Summer Fun Heats Up at ROM Starting with Free Admission on Canada Day

TORONTO, June 26, 2025 – School’s out, the weather’s warming up, and the sunny season is in full swing as the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) kicks off special summer programming and a full-week operating schedule beginning June 30 – with the Museum open on Mondays through to September 1, and free admission on Canada Day.

The recently announced Temerty Community Access and Engagement Fund, established through a transformational $30-million endowment gift from the Temerty Foundation, enables a range of initiatives designed to make ROM even more accessible. This includes the special free Canada Day (Tuesday, July 1) general admission offer that recently went live. 

All available Canada Day tickets were quickly reserved online – underscoring ROM’s place as a key cultural and community hub, and enthusiasm for the Museum’s vast range of offerings for all ages. Free entry includes access to all permanent galleries (featured exhibitions will be surcharged at their usual rates).

There’s lots to see and do at ROM throughout the summer, with dynamic exhibitions, events, and activities to engage audiences of all ages.

“From new dinosaur-themed programming to the arrival of the must-see Flemish art exhibition Saints, Sinners, Lovers and Fools, ROM promises to be a buzzing cultural hub this summer,” says Josh Basseches, ROM Director & CEO. “And with our doors open seven days a week, we are looking forward to welcoming many visitors from near and far this season.”

“The ROM is Canada’s leading museum, and one of the most prestigious cultural institutions in North America,” said Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming. “At a time when standing up for Canadian culture is more important than ever, Ontarians of all ages will love visiting ROM for Canada Day, and throughout the summer. With 18 million artworks, artifacts, and specimens from around the world and across the ages, this is a great opportunity to explore one of Ontario’s great cultural icons.”

From the opening of a stunning new exhibition of historic Flemish artwork and weekend pop-up programming that highlights ROM’s beloved dinosaurs just in time for the latest Jurassic Park movie, to the ever-popular annual kids’ summer camps and vibrant interactive workshops, there’s something for everyone this summer at ROM.

One notable change this season sees ROM’s immensely popular Free Main Floor pilot program, also made possible by the Temerty Foundation, move from summer to fall – continuing an important access initiative that allows all to enjoy ROM’s expansive main-floor galleries, and providing an opportunity to gain insights about new visitor needs and experiences across the seasons. Further information about the 2025 Free Main Floor fall offering will be released at a later date.

SUMMER 2025 HIGHLIGHTS
 

Saints, Sinners, Lovers, and Fools: 300 Years of Flemish Masterworks
June 28, 2025, to January 18, 2026
ROM’s newest featured exhibition leads the summer slate, inviting visitors to experience the Golden Age of Flemish art with Saints, Sinners, Lovers, and Fools: 300 Years of Flemish Masterworks, co-organized by the Denver Art Museum and The Phoebus Foundation, Antwerp (Belgium). Drawn from The Phoebus Foundation’s world-class collection, this richly detailed exhibition reveals the immense creative talent and innovation of the artists of the Southern Netherlands – including Rubens, Van Dyck and Memling – during the renowned medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque periods.

Jurassic Weekend
June 28 & 29 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
In celebration of the upcoming release of the film Jurassic World Rebirth, get ready to travel back in time – all the way back to the Mesozoic Era, where dinosaurs rule and adventure awaits. Free with Museum admission – no time machine required. Families can enjoy hands-on activities for kids, while dino enthusiasts of all ages will enjoy dino-mite tours of the many fascinating fossils and specimens in ROM’s galleries and collections. Discover more about these prehistoric creatures that continue to fascinate us today!

Third Tuesday Nights Free
July 15 & August 19 (4 to 8:30 p.m.)
On the third Tuesday night of each month, the Museum is free to all from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., thanks to the support of Presenting Sponsor TD Bank Group, through its corporate citizenship platform, the TD Ready Commitment, and the Temerty Foundation. Visitors can book required tickets online up to two weeks in advance to enjoy access to ROM’s galleries for free, or upgrade to also include the surcharged special exhibitions.

