Sight guide · Toronto · Canada
Visiting Royal Ontario Museum
Canada's largest museum mixes natural history and world cultures, from dinosaur skeletons and a walk-through bat cave to Chinese temple murals, Egyptian mummies and First Nations art.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Royal Ontario Museum is a museum in Yorkville, Toronto. Allow 3 hours; it is mid-priced. Booking ahead is not usually needed.
Key facts
- Type
- Museum
- Area
- Yorkville
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Not usually needed
- Good for
- history, kids, rainy day and architecture
- Best months
- November–January
About Royal Ontario Museum
Canada's largest museum mixes natural history and world cultures, from dinosaur skeletons and a walk-through bat cave to Chinese temple murals, Egyptian mummies and First Nations art. Daniel Libeskind's crystal-shaped extension, added in 2007, juts out over Bloor Street.
Tip: Start with the dinosaur gallery before school groups arrive, then pick two or three other galleries rather than trying to see everything.
Plan your visit
- Time needed: 3 hours.
- Cost: Mid-priced.
- Book ahead: not usually needed; buy on arrival.
- Where: Yorkville, designer shops, galleries and luxury hotels beside the ROM.
Best time to visit Royal Ontario Museum
Royal Ontario Museum is indoors, which makes it a good plan for the wettest months:
- January: -1°C (30°F) highs, about 12 rainy days, quiet crowds.
- December: 2°C (36°F) highs, about 12 rainy days, moderate crowds.
- November: 8°C (46°F) highs, about 11 rainy days, quiet crowds.
When to visit Toronto has the full month-by-month picture.
Fit it into your trip
Our 3-day Toronto itinerary visits Royal Ontario Museum on day 1, together with CN Tower, Ripley's Aquarium of Canada and Nathan Phillips Square.
- No. 3 of the 19 sights in our Toronto things-to-do list.
- Day 1 of the 1-day plan.
- Day 1 of the 2-day plan.
- Day 1 of the 4-day plan.
- Day 1 of the 5-day plan.
- Day 2 of the 7-day plan.
- One of the picks in museums in Toronto.
- One of the picks in toronto on a rainy day.
- One of the picks in historic sites in Toronto.
- A family favourite in Toronto with kids.
If you like Royal Ontario Museum
- Ripley's Aquarium of Canada — Entertainment District, 2–3 hours
- Art Gallery of Ontario — Grange Park, 2–3 hours
- St. Lawrence Market — Old Town, 1–2 hours
- Distillery District — Distillery District, 1.5–2 hours
Staying near Royal Ontario Museum
Stay in Yorkville ($$$$) to walk here: designer shops, galleries and luxury hotels beside the ROM. All areas to stay in Toronto.
Questions travellers ask
+How long do you need at Royal Ontario Museum?
Plan 3 hours.
+Is Royal Ontario Museum free?
No, it is mid-priced. Tickets are usually available on the day.
+When is the best time to visit Royal Ontario Museum?
November–January, the wettest months, when an indoor sight is most welcome. Start with the dinosaur gallery before school groups arrive, then pick two or three other galleries rather than trying to see everything.
+Do I need to book Royal Ontario Museum in advance?
Usually not: you can decide on the day.
+Is Royal Ontario Museum good for kids?
Yes, it is one of our family picks in Toronto. Toronto is easy with children: the aquarium, the ROM's dinosaurs, the island ferries and Centreville amusement park, free animals in High Park and big parks make it simple to mix sights and play.