- Playter Farmhouse © Paul Vaculik.
- Kensington Al Waxman statue by Ruth Abernethy © Paul Vaculik.
- Mt. Pleasant Entrance © Paul Vaculik.
- Inside St. Michael's Cathedral © Paul Vaculik.
- Willowdale York Cemetery Memorial to 99 Canadian VCs © Paul Vaculik.
Adult Programs
ROMWalks

About ROMWalks
ROMWalks are guided walking tours of Toronto and are organized by ROM's Department of Museum Volunteers to provide support for the Museum. The tours started in 1980 as an outreach program for the ROM when it was closed for renovations.
The walking tours are scheduled from May to October and encompass the diverse aspects of Toronto's vibrant neighbourhoods including history, architecture, arts of all varieties, education and more.
Free, Plus and Private Group ROMWalks are available to the general public, and
Member Exclusive ROMWalks are available to ROM Members.
Free ROMWalks require no registration while Plus ROMWalks require registration and a fee. Both sets of walks are held on Sundays at 2pm and Wednesdays at 6pm.
Member Exclusive ROMWalks are free to ROM members, require registration, and are held on Saturdays.
Private Group ROMWalks are perfect for clubs, community groups, or out-of-town visitors. The walks can be scheduled for any day and time and require a fee.
The 2023 ROMWalks are:
Free: Annex West, Historic Danforth, Kensington, King Street East, Mt.Pleasant 1, Riverdale, Rosedale 2, Sacred Stones and Steeples, and Willowdale and York Cemetery, with each walk held 4 times.
Plus: Monuments in Memory, and Riverside, with each walk held three times.
Member Exclusive: Annex, Grange, and Parkdale, with each walk held twice.
Upcoming Dates
Wednesday, August 16, 2023 | 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Discover Historic Danforth including the story of the famous Playter family, the landmark Danforth Music Hall (still in use), a former nickelodeon and bowling alley, 3 historic churches, and some beautiful heritage homes as you walk along the neighbourhood streets of this historic east end area.
This walk is offered in both English and French languages.
Sunday, August 20, 2023 | 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Learn about the people who "made the news:" whether by riot, rebellion, assassination, murder, police gunfights, prison time - or by suing for freedom of the press, becoming a Father of Confederation, supporting the Underground Railroad, or championing equal pay for women - and that's just the publishers and journalists themselves. We'll also look at how this area of the city, like the news media, has changed and adapted over time.
Wednesday, August 23, 2023 | 6:00pm - 7:30pm
See the magnificent 19th century sacred buildings along Church and Bond Streets, starting with St James Anglican Cathedral and ending at St George’s Greek Orthodox Church. Crafted by the finest architects, the landmark buildings of different denominations reveal the importance of religion and its role in the social development of the city.
Sunday, August 27, 2023 | 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Explore with us the history of remembering on a tour of the monuments in and around Queen’s Park. We will look at memorials of ordinary people and hear the stories of how they made Canadian history. We will discuss the style, purpose and subjects of memorials, and how they have changed over time.
Wednesday, August 30, 2023 | 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Join us for a short walk through this 200-acre cemetery in the middle of modern Toronto. The designer, Henry Englehardt, designed the cemetery like a park with winding roads and 200 species of trees. Along the walk, we will admire the grand tombs of famous Canadians and learn about the graves and the symbolism on the grave markers. The site, particularly in the Spring and Autumn, is breathtaking.
Sunday, September 3, 2023 | 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Explore the tree-lined streets of this prestigious enclave, the suburb of choice for Toronto’s wealthy citizens in the early 1900s. Learn how the area developed and about the lives of the earliest occupants of Rosedale. Admire the impressive, mostly residential architecture, spanning 150 years and learn about the architects who designed it. This walk also includes a National Historic site with a link to Canadian art.
Sunday, September 10, 2023 | 2:00pm - 4:00pm
All in a short walk, the Riverside neighbourhood will fascinate you with stories of architecture, athletics, factories, film making, bees, bakeries, Metrolinx and more.
Sunday, September 17, 2023 | 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Discover the transformation of early 18th and 19th century farms into the subdivision of Willowdale and then the city of North York prior to the amalgamation of Toronto. We also explore the tranquility, history and residents of York Cemetery, just steps from the busy traffic and towering buildings of Yonge Street in the former North York.
This walk is offered in both English and French languages.
Sunday, September 24, 2023 | 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Learn about the people who "made the news:" whether by riot, rebellion, assassination, murder, police gunfights, prison time - or by suing for freedom of the press, becoming a Father of Confederation, supporting the Underground Railroad, or championing equal pay for women - and that's just the publishers and journalists themselves. We'll also look at how this area of the city, like the news media, has changed and adapted over time.
Sunday, October 1, 2023 | 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Riverdale’s history includes indigenous settlements, a river, brickmakers, jailbreakers, medical facilities, a park, and even a Russian royal. View the oldest, continuously occupied house in Toronto, award winning restorations, public art and one of Toronto’s Carnegie libraries. Explore the evolution of this neighbourhood, which reflects the growth and changing demographics of the city.
Contact
For FREE ROMWalks
Registration is not required for Free Walks.
For questions, please contact romwalks@rom.on.ca.
For ROMWalks PLUS
416.586.5797
programs@rom.on.ca
For PRIVATE GROUP ROMWalks
For questions, please contact romwalks@rom.on.ca.
For ROM MEMBER Exclusive ROMWalks
416.586.5700
membership@rom.on.ca
ROM Membership
Membership gives you year-long VIP access to galleries and exhibitions, discounts, advance booking opportunities and more. Join today.