As someone who HATES the cold, the winter season in Toronto tends to feel like the longest six months to exist. But this new year, I refuse to let any weather stop me from living my best life… indoors.
Museums and art galleries make for the perfect indoor date idea during the winter months to spend quality time with your loved ones while enjoying endless collections of exhibits, interactive displays, and hands-on workshops. Lucky for us, Toronto has a vast number of them spread across the entire city that you can check out this year.
ROM (Royal Ontario Museum)
Address: 100 Queens Park, Toronto
Canada’s most visited and second-largest museum lies right in the heart of downtown Toronto, with its iconic crystal-like structure rising behind the Ontario Legislature. It’s home to 18 million artworks, artifacts, and specimens from across the globe and history, alongside rotating exhibitions, installations and weekly events.
For a more elevated date night, check out ROM After Dark — their 19+ evening series featuring themed exhibits, DJs, live performances, and cocktails throughout the museum. It’s a fun and unexpected way to experience the space beyond your typical daytime visit.
Take advantage of Plan Ahead Pricing by reserving your visit in advance for cheaper admission or swing by on the third Tuesday of every month for free entry.
Check out their daily updated schedule here.
AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario)
Address: 317 Dundas St W, Toronto
The Art Gallery of Ontario is one of the largest art museums in North America, home to an impressive collection of Canadian, Indigenous, contemporary, and European works. With rotating exhibitions and special events like AGO Friday Nights, no two visits ever feel the same, making it an easy go-to for repeat date nights.
Located in the heart of Toronto’s Chinatown, the AGO is perfectly positioned for pairing your visit with dinner, drinks, or dessert nearby, whether you’re keeping things casual or making a full night of it. The gallery’s airy spaces and stunning interior also make it a great place to wander, linger, and spark conversation along the way.
Plus, admission is free for anyone under 25 — a major win for budget-friendly date plans!
Check out their current and upcoming rotations here.
MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art)
Address: 158 Sterling Rd #100, Toronto
Located in a former industrial building in Toronto’s west end, MOCA is dedicated to bold, experimental contemporary art with rotating exhibitions, talks, and screenings that make every visit feel fresh. The gallery’s smaller, more intimate layout encourages slower wandering and easy conversation, making it a great pick for a low-pressure first date.
The museum fosters active dialogue, participation, and celebrates complexity, serving as a place for artists to provoke ideas, discussion, and challenges as a hub for inclusivity and creativity.
Check out their current exhibition here and their upcoming events calendar here.
BATA Shoe Museum
Address: 327 Bloor St W, Toronto
The BATA Shoe Museum is one of the only museums in the world dedicated entirely to footwear, featuring shoes from across cultures, history, fashion and pop culture — how niche! The museum’s small space makes for an easy-to-explore date idea that can easily be paired with dinner, drinks, or dessert in the luxurious Yorkville neighbourhood.
Check out what they’ve got on right now!
PAMA (Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives)
Address: 9 Wellington St E, Brampton
This hidden gem is located in Brampton and combines art, local history, and rotating exhibitions under one roof. It’s way quieter, more relaxed, and less crowded compared to the more well-known downtown Toronto museums and offers talks, workshops, and community programming great for a more lowkey date night.
Fun fact: the museum’s buildings are actually its largest artifacts. The site is made up of three historic structures, including the former Peel County Courthouse and Jail, the Registry Office, and the Modernist Building.
Check out their lineup of exhibitions here and upcoming workshops for kids, families, and adults here.
Museum of Illusions
Address: 132 Front St E, Toronto
This interactive, hands-on museum is filled with optical illusions, holograms, stereograms, and immersive rooms designed to tease your senses and trick your mind. Playful and lighthearted by design, it’s the perfect first-date spot to break the ice while exploring a visually intriguing and surprisingly educational experience.
Plus, they’ve got TONS of photo ops throughout, so hello Instagram content!
See a full list of their exhibits, illusion rooms, and installations here.
Aga Khan Museum
Address: 77 Wynford Dr, North York
Dedicated to Islamic art, culture, and history, the Aga Khan Museum brings stunning architecture and a sense of serenity to the Don Mills area. Its calm, reflective atmosphere makes it perfect for a solo date or a laid-back experience with a loved one. With year-round rotating exhibitions, performances, and cultural programming both inside the museum and throughout its beautiful chahar bagh (four-part garden), it’s truly something special — and well worth the trip outside the downtown core.
They also have a Courtyard Café and a fine-dining restaurant, Diwan, for a light bite or sit-down meal to round out your date experience.
Visit their website for a full list of current exhibitions.
Casa Loma
Address: 1 Austin Terrace, Toronto
This famous castle has a lot more to it than meets the eye. I myself am just learning that they have actual exhibits that you can explore: from secret passageways, to towers, to historic rooms. With sweeping city views and great photo ops, Casa Loma hosts all kinds of seasonal events and themed nights, making for the most romantic date that is straight out of a fairytale.
You can even dine at their award-winning Blueblood Steakhouse for a truly magical experience fit for any special occasion.
Spadina Museum
Address: 285 Spadina Rd, Toronto
This converted historic home offers a glimpse into early 20th-century life in Toronto, an era of rapid disruption and change (i.e. WW1, The Great Depression, and the introduction of the telephone). It’s a quiet, charming and low-key space ideal for history lovers or for a peaceful afternoon date, and can be easily paired with a walking tour around the neighbourhood.
Visit the City of Toronto website for more information on their hours, as well as upcoming events and exhibits.
Mercer Union
Address: 1286 Bloor St W, Toronto
Mercer Union is a non-profit, artist-run contemporary art gallery, dedicated to encouraging critical inquiry and conversation while supporting experimentation and artistic expression. Through ambitious exhibitions that empower diverse Canadian and international artists, this free gallery makes for an art-forward, conversation-heavy date, great for deepening connections.
Take a look at their current roster here.
Little Canada
Address: 10 Dundas St E Basement2, Toronto
If you’ve ever wanted to see what Canada looks like from above, this might be the perfect date idea for you. Little Canada is an immersive miniature exhibition showcasing the beauties of the country we call home. Check out and interact with your favourite Canadian cities and landscapes in a surprisingly detailed yet equally charming exhibit that’s fun, nostalgic, and playful. It’s an unforgettable date idea for friends, family, or with a romantic partner, no matter your age!
You can even get “littlized” yourself and give your Little Me a home in one of 60 locations in Little Canada, or take it home as your own keepsake!
Grab your tickets and head to Little Canada this winter season!
The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery
Address: 231 Queens Quay W, Toronto
Situated along Toronto’s waterfront, The Power Plant is Canada’s leading public gallery devoted to contemporary art, ideas, and conversations. With free admission and a bright, open space located near Toronto’s waterfront, it makes for a welcoming and approachable experience ideal for a casual yet artsy date that pairs perfectly with a lakeview stroll or dinner nearby
Check out their current rotation of exhibitions here.
Cold weather or not, Toronto’s museums and galleries make it easy to plan a thoughtful, memorable date any time of year. So whether you’re meeting someone for the first time or scheduling a long-overdue catch-up, these indoor experiences are the perfect way to slow down and spend time together and prove that great dates don’t need great weather (although it is a plus).
Staying in for date night tonight? That still counts and here are some cozy ideas to get your date off to the right start.
