Royal Ontario Museum

100 Queens Park, Toronto, ON M5S 2C6

Call: (416) 586-8000

The accessible Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is Canada’s largest museum and attracts over 1 million visitors a year. With more than 13 million items in its 40 galleries, the museum's diverse collection of world culture and natural history has has definitely made an impact on the international art scene.

In 2007, the beautiful Michael Lee-Chin Crystal was opened to the public which introduced a contemporary addition to the existing heritage building. Although controversial, the new design created a barrier-free entrance and Canada's largest special exhibition hall.

The ROM has 3 entrances which are all accessible. The main entrance is located off of Bloor St and features two 47.5 inch sliding doors. The entrance is kept clear of obstructions, and once indoors, the pay counter and coat check are easily visible. Make note of the lowered counter on the left hand side which individuals in mobility devices are given priority.

The 2nd entrance to the museum is on Queens Park which is accessed by a heated, lit ramp. There is an automatic door opener for the 2 sets of doors which measure 31 inches each. The 3rd entrance just south on Queens Park and is used only for school groups. There is a ramp to the lower than sidewalk level entrance and automatic door openers are available for the 34 inch doors.

The ROM features 4 floors of galleries and the basement exhibit hall that features special exhibits requiring an additional fee. On all floors, labels and panels have good contrast and readable font size. Service animals are welcome and lighting varies depending on the nature of the exhibit/gallery.

All floors have wide, level pathways and can be accessed by one of two elevators. The elevator’s entrance is 48 inches wide and all buttons include Braille writing. The indoor space is large and well lit. Throughout the museum galleries there are no level changes except on the 3rd floor in which there is a staircase that transitions from the Crystal to the Heritage portion of the building. A staff-operated lift has been installed to assist patrons and anyone is encouraged to buzz for assistance.

On every floor you will also find an accessible washroom. Family or no gender washrooms can be found on all floors except the 4th and contain automatic doors, sinks and flushers. Other men’s and women’s washrooms are also available on all floors and contain an accessible stall in each. The most readily used first floor washroom contains a 60x60 inch accessible stall with a lever handle, two grab bars and automatic flushers. The sink is unobstructed below and measures 29 inches high. The entrance is 40 inches wide and include automatic door openers.

The ROM strives to recognize the diversity of its visitors and offers services to ensure accessibility for all. These include large print guides, hands on galleries and tactile books featuring Braille. Scattered throughout the museum are objects that are meant to be touched to explore art for those with low vision and there is also an audio description program for all galleries. All videos in exhibits have captioning.

For any new exhibit featured at the ROM, access is represented in all teams as reported by the resident inclusive manager. If interested in the museum’s full Accessibility Plan, you can find it here:

https://www.rom.on.ca/sites/default/files/imce/policies2017/accessibility2017.pdf

If traveling by transit to the ROM, the closest accessible subway station is St. George which is only a block away. If driving, the museum recommends the open air parking lots at 465 Huron St. and Madison Ave. Taxis and other vehicles may drop off and pick up visitors in the loading zone in front of the Bloor Street and Queens Park entrances. 

You can also find more details on their website at: https://www.rom.on.ca/en/visit-us/location-parking    

For admission rates and details about the galleries and exhibits, please visit their website at: https://www.rom.on.ca/en