Gardiner Museum

Gardiner Museum

The Gardiner Museum is located in Toronto, Ontario, and was established in 1984. It is Canada’s only museum dedicated exclusively to ceramic art, showcasing only ceramic artworks. It was co-founded by George Ryerson Gardiner and his wife. The Gardiners were themselves expert potters and passionate collectors, amassing a personal collection of over 2,000 ceramic pieces, which ultimately formed the museum’s original collection.

Dubbed the “jewel box of ceramic treasures,” the Gardiner Museum boasts a distinctive and bold neoclassical exterior and a thoughtfully designed interior that offers a refreshing visitor experience. The museum’s permanent collection includes more than 2,900 ceramic artworks from Europe, East Asia, and the Americas—such as pre-Columbian ceramics, Italian Renaissance pottery, Dutch Delftware, Chinese ceramics, Japanese and Korean tableware ceramics, and European porcelain. In addition to its permanent exhibits, the museum hosts three temporary exhibitions each year. Visitors can explore ancient pottery techniques and discover the diverse cultures and histories embodied in ceramic artifacts from various periods and regions. They may even imagine how ordinary clay is “reborn in fire” to become exquisite, priceless works of art.

Gardiner Museum

Must-visit reason: Canada’s only museum solely dedicated to ceramic art

Continent where the attraction is located: North America【North America】

Country/Region where the attraction is located: Canada[Canada]

Province/State where the attraction is located: Ontario [Ontario]

City where the attraction is located: Toronto [Toronto]