Interactive activities, extended hours and half-price admission
(Toronto, Ontario – December 16, 2010) The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) celebrates ROM for the Holidays from December 27, 2010 to January 2, 2011, with a unique line-up of activities inspired by its feature exhibition The Warrior Emperor and China’s Terracotta Army. This is the last chance to view this remarkable exhibition, among the ROM’s highest attended in recent years, before it leaves Toronto on January 2, 2011. From December 26, 2010 to January 1, 2011 the ROM offers extended hours to 8:30pm and half-price general admission after 4:30 pm. A separate admission fee applies to see The Warrior Emperor. Please see website for full details and to book advance tickets here.
ROM for the Holidays activities take place between 11 am to 4 pm daily from December 27, 2010 to January 2, 2011 and are free with general Museum admission. Visitors can participate in a scavenger hunt through the Chinese galleries, create their own warrior out of clay, build life-sized warrior jigsaw puzzles and learn Chinese paper folding. Live martial arts performances by Team 2X will take place daily at 12 pm and 2:30 pm, followed by a free basic martial arts class. The ROM’s own Warrior will be onsite for photos.
The Earth Rangers Studio will be transformed into an Ontario Winter Wonderland, where visitors can learn to identify animal tracks and discover how they have
adapted to the cold weather. In the Signy and Cléophee Eaton Theatre on Level B1, kids will go wild over the exotic animals in the Earth Rangers live animal show, featuring Cosmo, the ring-tailed lemur Sammy, the African Serval cat, and various birds of prey.
The ROM’s restaurants celebrate this time of year with themed menus. Open daily, Food Studio, the Museum’s casual family restaurant offers holiday-inspired entrées, as well as hot apple cider and rum raison pudding. c5, the Museum’s fine dining restaurant atop the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, has created holiday lunch and dinner menus and a special New Year’s Eve three- and five-course meals to help ring in the new year. On Thursdays in December, c5 Lounge features live music with Michael-Lamont Lytle. Best known for his work in the Mirvish Productions of The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast, tours with Celine Dion and Cirque du Soleil, Lytle is a favourite of Toronto’s cabaret. Relax and listen to some great music while sipping on the Egg Nog Alexander, a special holiday cocktail made by c5 mixologist Simon Desilva-Naimji. Visit the dining section of the ROM’s website for full details and hours.
ROM for the Holidays shopping is the last chance to purchase souvenirs, home décor, and jewellery, all inspired by The Warrior Emperor and China’s Terracotta Army. These unique wares are available in the exhibition’s special boutique and the ROM Museum Store. Visitors can pose with reproductions of historic Terracotta Warriors in front of the ROM’s 25-ft Holiday Tree in the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal lobby. Custom-framed 5 x 7 inch photos are $12 plus HST, ROM Members receive 10% discount. Photos are available during Museum hours from December 26, 2010 to January 2, 2011.
Please note: The ROM closes at 5:30pm on Friday, December 24 and at 8:30 pm on Friday, December 31. (Last entry to The Warrior Emperor is 1.5 hrs before Museum closing.) The ROM is closed on December 25, but remains open on January 1, 2011.