Art Gallery of Ontario to reopen July 2, 2020
Explore a world of great art, reconnect and recharge once again; special exhibitions Diane Arbus, Photographs: 1956-1971 and Illusions: The Art of Magic extended until November
TORONTO – We’ve missed you! Today the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) is excited to announce its plans to safely reopen, following public health and government of Ontario guidelines. We can’t wait to open our doors and welcome you back.
We will be welcoming our community back in stages: On July 2, the AGO will open to Members and Annual Pass Holders who book timed-entry tickets in advance. Members can book tickets starting June 25 and Annual Pass holders can book starting June 26. Not a Member or an Annual Pass Holder? Not a problem. Purchase one online, or if you are aged 25 and under, sign up for free, before booking your time to visit the Gallery. On July 16, the public can purchase timed-entry single tickets in advance, and start coming on July 23. As we slowly start welcoming visitors back, the AGO will be open every Thursday thru Sunday, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information on how and when to book timed-entry tickets, visit AGO.ca
“I know I speak for everyone at the AGO when I say we are thrilled to be welcoming people back,” says Stephan Jost, Michael and Sonja Koerner Director, and CEO of the AGO. “The team has been working hard to ensure that the visitor experience will be a safe, yet engaging one. I invite everyone to get out and reconnect with art. As we slowly get back to our new sense of normal, art can help lift our spirits, support our wellbeing, spark conversation and strengthen friendships.”
Preparations to reopen the AGO have been underway for weeks, with the health and safety of employees, volunteers and visitors a top priority. Everyone entering the AGO over the age of four will be required to wear a face mask and social distancing measures have been implemented. A limited number of tickets are available for each 30-minute timeslot to help control the flow of visitors entering the gallery. Visitors are encouraged to visit and review our reopening web page for more information and helpful FAQs.
What’s Open and What’s On:
Three levels of the AGO will be open on July 2, including the J.S. McLean Centre for Indigenous & Canadian Art, the Thomson Collection of European Art, the Thomson Collection of Canadian Art and the Henry Moore Sculpture Centre.
COVID-19 has had an impact on exhibition planning at museums around the world, and exhibition schedules at the AGO have been adjusted.
• Originally scheduled to close in May, the AGO’s special exhibitions Diane Arbus, Photographs: 1956-1971 and Illusions: The Art of Magic have been extended until Nov. 8, 2020.
• Haegue Yang: Emergence, originally scheduled to open on April 30, 2020, will now open in September of 2020. Renowned for her moveable sculptures, Emergence highlights twenty-five years of art making by the acclaimed South Korean artist, including two new installations commissioned by the AGO: a large-scale venetian blind work in the Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Sculpture Atrium and a mural-like wallpaper at the AGO’s South Entrance.
• Andy Warhol, organised by Tate Modern, London in collaboration with Museum Ludwig, Cologne, the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto and the Denver Art Museum, will open in spring of 2021.
• I am Here: Home Movies and Everyday Masterpieces will open in spring of 2021.
• The culmination of a multi-year international research project, Picasso: Painting the Blue Period will now open in Toronto in the fall of 2021. Organized in partnership with the Phillips Collection, Washington D.C., the exhibition will bring together more than 80 works by Picasso from 12 countries.
For more details about upcoming exhibitions, visit AGO.ca.
ShopAGO’s physical store will open beginning July 2 every Thursday to Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., for visitors with a timed-entry ticket. Social distancing measures will be in effect in store, and a curated selection of merchandise will be available for purchase. Visitors looking to browse are encouraged to visit ago.ca/shop for a selection of art-inspired books, homewares and jewelry. ShopAGO will be carrying a selection of locally designed face masks. Proceeds from all purchases go to support the AGO.
AGO Bistro, Café AGO, the Espresso Bar in Galleria Italia and the Norma Ridley Members’ Lounge remain temporarily closed.
While group courses, tours and programs, including the Dr. Mariano Elia Hands-On Centre, remain suspended, the AGO will continue to bring free talks, performances, tours and art-making experiences to visitors virtually at AGO.ca. The AGO is committed to maintaining an increased online presence to build upon the digital engagement enjoyed by thousands since we closed our doors to the public.
The AGO’s reopening plans are guided by government and public health officials and are designed to remain responsive. Decisions about when and how the AGO will welcome more visitors, and resume its popular free Wednesday nights, will be made in the coming weeks.
The AGO is a not-for-profit organization, and its robust membership program provides a foundation of philanthropic support. The generosity of nearly 100,000 members allows the AGO to fulfill its mission to bring art, learning and audiences together. For more information on how to become a Member, visit AGO.ca/membership today. AGO Annual Passes provide unlimited entry for an entire year. Annual Passes are $35 and free for visitors 25 and under.
@AGOToronto
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 105,000 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. In 2019, the AGO launched a bold new initiative designed to make the museum even more welcoming and accessible with the introduction of free admission for anyone 25 years and under and a $35 annual pass. Visit AGO.ca to learn more.
The AGO is funded in part by the Ontario Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries. 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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Michael Watkins 6/29/2020 |
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