! There’s something that everyone will enjoy at Toronto’s most famous museum! (And if the kids don’t calm down after spending the evening at the ROM, you can always threaten to leave them in the Bat Cave!)

For more information on Half-Price Friday Nights at the ROM and to purchase tickets in advance, go to www.rom.on.ca.