 ROM After Dark
July 25 – Island Heat | August 22 – Block Party (7 to 11 p.m.)
This summer, the 19+ after-hours event series ROM After Dark works up a sweat with two celebrations featuring live music, pop-up performances, visual arts, and distinctive food and drink. It’s a fresh, exciting way to explore the Museum, with experiences ranging from live DJ sets to interactive workshops – ensuring no two RAD nights are ever the same.

• On July 25, RAD presents Island Heat in partnership with the Bahamas Tourist Office, transporting guests to the Caribbean, featuring performances from DJ Steph Honey and the Carnival Spice dance crew, a showcase of Caribbean fashion, craft workshops, and more!
• On August 22, RAD hosts a big Block Party that gets things hopping with retro dance-party DJs Super Taste, sublime aerial silk acrobatics from Hercinia Arts, Fish the Magish’s mesmerizing magic tricks, a chance to play classic videogames, and other festivities!
• Tickets ($40) can be booked online and include access to the Museum (including some special exhibitions), one free drink ticket, and free coat check.

Summer at ROM: Colour Play
The Museum comes alive this summer in a celebration of colour and imagination. From the natural sources of pigments used in painting, to the vibrant hues of prehistoric life and the symbolism of animals in medieval art, explore how colour inspires creativity through workshops that highlight the connections between art, culture, and nature.

• What’s in a Colour? 
  July 2 to August 31 (Wed-Sun, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Hyacinth Gloria Chen Crystal Court. Explore the natural origins of pigments used in European Renaissance art through hands-on materials, a colour-matching game, and fascinating stories behind each hue. Share your own colour identity on a take-home card or add it to a collective display inspired by the Saints, Sinners, Lovers, and Fools exhibition.
• Half a Billion Years of Colour 
  June 28 to September 1 (daily, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Earth Rangers Studio. Explore fossils and specimens taking you through an immersive journey into the elusive pre-historic world of colour. Step back in time and celebrate the 50th anniversary of ROM’s groundbreaking Burgess Shale research and excavations.
• Flemish Art & Animal Symbolism
  July 2 to September 30 (daily, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.), Patrick & Barbara Keenan Family Gallery of Hands-On Biodiversity. Discover the hidden meanings of animals in medieval art by matching natural objects with their symbolic interpretations. Engage in a fun matching game using clues or flip cards to create your own meanings based on animal traits. Draw your own symbolic creatures to bring them to life!
• Little Hands & Flemish Art
  July 2 to September 30 (daily, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.), WonderWorks

Step into a world of creativity with playful activities inspired by Saints, Sinners, Lovers, and Fools. From dressing up magnetic cats in medieval fashions to mixing colours on light tables and building imaginative machines, families will explore art, invention, and storytelling.

ROM Summer Club

Kids aged 5 to 16 can discover, explore, and create at one of the city's most engaging and fun summer camps. Now in its 83rd year, ROM Summer Club features in-gallery and classroom activities, bringing kids face-to-face with the stories held within the vast art, culture, and nature collections at ROM. See session dates and availability and register online here.

ROMWalks

Take a free walking tour of historic sites across the city every Wednesday (6 p.m.) and Sunday (2 p.m.) throughout the summer. From the preservation of Cabbagetown’s heritage to the history of newspapers headquartered on King Street, there’s no better way to discover Toronto’s stories and neighbourhoods than through ROMWalks, a collection of guided tours that take participants on a unique journey of urban discovery. No registration required – just show up and look for the purple ROM umbrella at each start location! The full list of summer ROMWalks is available here.

Ongoing ROM exhibitions

• Closing August 17, Nature in Brilliant Colour – created by Chicago’s Field Museum – features over 200 animal, mineral, and plant specimens showcasing a kaleidoscopic journey through the vibrant hues of our planet.
• On now until September 1, Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. is an unprecedented examination of the history and legacy of the Auschwitz concentration camp. This internationally touring exhibition, created by Musealia and co-produced by the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum in Poland, is one of the most comprehensive exhibitions ever presented on the subject, with ROM the only Canadian stop on its international tour.

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