Royal Ontario Museum

The Royal Ontario Museum is the preeminant museum in Ontario and one of the largest in Canada. Located just north of Queen’s Park (home to Ontario’s Provincial Legislature) and the University of Toronto, the museum is a beacon in the city’s downtown.

The museum was founded in 1914 and claims to be “among the top 10 cultural institutions in North America.” A natural history, culture, and art museum it preserves more than 18 million artifacts as well being a leading field research institute respected worldwide.

Of particular interest to geology lovers, the Royal Ontario Museum houses remarkable galleries dedicated to dinosaurs, fossils, rocks and minerals, and early mammals. These collections span the history of life on this planet from its inception to recent history in fossils from across the country and the globe. The dinosaur and mammal depictions are topnotch and the rocks and minerals on display are stunning.

A museum of this size can easily fill a day, if not days, to take it all in. You could spend a day just in the natural history portions viewing all the earth treasures. The ROM is a terrific place and is a no-brainer to be included in any trip to Ontario’s capital city. Locals, of course, have the enviable luxury of regular return visits.