The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is the only major gallery with a mandate to collect, preserve and celebrate Canadian art exclusively. The permanent collection consists of more than 7,000 works by historic and present-day Canadian artists, including Tom Thomson, the Group of Seven and their contemporaries, Indigenous artists and artists from the many diasporic communities.
Hours of Operation
The McMichael is open 10 am to 5 pm, Tuesdays through Sundays, and Holiday Mondays; check mcmichael.com for details before you visit.
SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS
On view through to March 22, 2026
Tales of Empire presents bodies of work by Stan Douglas that examine various colonization efforts globally, over time—an enduring theme that shapes much of his work. Curated by McMichael Executive Director and Chief Curator Sarah Milroy, the exhibition brings together five major photographic series that reflect Douglas’s incisive investigations into history, memory, and the impress of empire on both landscapes and lives.
Early Days: Indigenous Art at the McMichael
On view through to March 29, 2026
Early Days presents more than 100 works from the McMichael’s permanent collection spanning more than two centuries, from 18th-century regalia and trade items to Northwest coast masks, to the groundbreaking work of artists from the 1960s through the 1980s, and powerful contemporary pieces by leading voices today. The exhibition showcases work by Norval Morrisseau, Robert Houle, Carl Beam, Alex Janvier, Shelly Niro, Faye HeavyShield, Rebecca Belmore, Kent Monkman, Meryl McMaster, and many others. Their works—including painting, sculpture, printmaking, textile, and video— reveal the cultural continuity, resilience, and innovation of Indigenous artistic practices across generations.
On view through July 5, 2026
Close to Home brings together paintings, drawings, and prints created in and around Kleinburg, Vaughan, Thornhill, North York, Markham, Bolton, Orillia, Barrie, and neighbouring locales. These works reflect the deep connections several Group members had to the region: J.E.H. MacDonald, Arthur Lismer, and Fred Varley all lived for a time in Thornhill; Franklin Carmichael grew up in Orillia and later lived in Lansing (North York); and Lawren Harris’s family maintained a property at Allandale on Lake Simcoe. From these vantage points, the artists produced bold, colourful works both en plein air and in their studios, often focusing on agricultural life, brilliant autumn foliage, and the ever-changing southern Ontario sky.
Programs & Events
CLICK HERE to see more of what’s on at the McMichael
About the McMichael
The McMichael provides a unique arts and cultural experience for visitors, from the art that hangs on the walls to the spectacular grounds, Sculpture Garden, and hiking trails. Overlooking 100+ acres of stunning woodland, the gallery is built of fieldstone and hand-hewn logs in a modernist design with floor-to-ceiling windows that enable gallery-goers to take in marvelous views of the densely wooded Humber River Valley.
Located in the historic Village of Kleinburg, the McMichael is easily accessible from downtown Toronto. The village’s charming boutiques and restaurants are the perfect way to round out the day.
The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is an agency of the Government of Ontario and acknowledges the support of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, and the McMichael Canadian Art Foundation.
Virtually all of our collection is publicly listed. To search for a particular artist or work, you can use our e-museum search engine. Search the collection now. Our Library and Archives are also an incredibly valuable asset which you can search both in person and online. CLICK HERE to learn more about our Library and Archives.
