I love art and art galleries. Seeing talent on display and wishing I could produce something like that is joyful for me.
Not so much so for my wife.
She has little love for art galleries since we ran into a string of less-than-worthy places to visit that featured poor-quality artwork. The kind of art that we wonder why was not in the garbage instead of being displayed.
In response, I tend only to visit galleries that are free in order to avoid the sting of wasting money on something that could have been better spent at someplace that is worth seeing.
The Art Gallery of Ontario is a premium location. Its entry fee is also premium, but we were able to visit on a free day. King Charles was being coronated, and in celebration of our new king, many cultural centres were open for free. I hopped onto this opportunity and took my wife.
We arrived at the right time. There were crowds of people also taking the opportunity for free access, and we could just walk in. It is large and has many galleries featuring multiple styles of art. Unfortunately, I found that much of the art was different from our tastes.
I love Renaissance art. I love Classical art and quality art from other cultures and especially from pre-history. I would have to say that about half of the galleries were artworks that were not to my liking, and the other half, which had my styles, left me wanting more.
I do not wish to speak ill of the AGO, because they did a fantastic job displaying so many varieties, but I would like to know how some items are considered worthy of presentation and not trashed.
Saying this, I would revisit this place. They rotate their exhibits, and there is always a chance that we will be impressed with what we see. I probably came at the wrong time.
- The AGO is located in the centre of Toronto, so all parking is paid. There is ample garage parking and limited street parking nearby.
- The entry fee is quite steep, but there are free times. Check their website for more information.
- The range of artwork is extensive, so you will likely see something you like.
- Check out my Featured Map for directions to these locations and to other places that we have travelled to.
