Historic photos from around Royal Ontario Museum, TorontoThe ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) and surrounding neighbourhood is at the north-east part of the University of Toronto (U. of T.) Besides photos of the museum itself, this page also includes photos of McMaster Hall - now the Royal Conservatory of Music building, the Alexandra Gates and Park Plaza Hotel.The museum itself, on the south side of Bloor Street West, where Avenue Road turns into Queens Park opened on March 19th, 1914. The first part of the building still stands, at the west side along Philosopher's Walk. Numerous additions were made (and removed) including the 1968 McLaughlin Planetarium (which closed in 2009) and the 2007 Michael Lee-Chin Crystal. ROM details:
List of all areas in Toronto or take a look at the historic photos by date. New! You can now access the photos by street address A subset of the photos have also been arranged by subject. |
| 1890 |  | McMaster Hall - now the Royal Conservatory of Music building - built 1881 135 years ago - 1890 - Royal Ontario Museum Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario) |
| 1900 |  | John Shaw house - mayor of Toronto from 1897-9 (constructed 1818 and demolished 1904) (Categorized under: Estates and Houses ) 125 years ago - 1900 - Royal Ontario Museum at 222 Bloor Street West Across from the Royal Conservatory of Music and the ROM Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario) |
| 1901 |  | Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire, arch at Bloor Street and Avenue Road (Categorized under: Alexandra Gates ) 124 years ago - 1901 - Royal Ontario Museum Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1907 |  | Albert Nordheimer Jr.'s home, northwest corner of Bloor Street West and Avenue Road (Categorized under: Ornamental gate ) 118 years ago - 1907 - Royal Ontario Museum Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1908 |  | Albert Nordheimer Jr.s estate, corner of Bloor Street and Avenue Road (Categorized under: Ornamental gate ) 117 years ago - 1908 - Royal Ontario Museum Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1910 |  | Carbrook estate tennis - built 1877 for Archibald Hamilton Campbell (Categorized under: Estates and Houses ) 115 years ago - 1910 - Royal Ontario Museum Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
| 1910 |  | Pool in the Household Science Building (Lillian Massey Building) 115 years ago - 1910 - Royal Ontario Museum at 125 Queens Park s.e corner at Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the University of Toronto Archives) |
| 1912 |  | Site of new University of Toronto buildings between Trinity College and Royal Ontario Museum 113 years ago - 1912 - Royal Ontario Museum Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1914 | | Trees out front of the University Avenue Armouries 111 years ago - Wednesday, May 20, 1914 - Royal Ontario Museum at 361 University Ave Max temp: 28.3°C - Min temp: 10.0°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1915 |  | Bathers in the Household Science Building pool - the Neoclassical Lillian Massey Building by architect George Miller 110 years ago - 1915 - Royal Ontario Museum at 125 Queens Park s.e. corner at Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario) |
| 1915 |  | Alexandra Gates at midnight - looking south from Avenue Road through Bloor to Queens Park (Categorized under: Alexandra Gates ) 110 years ago - 1915 - Royal Ontario Museum Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
| 1920 | | Carbrook - home of Archibald Campbell (built in 1877) s.w. corner of Bloor Street and Avenue Road where ROM is now (Categorized under: Estates and Houses ) 105 years ago - 1920 - Royal Ontario Museum Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1922 | | Royal Ontario Museum south elevation 103 years ago - 1922 - Royal Ontario Museum at 100 Queens Park s.w. corner at Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1924 | | Church of the Redeemer, Bloor and Avenue Road 101 years ago - Sunday, April 20, 1924 - Royal Ontario Museum Max temp: 8.9°C - Min temp: 0.6°C - 2.3cm of snowfall (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1925 | | Future site of the Queens Park Plaza Hotel - north-west corner of Bloor and avenue road with ad for Packard Six Sedan 100 years ago - 1925 - Royal Ontario Museum at 4 Avenue Road n.e. corner at Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1925 |  | Alexandra Gates in original location in front of the household Science Building (Lillian Massey Building) (Categorized under: Alexandra Gates ) 100 years ago - 1925 - Royal Ontario Museum at 125 Queens Park s.e corner at Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the University of Toronto Archives) |
