Museum collections are often undervalued and misunderstood. Regular visitors to the ROM don’t get to see what lies behind the public galleries, and yet less than 1% of the ROM’s collections are on display. These collections do far more than gather dust: they are a reference point in time, and, from a natural history perspective, provide a baseline for our understanding of life. I have received a lot of data requests from inside and outside the ROM. Some I can answer, and some I automatically forward along to collections. A group of recent emails stood out in particular...

Nao Uda, born in Yokohama in 1983, is a contemporary Japanese artist who works in drawings, photography, and paintings.

By Ana Galindo

Since the opening of the ¡Viva México! exhibition at the ROM in May 2015, we have been generously treated to a myriad of events related to the show—visiting artists, talks and Friday Night Live events. Most recently, the museum hosted a magnificent symposium introducing attendees to the ideas and work of various academics and experts on the visual culture of Mexico.

Today marks the start of National Volunteer Week. The ROM is supported by a vibrant and passionate community of volunteers that contribute to making the Museum an exceptional place to visit.