In 2020, a beautiful dish with playing cherubs entered the Gardiner Museum’s permanent collection. This small object stands at the nexus of stories about maiolica collecting, the creation of fakes and reproductions, and the nineteenth-century fashion for ceramics inspired by a range of styles from the past.

Born and raised in Lithuania, Daumante (Dauma) Stirbyte creates strange and endearing works that convey a sense of curiosity and wonder. Dauma’s work is currently featured in the Gardiner Shop exhibition Some Place Else. We sat down with her to learn more about her journey into the world of ceramics.

Step into a multi-sensory installation of ceramics, drawings, life-sized automatons, two-way mirrors, and coin-operated sculpture, set to an interactive score.

Discover the fascinating story behind the conservation of a leather presentation case for an 18th-century tea and chocolate service. Get a behind-the-scenes look at how it was restored and what secrets the conservators uncovered.

December is our favourite month at the Gardiner Museum and the perfect time for a visit with friends and family. And this year, more than ever, the museum offers a safe space to reconnect and share in some holiday cheer. So we’ve compiled a list of our Museum must-dos.

We recently stopped by the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) and found ourselves once again transported by the art and atmosphere of this iconic Toronto destination. What stood out was an exhibition by Toronto-born Chinese Canadian artist Matthew Wong (1984-2019).

Renaissance Venice: Life and Luxury at the Crossroads recreates a sensory world of more than 110 objects, including Chinese porcelain, Islamic metalware, Venetian ceramics and glass, and contemporary art.

Krystyne Griffin, a fixture of local best-dressed lists who is celebrated for her striking and original style, has been credited with single-handedly bringing serious fashion to the Toronto. Today, she designs a highly-coveted collection of artisan jewellery sold at the Gardiner Shop.

We’re currently in the final stages of developing of a digital interactive that will enhance our ability to interpret and bring aspects of our historical collections to life. The project will cast new light on our significant holdings of Japanese porcelain and Japanese-inspired ceramics from the Macdonald Collection.

The Gardiner Museum presents Forever (Bird-Botanicals), a striking installation by Ecuadorian-Canadian sculptor David Constantino Salazar in partnership with members of Workman Arts, a Toronto-based arts organization that promotes a greater understanding of mental health and addiction.