| 1928 | | Avenue Road and Bloor Street, Plaza Hotel under construction in the rain 97 years ago - Thursday, September 20, 1928 - Royal Ontario Museum at 4 Avenue Road n.e. corner at Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1929 | | Carbrook estate standing to our left of the original ROM building in 1929 (Categorized under: Estates and Houses --- Ornamental gate ) 96 years ago - Thursday, April 25, 1929 - Royal Ontario Museum at 100 Queens Park s.w. corner at Bloor Street West Max temp: 11.7°C - Min temp: 7.2°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1930 | | Royal Ontario Museum, Bloor Street West and Avenue Road, looking south (Categorized under: Alexandra Gates ) 95 years ago - 1930 - Royal Ontario Museum at 100 Queens Park s.w. corner at Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1930 | | East side of Queens Park Crescent - Alexandra Gates on far left, Annesley Hall, Womens Residence, on right (Categorized under: Alexandra Gates ) 95 years ago - Monday, May 5, 1930 - Royal Ontario Museum Max temp: 23.9°C - Min temp: 8.9°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1930 |  | Looking across site of new ROM wing towards Victoria College 95 years ago - Saturday, November 1, 1930 - Royal Ontario Museum at 100 Queens Park s.w. corner at Bloor Street West Max temp: 6.1°C - Min temp: 1.1°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the University of Toronto Archives) |
| 1932 | | Church of the Redeemer on Avenue Road looking north from apartment south of Bloor Street through the Alexandra Gates (Categorized under: Churches and other places of worship --- Alexandra Gates ) 93 years ago - Thursday, February 18, 1932 - Royal Ontario Museum Max temp: 0.0°C - Min temp: -8.9°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1933 | | Dinosaur skeleton: Corythosaurus intermedius 92 years ago - Tuesday, June 13, 1933 - Royal Ontario Museum at 100 Queens Park s.w. corner at Bloor Street West Max temp: 14.4°C - Min temp: 7.8°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1933 | | Chinese tomb, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto 92 years ago - Thursday, July 13, 1933 - Royal Ontario Museum at 100 Queens Park s.w. corner at Bloor Street West Max temp: 29.4°C - Min temp: 15.0°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1935 |  | Royal Ontario Museum, looking south along the east facade in a neo-Byzantine style 90 years ago - 1935 - Royal Ontario Museum at 100 Queens Park s.w. cornet at Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario) |
| 1935 |  | Alexandra Gates - drawing of an aerial view of Avenue Road and Bloor (Categorized under: Architectural drawings --- Alexandra Gates ) 90 years ago - Thursday, January 17, 1935 - Royal Ontario Museum Max temp: 3.9°C - Min temp: -5.6°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1935 | | Scheme 1, proposed widening Alexandra gates, Avenue Rd. and Bloor St. W. for the Parks Dept. (Categorized under: Alexandra Gates --- Architectural drawings ) 90 years ago - Thursday, January 17, 1935 - Royal Ontario Museum Max temp: 3.9°C - Min temp: -5.6°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1935 | | Colour sketch of Alexandra Gates when it was on Avenue Road (Categorized under: Architectural drawings --- Alexandra Gates ) 90 years ago - Monday, February 25, 1935 - Royal Ontario Museum Max temp: -3.3°C - Min temp: -6.7°C - 7.6cm of snowfall (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1935 |  | Alexandra Gates, colours for railings and lamps (Categorized under: Alexandra Gates --- Architectural drawings ) 90 years ago - Friday, March 8, 1935 - Royal Ontario Museum Max temp: -2.8°C - Min temp: -12.2°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1937 |  | Standing on the roof of the ROM looking south past the Ontario Legislature (Ingenium Archives, CN Images of Canada Collection, 40110) 88 years ago - 1937 - Royal Ontario Museum at 100 Queens Park s.w. corner at Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the Ingenium Archives) |
| 1950 |  | Park Plaza Hotel from the south - designed by Hugh G. Holman (Categorized under: Hotels ) 75 years ago - Tuesday, July 25, 1950 - Royal Ontario Museum Max temp: 25.0°C - Min temp: 14.4°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario) |
| 1957 | Portrait of a boy on a bench in front of the painting The Hunters Camp by Arthur Heming, 1919 (Categorized under: Portraits ) 68 years ago - 1957 - Royal Ontario Museum at 100 Queens Park s.w. corner at Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the Library and Archives Canada) |
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| 1957 |  | Falconer Hall - eastern building next to the ROM - torn down for McLaughlin Planetarium (Categorized under: McLaughlin Planetarium ) 68 years ago - 1957 - Royal Ontario Museum at 90 Queens Park Link to archive record - Map location (From the University of Toronto Archives) |
| 1957 |  | Royal Ontario Museum with Alexandra Gates still in original location (Categorized under: Alexandra Gates ) 68 years ago - Tuesday, June 25, 1957 - Royal Ontario Museum at 100 Queens Park s.w. corner at Bloor Street West Max temp: 23.9°C - Min temp: 16.7°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
