How to Spend a Day at the AGO or ROM without Breaking the Bank

We’re deep in winter, the days are dark and short (although now, finally, they’re getting longer!), and you might be looking for an interesting, indoor Toronto activity. Two exciting and world-class places to visit are the Royal Ontario Museum and the Art Gallery of Ontario. The ROM and AGO are cultural gems of Toronto, and I thought it might be helpful to put together some tips to make sure your visits don’t cost you too much!

Jump to a section:
Where is the ROM?
Where is the AGO?
Student Discounts at the ROM
Student Discounts at the AGO

Location is Everything

Great news! Both the ROM and AGO are centrally located in Downtown Toronto – getting there couldn’t be easier! If you plan on taking the TTC, make sure you have your Presto Card to access transit.

Where is the ROM?

📍100 Queens Park

The ROM is located on the north-east corner of the UofT campus and the closest TTC station isn’t difficult to remember: Museum Station. For those of you coming from HOEM, this trip would take about 20 minutes by taking TTC Line One from TMU (Dundas) or Queen station(s).

Where is the AGO?

📍317 Dundas St W

The AGO is located next to the OCAD University campus on Dundas, and the closest TTC stops are the 505/305 streetcar at McCaul Street, or St Patrick Station on the University Line. From HOEM, you can take the 505 streetcar all the way there on Dundas.

Student Discounts at the ROM

If you’re feeling museum over gallery (though, who’s to say you can’t visit both!), here are a few ROM-related details:

• Top Tip! Full-time post-secondary students can get FREE entry to the museum every Tuesday with valid student ID – so make sure to visit on a Tuesday!
• On any other day, bring your student ID to get a discount on tickets, lowering the price from $26-40 to $18-20, depending what you want to see.

Student Discounts at the AGO

If you’re up for some breathtaking art and want to spend the least amount possible visiting the AGO, the first thing to do is see if you’re eligible for a Free Annual Pass. If you are living in Ontario, and are between the ages of 14 and 24, guess what… You are eligible!

Here are a few other things to know before you visit, particularly if you are not eligible for the Free Annual Pass: 

• For Adults (18+) the cost for a single day ticket is $30 and for Youth (10-17) the cost is $15.
• You can upgrade to an Annual Pass for $40 to get unlimited visits for a year if you plan on visiting multiple times. OCADU and UofT students can get a discount on an Annual Pass, so be sure to ask before you buy.
• From 6:00pm to 9:00pm on the first Wednesday of every month, the AGO offers free admission to all! Remember to book online in advance.
• Make sure to check if there are any additional costs for new exhibits so you can plan and not have a surprise fee.

Don’t Go Hungry

As for both locations, due to the potentially high cost of any on-site food during your visit, it may be wise to either pack some snacks or visit the multitude of food locations nearby to get food at lower costs. You don’t want to find yourself leaving earlier than you’d like because your stomach won’t stop grumbling in the quiet galleries.

HOEMies, if you plan to make some meals at HOEM before you leave, there is a NoFrills right around the corner at 75 Shuter St. which provides some of the lowest grocery prices in the city.

Enjoy your trip!

I hope you find the information and tips provided useful, and I hope you enjoy your trips to the Royal Ontario Museum and Art Gallery of Ontario. Both are ideal options for an indoor day out as a student in Toronto!