Name: Gardiner Museum
Address: Canada

The Gardiner Museum in Toronto is Canada’s only museum fully dedicated to ceramic art. Founded in 1984 by philanthropists George and Helen Gardiner, the museum opened on March 6 and initially housed around 1,200 pieces collected in depth across Ancient Americas, Italian Renaissance maiolica, English Delftware, and European porcelain. The collection has grown to include over 4,000 earthenware and porcelain works, with strong holdings in pre‑colonial American vessels and Ming‑ and Qing‑dynasty Chinese export porcelain.

Set within University of Toronto’s St. George campus at 111 Queen’s Park Crescent, the striking limestone-and-glass building was originally designed by Keith Wagland and expanded in 2006 by KPMB Architects to add a third floor, restaurant (Clay Restaurant), terraces and new gallery space. The updated spaces emphasize natural light, intimate scale and integration with Queen’s Park surroundings.

The museum offers three rotating special exhibitions annually alongside its permanent gallery. It also hosts clay‑making workshops, public programming, adult and youth classes, lectures and more in its studio spaces. Special efforts include Indigenous partnerships and accessible design, with current ground‑floor redevelopment introducing a makerspace, community learning centre and Indigenous gallery.

Gardiner also operates the Gail Brooker Ceramic Research Library, part of the University of Toronto Library System, holding around 2,500 volumes for research onsite. The museum is affiliated with Canadian Museums Association, Canadian Heritage Information Network and Virtual Museum of Canada.

With over 46,000 ft² (about 4,300 m²) of exhibition and program space, the institution blends scholarly rigor, artistic excellence and community accessibility. Admission is pay‑what‑you‑wish during renovations of the ground floor, and Wednesday evenings are extended hours. Clay Restaurant and the shop enhance visitor experience during a visit.

Overall, the Gardiner Museum delivers a focused and welcoming ceramic art experience anchored by a deep permanent collection, thoughtful temporary exhibitions, learning opportunities and inclusive community engagement.