Toronto City Mayor David Miller opens New Art Gallery of Ontario

The $276-million transformation of the AGO was realized by the Toronto-born architect of the world, Frank Gehry, building on the generous $100 million dollar gift of the late Ken Thomson’s unparalleled collection of Canadian and European art.

The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) building expansion transformation is being supported by the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund and actually began in 2002 but the museum closed its doors for a year for its completion and the exciting televised ribbon cutting ceremony took place today Friday November 14th 2008, re-opening its now modern doors for the first time to the public at 4:00 p.m. with Toronto mayor David Miller greeting the new guests that were anxiously awaiting to enter the modern architectural wonder that is gracing central Dundas Street near Toronto's west end.

Through Frank Gehry's amazing modern concept design for the museum, that spans in glass across the entire block; the design itself stands for joining the art museum and the city of Toronto in a creative marriage with an open invitation to enter and enjoy the inside surrounding art with natural light embarking through the building. 

Sonja Koerner director CEO says: " the architecture restoration was an integral part of the art installations and the programming."  

Directors Michael and Sonya Koerner honoring the gift of over 2,000 works by the late Ken Thomson in the internationally acclaimed Thomson Collection featuring seven artists first time seen in Canada along with his generous donation that helped highlight the event.

As I entered, the first thing that draws the eye is the sculptured staircase that emerges from the Walter Court entrance spiraling into the glass skylights that tie into the exterior glass design.

A whole series of new exhibitions are mounted throughout making it an exceptionally well endowed gallery. There were many collections - Canadian art, European art, Pablo Picasso paintings and sculptures by Henry Moore.


*Free Admission* opening day and all weekend November 14 to 15th until midnight and free on Sunday the 16th until 5:30 p.m.


~Tomitheos reporting from Toronto 

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Art Gallery of Ontario
317 Dundas Street West
Toronto, ON M5T 1G4
Canada
http://www.ago.net

Phone 1 (416) 979-6648
NOW OPEN!Map Art Gallery of Ontario 
http://www.ago.net/transformation/newbuilding/