Art Gallery of Ontario Tour: See Masterpieces and Expert Tips

Planning a visit to the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO)? It’s a terrific choice, offering an impressive collection that spans various periods and styles. A quick spin around, though, can easily turn into a confusing blur of paintings, sculptures, and installations. So, how do you get the most out of your visit? This is a guide with a handful of insider tips to better experiencing what the AGO has on offer.

Planning Your Visit to the AGO

Before going, it’s almost always a neat idea to do a little homework. Take a peek at the AGO website. The thing you will discover is they usually highlight current exhibits, so you know if something special will catch your interest. Check their opening hours, as those tend to fluctuate a bit, especially around holidays. Booking tickets in advance online tends to save time, and sometimes, a bit of cash, too. Consider becoming a member, which allows unlimited access for a year and usually pays for itself if you think you’ll swing by more than twice.

Consider that weekends can get seriously packed, so weekday mornings or late afternoons generally offer a bit more elbow room. The AGO is pretty big. Think sizable. You probably couldn’t see absolutely everything in one visit unless you were, I guess, attempting some kind of speed-viewing record. The suggestion would be to grab a map upon arrival (or download one beforehand), circle a couple of things that strike you as must-sees, and build your viewing experience around them.

Masterpieces You Absolutely Shouldn’t Miss

The AGO is home to some seriously fantastic works. These paintings almost demand to be seen, appreciated, and pondered. Take, for example, Peter Paul Rubens’ The Massacre of the Innocents. Very graphic and powerful, it’s a big piece that will grab your attention and maybe make you a bit uncomfortable too. It’s like the guy wasn’t known for painting still-lifes of bowls with fruit! Look carefully and see what you uncover about humanity and cruelty, is that not profound?

Then there’s the work of the Group of Seven. Arguably, if you are into Canadian art, this is ground zero. Their paintings really capture what Canada is like. Rugged landscapes, sweeping vistas, just total immersion. Lawren Harris, for instance, creates these icy, ethereal scenes. I could spend a while looking at the way he plays with light and shadow. They seem simple at first, but there’s real emotion there. Almost mystical in a way.

And lastly, beeline for Tom Thomson’s sketches. Usually these smaller paintings get a spot close to the Group of Seven, these smaller scale paintings acted like try-outs. His vibrant colors and lively brushstrokes just seem to capture the Canadian wilderness with such immediacy. The weird thing is that Thomson actually died young, so you can only dream about what masterpieces he might have made if he’d had more time.

Discovering Hidden Gems within the AGO Collection

Beyond the famous works, the AGO actually holds many smaller treasures. Look at the Canadian and Indigenous Art galleries; those usually contain some really evocative pieces. Kent Monkman is almost guaranteed to provide a little different flavor of artistry. Monkman really grabs pieces from art history but injects them with First Nations themes, and so they’re visually arresting, that they almost make you consider perspectives which history, typically, sort of brushes over. He blends humor and criticism to make his point, and really, there are worse ways of spending an afternoon.

Also check the print and drawing study area. Often the AGO showcases collections of lesser-known artists. It’s here that they show their drawings, etchings, and other works on paper, and sometimes there is the rawest form of creativity. Seriously, it’s cool to get up close with such stuff because you can kind of trace the artists thinking as he/she developed it. To do that provides for some fascinating, behind-the-scenes glimpses.

Taking a Break: Amenities and Comfort

You will discover the AGO is a big place, so it is OK to plan for breaks. There is a few seating areas, plus places to eat and rest. The AGO has a few eateries to re-charge.

AGO Bistro is almost certainly the fancier place and seems to serve seasonal menus; it could be perfect if that is the kind of lunch you’d like, however, make reservations in advance. Cafe AGO provides faster stuff like sandwiches and salads, almost right for a quick snack or light meal. There is also a coffee bar for a quick shot of caffeine and a pastry. You will find water fountains located throughout the gallery. Staying hydrated, more or less, is definitely critical to make your visit comfortable. A number of gift shops sit at various spots of the gallery. They seem to feature books, prints, and handcrafted items, for you to perhaps procure something to remember your visit. Besides which the shop helps out with funding future exhibitions and educational efforts.

Maximizing Your Visit: Tours and Programs

Joining a guided tour sometimes makes everything come more alive, so, if feasible, grab one! The AGO provides public tours almost regularly. Usually those concentrate on particular collections or temporary exhibits. I have no doubt this sort of thing may improve someone’s art experience, as the guides add a lot of nuance. It also works to call attention to details you might otherwise miss.

Check for lectures, workshops, and family-centered activities on the AGO’s website, almost like going to school to have creative workshops and interesting presentations and demonstrations by performers or artists, a good thing to note. Depending when you are going you may have the chance to go.

Photography at the AGO: Capture Memories Respectfully

One thing, always look at the signage on photographs because not all are necessarily photographable; flashes are usually forbidden because it is not a terribly good thing to do for the paintings or artwork, even if the flashes really assist with social media posts, that, still, must be taken into consideration. Remember to be cognizant with crowds while maneuvering a camera or phone to respect the fact that others have an almost identical desire to peacefully view what is going on around them.