Samuel European Galleries

From the Middle Ages to the 20th century, Europe witnessed agricultural, social, economic and industrial innovation that would change how Europeans lived, worked, and viewed with the world around them.

Examine the influence these changes had through the lens of decorative arts development in central and Western Europe. Walk among period rooms and vignettes, including those of the Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassical, and Victorian periods, and discover the different stylistic signatures of each.

ROM's renowned European collections bear witness to the legacy of European style with objects prized for their beauty, rarity, and cultural importance. An entire wing in the gallery is dedicated to displays that provide a context for specialized collections themed to Culture & Context, Judaica, Art Deco and a ROM favourite – Arms and Armour.

From Frank Lloyd Wright to Arne Jacobsen, the Gallery of Modern Design showcases works by some of the leading European and American designers of the 20th century. Featuring hand-made masterpieces by Jacques-Émile Ruhlmann to industrially produced works by Charles and Ray Eames, the collection includes outstanding examples of modern furniture, glassware, ceramics and silver, spanning French Art Deco, American Modernism, German Bauhaus, Scandinavian Modern, the International Style and Post-War Modern design movements.

Experience this amazing collection in a whole new way through our new interactive touch kiosks that offer a deeper dive into the styles, designers, and exquisite objects.