| 1965 |  | Press conference unveiling the McLaughlin Planetarium designed by architects Allward and Gouinlock (Categorized under: McLaughlin Planetarium ) 60 years ago - Wednesday, September 15, 1965 - Royal Ontario Museum at 90 Queens Park Link to archive record - Map location (From the University of Toronto Archives) |
| 1965 |  | Press conference unveiling model of the Zeiss planetarium projector for the McLaughlin Planetarium (Categorized under: McLaughlin Planetarium ) 60 years ago - Wednesday, September 15, 1965 - Royal Ontario Museum at 90 Queens Park Link to archive record - Map location (From the University of Toronto Archives) |
| 1965 |  | Colonel Samuel McLaughlin (left) on his 94th birthday celebration at the McLaughlin Planetarium press conference (Categorized under: McLaughlin Planetarium ) 60 years ago - Wednesday, September 15, 1965 - Royal Ontario Museum at 90 Queens Park Link to archive record - Map location (From the University of Toronto Archives) |
| 1965 |  | Cut away view of the McLaughlin Planetarium model (Categorized under: McLaughlin Planetarium ) 60 years ago - Wednesday, September 15, 1965 - Royal Ontario Museum at 90 Queens Park Link to archive record - Map location (From the University of Toronto Archives) |
| 1967 |  | Round cement base ready for iconic McLauglin Planetarium dome in 1967 (Categorized under: McLaughlin Planetarium ) 58 years ago - Tuesday, December 12, 1967 - Royal Ontario Museum at 90 Queens Park Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
| 1968 |  | Plastic cocoon of more than 26,000 square of polythene sheeting towers 100 feet in the air, protecting the dome of the almost-completed McLaughlin Planetarium (Categorized under: McLaughlin Planetarium ) 57 years ago - Monday, April 8, 1968 - Royal Ontario Museum at 90 Queens Park West end of Charles Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
| 1968 |  | Shedding the plastic coating over the new dome of the McLaughlin Planetarium (Categorized under: McLaughlin Planetarium ) 57 years ago - Friday, April 19, 1968 - Royal Ontario Museum at 90 Queens Park Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
| 1968 |  | Movie poster for The Chelsea girls by Andy Warhol showing at the ROM auditorium in 1968 57 years ago - Saturday, September 21, 1968 - Royal Ontario Museum at 100 Queens Park s.w. corner at Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
| 1968 |  | McLaughlin Planetarium opening - round ball display cases (Categorized under: McLaughlin Planetarium ) 57 years ago - Thursday, October 24, 1968 - Royal Ontario Museum at 90 Queens Park Link to archive record - Map location (From the University of Toronto Archives) |
| 1968 |  | McLaughlin Planetarium opening - rounded wall of Astrocentre Gallery with lunar lander exhibit (Categorized under: McLaughlin Planetarium ) 57 years ago - Thursday, October 24, 1968 - Royal Ontario Museum at 90 Queens Park Link to archive record - Map location (From the University of Toronto Archives) |
| 1968 |  | McLaughlin Planetarium electro-mechanical Zeiss planetarium projector or star projector (Categorized under: McLaughlin Planetarium ) 57 years ago - Thursday, October 24, 1968 - Royal Ontario Museum at 90 Queens Park Link to archive record - Map location (From the University of Toronto Archives) |
| 1968 |  | McLaughlin Planetarium control board (Categorized under: McLaughlin Planetarium ) 57 years ago - Thursday, October 24, 1968 - Royal Ontario Museum at 90 Queens Park Link to archive record - Map location (From the University of Toronto Archives) |
| 1968 |  | McLaughlin Planetarium scale of the planets (Categorized under: McLaughlin Planetarium ) 57 years ago - Thursday, October 24, 1968 - Royal Ontario Museum at 90 Queens Park Link to archive record - Map location (From the University of Toronto Archives) |
| 1968 |  | McLaughlin Planetarium exhibits (Categorized under: McLaughlin Planetarium ) 57 years ago - Thursday, October 24, 1968 - Royal Ontario Museum at 90 Queens Park Link to archive record - Map location (From the University of Toronto Archives) |
| 1968 |  | Aerial view of the McLaughlin Planetarium, Royal Ontario Museum, and U of T Varsity Stadium (Categorized under: McLaughlin Planetarium ) 57 years ago - 1968 - Royal Ontario Museum at 90 Queens Park Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario) |
| 1970 |  | Summer patio with umbrellas in front of the McLaughlin Planetarium (Categorized under: McLaughlin Planetarium ) 55 years ago - Wednesday, June 17, 1970 - Royal Ontario Museum at 90 Queens Park Link to archive record - Map location (From the University of Toronto Archives) |
| 1977 |  | Full view of the projector at the McLaughlin Planetarium (Categorized under: McLaughlin Planetarium ) 48 years ago - 1977 - Royal Ontario Museum at 90 Queens Park Link to archive record - Map location |