5 can’t-miss cultural spots near 300 Bloor Street West

Bloor Street is known for many things – luxury retail, the tree-lined paths of Philosopher’s Walk, the beautiful Gothic Revival buildings that dot the campuses at UofT, and a slate of restaurants and cafés loved by gourmands around the city.

It’s also a bustling hub of culture with the Bloor Street Culture Corridor stretching one mile from Bathurst to Bay, home to a dozen permanent world‐class arts organizations and venues.

From your new suite at 300 Bloor Street West you’ll be steps away from the city’s most venerable institutions for music, film, art, and history. Whether your tastes run classic or contemporary, whether you favour Westwood, Wes Anderson, or Wagner, you’ll find something to surprise and delight. Clear your calendar, culture is on the agenda.

Royal Ontario Museum
The Royal Ontario Museum is home to a world-class collection of art objects and natural history specimens from around the world and across the ages. Upcoming exhibits include an immersive and playful exhibition on one of the most adored fictional characters of all time – Winnie-the-Pooh; a look at thousands of years of India’s painted and printed cottons; and photographs from the most prestigious nature photography competition in the world. Have fun exploring the largest museum in Canada.
100 Queens Park | 9-minute walk

Bata Shoe Museum
North America’s world-renowned shoe museum is a veritable treasure trove of shoes and shoe-related artifacts. Explore an unrivalled collection across five floors. Marvel at heels, sneakers, platforms, sandals, and pointe shoes that once belonged to Roger Federer, Elton John, Karen Kain, Marilyn Monroe, Robert Redford, Elizabeth Taylor, Queen Victoria, and Terry Fox.
327 Bloor Street West | 2-minute walk

Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema
This historic, century-old cinema was one of the first picture palaces in Toronto and is now home to first-run Canadian and international documentaries year-round. It began its illustrious history as the Madison Theatre, and has since had many names including The Capri, Eden, Bloor Theatre, and the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema. In 2016, following a generous gift from the Rogers Foundation, the cinema was officially named the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema.

Today the theatre, conveniently located at Bathurst Subway Station, continues to share the best in documentary programming, including The Great Green Wall, a breathtaking music-filled journey documenting an initiative to restore 8000 km of land across Africa and Ai Weiwei: Yours Truly, where the renowned artist and activist transforms Alcatraz prison into an astonishing act of socially engaged art;
506 Bloor Street West | 9-minute walk

The Royal Conservatory of Music
The Royal Conservatory is one of the largest and most respected music education institutions in the world. It’s also home to Koerner Hall, a dazzling “shoebox-style” venue described by famed concert pianist Lang Lang as “the best acoustic hall in the world.” The space has attracted performers as diverse as Yo-Yo Ma and Meryl Streep, and is renowned for its unparalleled acoustics.
273 Bloor Street West | 6-minute walk

Yorkville Galleries
This may not be one venue per se, but the collection of galleries in Yorkville is certainly a cultural experience not to be missed. From the contemporary Canadian and international art at Mira Godard Gallery, to the fine arts and photography at LUMAS, there are myriad spaces that will inspire. Flip through rare, out of print, and limited-edition Canadian art books at Ingram Gallery. “Score” a great Instagram pic with the sculpture of a Canadian hockey goalie out front of Loch Gallery on Hazelton Avenue.
Yorkville | 11-minute walk