It’s raining and it doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. Your lunch picnic with your friends in Grange Park is totally botched.
Instead of cancelling your plans, grab an umbrella and head a couple blocks south to 401 Richmond St. W.
What looks like an ordinary brick building from the outside was originally a tin factory, built between 1899 and 1923. It’s now home to the Museum of Toronto, a local history museum and a vibrant third space perfect for your next hangout.
Launched in 2015, the Museum of Toronto tells the multi-layered history of the city through pop-up exhibitions, public programming and digital storytelling. The museum seeks to strengthen community in Toronto by helping Torontonians see themselves in our city’s shared story.
If your idea of Canadian history is a dusty textbook about the War of 1812 (if you know you know), this museum will surprise you with a fresh, thoughtful take on unique stories from Toronto’s past.
Its current exhibition, The T.O. You Don’t Know, explores the stories of over 50 historic sites that often go untold — from lost subway stations to a hotel that was once a haven for lesbian women and Chinese men in the 1950s to coded tiles lining homes in Little Portugal. Check it out to immerse yourself in Toronto’s history from a hyperlocal perspective. Opened on June 11, this exhibit runs until December 30, 2026.
The museum is wheelchair accessible, family-friendly and easily accessed by TTC via the 510 streetcar line, just 250 metres from the Queen Street West and Spadina Avenue stop.
After you’ve wandered through Toronto’s past, don’t hop back on the streetcar just yet.
Beyond the museum, 401 Richmond is also an arts and culture hub with dozens of local art galleries, artisan shops and over 10,000 square feet of green space to hang out, including an interior courtyard that practically feels like a Parisian garden. Dark Horse Espresso Bar is also in the building, one of my favorite spots for coffee in the city with great flat whites and pastries.
So, the next time someone calls history “boring” or tries to tell you Toronto is “too modern” to have an interesting past, take them to the Museum of Toronto. Our city is so much more than glass towers and expensive matcha — spending an afternoon at this free museum makes that very clear.
Check out more interesting spots for your next hangout with The Green Line’s Third Spaces Map.
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