Family-friendly, immersive exhibition opens September 1
TORONTO, July 16, 2020 – A beloved bear is set to make his highly anticipated “return” to the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) on September 1, 2020. Winnie-the-Pooh: Exploring a Classic invites visitors of all ages to see the world—and the ROM—through Pooh’s eyes: a welcoming, safe place to ponder, wonder and find joy in simple pleasures. The ROM is the exclusive Canadian venue for this playful, family-friendly exhibition and the last stop on its world tour. The exhibition is on view through to January 17, 2021.
Organized by the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (V&A), Winnie-the-Pooh: Exploring a Classic examines the origins, creation and enduring legacy of the classic stories by A.A. Milne (1882–1956) and the heart-warming illustrations of E.H. Shepard (1879–1976). The ROM’s presentation also explores Pooh’s fascinating Canadian connection, which in part inspired the iconic character’s rise to fame. The exhibition first launched in early March but was closed temporarily, along with the ROM, in response to COVID-19.
The world of Pooh is brought to life as an immersive story book in six chapters. The exhibition spans over a century of Winnie-the-Pooh history, from 1914 to the present. The more than 200 objects include original illustrations, letters and proofs along with early editions, photographs, cartoons, ceramics and fashion—all featuring the much-loved bear and his friends: Christopher Robin, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Owl, Piglet, Rabbit and Tigger.
With the reopening, the exhibition has been retrofitted to accommodate new ROM health and safety measures and social distancing requirements.
The Winnie-the-Pooh collection is primarily drawn from the V&A, The Walt Disney Company, Egmont Publishing, The Shepard Trust, and The University of Surrey.
Visiting the ROM this summer
Now re-opened to the public, visitors can explore the ROM’s spacious galleries and permanent collections in a welcoming and safe environment, with new health and safety measures in place. To help ensure physical distancing and a comfortable Museum experience, the ROM is limiting the number of admissions to the Museum, and visitors are asked to pre-book timed-entry tickets online.
Details on more special exhibitions—including The Cloth that Changed the World: India’s Printed and Painted Cottons, Egyptian Mummies: Ancient Lives. New Discoveries. and Wildlife Photographer of the Year —will be announced soon.
Audiences can continue to experience the Museum from home with #ROMatHome online programming. For details on live online curator conversations, virtual tours, educational activities, magazine articles, and more, visit the ROM’s social media channels and website.
ROM Visitor Guidelines
Following the Province of Ontario’s public health recommendations, the ROM has implemented protocols and operational changes to help ensure an enjoyable and safe Museum experience. Full details on what to expect when visiting the ROM are found at rom.on.ca/welcomeback, and guidelines are outlined onsite at the Museum:
• Visitors must book timed tickets online in advance of their visit. The ROM is limiting the number of visitors in gallery spaces to help ensure physical distancing is maintained.
• Visitors are required to wear face masks and respect physical distancing, as per municipal regulations. ROM staff are also wearing face masks.
• The ROM is open from Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:30 pm. These new temporary hours of operation will be in effect until further notice.
• Each gallery area, elevators, and stairwells will have strict capacity limits and marked pathways to help maintain physical distancing.
• Frequent, rigorous cleaning and enhanced disinfecting measures are in place.
What’s Open & What’s Closed
ROM Boutique is open and Druxy’s ROM Café offers an outdoor dining experience. Temporary gallery closures include the Bat Cave, CIBC Discovery Gallery, Patrick and Barbara Keenan Family Gallery of Hands-on Biodiversity, and coat check, due to the number of touchable objects in the spaces. The ROM's limited reopening does not currently include camps, guided and spot tours (inside or outside the Museum), school-based visits, or event-space rentals.
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For further information, contact:
ROM Communications: media@rom.on.ca