Museum open Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, as well as Monday, Dec. 29
Treat yourself! Bistro taking reservations for lunch on December 24 and holiday tea until January 4
TORONTO – This holiday season, the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) has decked the halls with all the ingredients for time well spent – from last minute gifting on December 24 to holiday tea, toasts and great Canadian art through the New Year. The AGO is open every day between December 26, 2025, and January 4, 2026, with activities for the whole family. On view at the museum this holiday season and free with General Admission, are the acclaimed special exhibitions David Blackwood: Myth & Legend and Joyce Wieland: Heart On.
Admission is always free for AGO Members, Annual Passholders, Indigenous Peoples and Ontarians under 25. From December 12, 2025, to January 15, 2026, the AGO is pleased to be a participating partner in the Canada Strong Pass, providing more ways to explore Canada this holiday season, with the Government of Canada. Courtesy of the Pass program, visitors age 24 and under from outside of Ontario will receive free or discounted admission. No pass or promo code is required.
AGO 2025 Holiday hours:
December 24 10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
December 25 (closed)
December 26 10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
December 27 10:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
December 28 10:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
December 29 10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
December 30 10:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
December 31 10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
January 1 10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
January 2 10:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.
For a full listing of AGO hours this holiday season, visit https://ago.ca/visit/location-hours-admission.
Throughout the holidays, the AGO offers a range of special retail, food, and family-friendly artful experiences to ring in the holiday season. For a full list of events and offerings, visit ago.ca/holiday
Holidays at the AGO
- The AGO’s Shop carries a curated range of artisan works, cards, jewelry, books, and gifts, from David Blackwood prints to Frida Kahlo-inspired skateboards, all available in store and online. The Shop will be open on Christmas Eve till 4 p.m. for last-minute gifting needs and will reopen on Boxing Day. The Shop’s 2025 gift guide is online at catalogue.shop.ago.ca/ago_retail_giftguide_2025.
- The AGO’s Bistro jumps into the season on December 24 with lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Closed on December 25, the Bistro re-opens on December 26 for lunch service through December 31 and resumes regular hours on January 2. For reservations, please call 416-979-6688 or book a table online at OpenTable.
- At the Dr. Mariano Elia Hands-On Centre, young learners can explore art-making activities, stories, and play-based learning with extended holiday hours. It will be open beginning December 23, remain closed on December 25 and reopen December 26 with special hours through January 4. No registration is necessary. For full schedule, visit ago.ca/family/hands-on-centre.
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In Walker Court, AGO Art Carts provide visitors of all ages with hands on art making and multisensory experiences. It will run beginning December 23, remain closed on December 25 and reopen December 26 with special hours through January 4. For details, visit ago.ca/learn/art-cart.
- Now through Sunday, January 4, celebrate the festive season with a special Holiday Afternoon Tea for the entire family at the Norma Ridley Members’ Lounge. Indulge in sweets and seasonal delights surrounded by works from the AGO Collection. AGO members receive a discount. Reservations now open at ago.ca/events/holiday-afternoon-tea.
- On Thursday, January 1 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., toast to the new year with a special New Year’s Day Afternoon Tea at the AGO’s Bistro. Enjoy classic savouries, sweet treats, and kid-friendly bites. AGO Members receive a discount. Book your table now at ago.ca/events/new-years-day-afternoon-tea-bistro.
- On Friday, December 5 beginning at 6 p.m., join us at Walker Court for holiday themed artmaking, and help create a Winter Wonderland Village of glowing houses using papercraft and LED lights. Materials are provided. Free with General Admission. For more details, visit ago.ca/events/winter-village-maker-program.
- On Friday, December 12, from 6 to 9 p.m., cozy up in Walker Court for TV Nights with the NFB: Wonders of Winter. Courtesy of National Film Board of Canada, visitors are invited to watch a series of short films about the wonders of winter inspired by Canadian and Inuit artworks at the AGO. Free with General Admission; these films are suitable for all ages. For more details, visit ago.ca/events/tv-nights-nfb-wonders-winter.
- On Friday, December 19 at 7 p.m., join us for AV Live: Longing and Belonging and immerse yourself in a poetic meditation featuring visuals by artists Felipe Requena and Hagop Ohannessian with sound by Dennis Neves, Demian Ortiz and Requena. Free with General Admission. For more details, visit ago.ca/events/av-live-longing-and-belonging.
- On Saturday, December 20 at 2 p.m., join artist Titus Kaphar in conversation with Professor Jason Stanley for an in-depth discussion about Kaphar’s artistic practice. Advanced tickets are required. AGO Members and Annual Passholders receive a discount. For more details, visit ago.ca/events/titus-kaphar-conversation-jason-stanley.
- On Thursday, January 1 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., toast to the new year with a special New Year’s Day Afternoon Tea at the AGO’s Bistro. Enjoy classic savouries, sweet treats, and kid-friendly bites. AGO Members receive a discount. Book your table now at ago.ca/events/new-years-day-afternoon-tea-bistro.
- On Sunday, January 4 at 2 p.m., Toronto theatre luminaries Tanja Jacobs and Kristen Thompson will present A Fairy Tale for Joyce. Commissioned by the AGO, and developed through improvisation, this unique theatrical experience will be performed inside Joyce Wieland: Heart On and is free with General Admission. For more details, visit ago.ca/events/fairytale-joyce.
Contemporary programming at the AGO is generously supported by the Canada Council for the Arts
@AGOToronto | #SeeAGO
ABOUT THE AGO
Located in Toronto, the Art Gallery of Ontario is one of the largest art museums in North America, attracting approximately one million visitors annually. The AGO Collection of more than 120,000 works of art ranges from cutting-edge contemporary art to significant works by Indigenous and Canadian artists and European masterpieces. The AGO presents wide-ranging exhibitions and programs, including solo exhibitions and acquisitions by diverse and underrepresented artists from around the world. The AGO is embarking on the seventh expansion it has undertaken since the museum was founded in 1900. When completed, the Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery will increase exhibition space for the museum’s growing modern and contemporary collection. With its groundbreaking Annual Pass program, the AGO is one of the most affordable and accessible attractions in the GTA. Visit ago.ca to learn more.
The AGO is funded in part by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming. Additional operating support is received from the City of Toronto, the Canada Council for the Arts, and generous contributions from AGO Members, donors, and private-sector partners.
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Andrea-Jo Wilson | Manager, Public Relations
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