Andrew3D
Active Member
I forgot to post these, I was there two weeks ago.
simply Dan
Active Member
Spectacular. Yeay - now we're finally world-class! 
Sir Novelty Fashion
Senior Member
Very nice.
I'm befuddled - where exactly is this eatery? Is it in the fare-paid zone? Or can I just wander in for a pulled pork and lemonade?
I'm befuddled - where exactly is this eatery? Is it in the fare-paid zone? Or can I just wander in for a pulled pork and lemonade?
MetroMan
Senior Member
Yeah, it's accessible from the Crystal's fare-paid area only. It's under the Philosopher's Walk historical wing.
Urban Shocker
Doyenne
I wish they'd display the ROM's own publications more prominently, and sell the full range, in the Museum Store.
ShonTron
Moderator
The Food Studio sounds OK. Too bad there's now a $20 charge to get in, the highest I've seen for a public museum.
Urban Shocker
Doyenne
There is free admission after 8 pm for an hour and a half, every Friday. The Gardiner is free too, from 4 pm until closing on Fridays, and all day every first Friday of the month.
alklay
Senior Member
Yes, the price is a very big barrier for a lot of people in the city. Its unfortunate that less will be able to attend (or will be inclined to attend) at that price level.
Urban Shocker
Doyenne
The free admission on Friday nights includes all the special exhibitions too.
MetroMan
Senior Member
Yesterday, I was kind of relieved that the museum isn't free. As a member, I go there very often to appreciate history but also to sit in a chair and work on my laptop with the richness of history surrounding me and inspiring me.
Yesterday, as I sat in the old wing, several people were sleeping on the couches with their shoes off and snoring... it felt very cheap, very low class. Others were sitting in galleries speaking very loud, telling jokes... it was disconcerting. I couldn't appreciate anything at the museum.
Now imagine if just anybody could walk in there. We got a taste of that during the opening of the Crystal. People who know nothing about the culture and history within the museum went there and behaved obnoxiously, running up walls, shouting, chasing after eachother, uncovering pieces that were veiled because they weren't ready for display.
If you don't want to pay $20 bucks to visit the museum, the odds are you're not that interested in it to begin with and likely don't know the proper etiquette to follow in such a venue.
For those who can't afford it, like Urban Shocker said, there is a Free all day Friday once a month and Free after 6:30 as well.
Yesterday, as I sat in the old wing, several people were sleeping on the couches with their shoes off and snoring... it felt very cheap, very low class. Others were sitting in galleries speaking very loud, telling jokes... it was disconcerting. I couldn't appreciate anything at the museum.
Now imagine if just anybody could walk in there. We got a taste of that during the opening of the Crystal. People who know nothing about the culture and history within the museum went there and behaved obnoxiously, running up walls, shouting, chasing after eachother, uncovering pieces that were veiled because they weren't ready for display.
If you don't want to pay $20 bucks to visit the museum, the odds are you're not that interested in it to begin with and likely don't know the proper etiquette to follow in such a venue.
For those who can't afford it, like Urban Shocker said, there is a Free all day Friday once a month and Free after 6:30 as well.
Urban Shocker
Doyenne
One of the delights of Nuit Blanche was seeing so many people visiting the ROM who had obviously never been there before, looking at art and enjoying themselves. I'm in favour of free admission all the time. We own everything in the ROM, collectively, so the more we encourage people to drop by whenever they want to in order to get to know the beautiful objects on display, the better they'll be appreciated.
There are commonly-held misconceptions about museums, art galleries, theatres, opera and ballet houses etc. that act as barriers to the appreciation of what happens inside them. One good way of disabusing people of these faulty ideas is to open up the doors and let the public flood in.
There are commonly-held misconceptions about museums, art galleries, theatres, opera and ballet houses etc. that act as barriers to the appreciation of what happens inside them. One good way of disabusing people of these faulty ideas is to open up the doors and let the public flood in.
wyliepoon
Senior Member
Maybe the ROM should take a page out of Chicago's museums with its price structure...
1. Discounted admission for Toronto/Ontario residents (I believe this was proposed before, and was very controversial).
2. They should bring back free admission on Friday nights, but only at certain times of the year when fewer people visit the museum and/or when the ROM thinks it should boost its number of visitors.
For example, the Art Institute of Chicago has free evenings during the summer only, while the Museum of Science and Industry has a big list of "free days" over the course of the year.
1. Discounted admission for Toronto/Ontario residents (I believe this was proposed before, and was very controversial).
2. They should bring back free admission on Friday nights, but only at certain times of the year when fewer people visit the museum and/or when the ROM thinks it should boost its number of visitors.
For example, the Art Institute of Chicago has free evenings during the summer only, while the Museum of Science and Industry has a big list of "free days" over the course of the year.
Urban Shocker
Doyenne
The reintroduction of free admission to many British galleries and museums over the past few years has boosted public exposure to the arts and cultural heritage tremendously. The ROM used to be free until about 1960 I believe.
ShonTron
Moderator
That would be such a shame, wouldn't it?
I think most people who would go to the ROM actually would treat it with respect, otherwise, they wouldn't go. I think a more reasonable admission (say even $10), or a pay-what-you-can, would be much more democratic, and less elitist.
MetroMan
Senior Member
Not true, as like I said, many people (mostly young people) visiting the Crystal during the free days were climbing up the walls, challenging and mocking the authority of ROM staff and touching things they shouldn't touch.
I think you got the wrong impression when I posed the question: "What if just anybody could walk in there?". What I mean by that is you would probably see the ROM turning into "the mall" where you'd find all sorts of people who would use the building for purposes other than to appreciate what's inside it.
If right now, you see people sleeping on the couches, imagine what you'd see if any punk could go in there with their friends... not to mention homeless people in the Bloor + Queens Park area taking advantage of the A/C and comfy couches...
I do like the idea of allowing Ontarians to come in with a discount since we collectively already own the ROM's collection. Even a token price such as $5 would bring in people who want to come, versus those who would just go there to hang out.