Royal Ontario Museum's $130M transformation will debut in 2027
The rebuilt Bloor entrance reopens next May, with a new accessible plaza, a public-facing foyer gallery and the Ming Dynasty Temple Bell of Wei Bin.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
The Royal Ontario Museum's Bloor Street entrance closes for three years of construction and reopens next May, with the full $130-million OpenROM project debuting in 2027. Until then, visitors use the Queen's Park Weston Entrance, and the museum stays open throughout.
The new Hennick Entrance and Court adds a fully accessible entrance and plaza, designed by Siamak Hariri of Hariri Pontarini Architects, with a water feature wrapping the heritage facade on Queen's Park and Bloor Street. A sculptural bronze canopy marks the entrance. Inside, the foyer doubles as a public gallery visible from the street, with the Ming Dynasty Temple Bell of Wei Bin and a 1.4-tonne amethyst geode on display.
Nicholas R. Bell, ROM Director and CEO, said the foyer installations will give visitors "an immediate encounter with the depth and diversity of ROM's collections of art, culture, and nature from around the world and across the ages."
The Crystal's original 2008 design by Daniel Libeskind has been partially demolished and rebuilt. The museum has said the exact opening date will be announced in early 2027.
The details
How much does the OpenROM project at the Royal Ontario Museum cost?
The OpenROM project at the Royal Ontario Museum costs $130 million and is set to debut in 2027. The museum stays open throughout the construction.
Which entrance can visitors use while the Royal Ontario Museum's Bloor Street entrance is closed?
Visitors to the Royal Ontario Museum use the Queen's Park Weston Entrance while the Bloor Street entrance closes for three years of construction.
Who designed the new Hennick Entrance and Court at the Royal Ontario Museum?
Siamak Hariri of Hariri Pontarini Architects designed the Hennick Entrance and
