The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is one of the largest museums in North America, and in 2007, became one of Toronto’s most beautiful and interesting pieces of architecture.
Opening for business on March 19, 1914, the ROM sits on the north-east corner of one of Canada’s most storied universities, the University of Toronto. Like many other major museums around the world, the ROM houses thousands of incredible, beautiful, and unbelievable pieces of art. But it was in 2007, after a major architectural transformation, that it became a stand-out piece of architecture in the city, if not THE stand-out piece, with the unveiling of the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal.
The Crystal, which is also the main entrance, is such a commanding and dominant piece of artwork in itself. Standing three stories tall, the aim of the Crystal is to blur the lines between the public openness of the street, and the private interior of the museum. It almost peaks out over the street below.
Really impressive Shane. I love the photograph of the front of the building with the flag tipping to the sky. This place really is a piece of art, from the outside. I can only imagine what creative energy it houses on in the inside.
Thanks Carrie! I appreciate the comment.
The museum houses several of the standard museum-like items – mummies, dinosaurs, etc. But it also has a large Canadian component to it, and I believe it has the tallest totem pole in the world inside. It runs up alongside one of the staircases.
I love totem poles! They are so impressive. I grew up in the Northwest and loved hearing about the stories behind each carved piece of them.
Amazing compositions! I love them and can learn a lot from architecture the way you frame things.
Thanks so much Laura. That means a lot considering I learn something from every image you post.
I’ve since thought of some reflective play compositions I’d like to try with this building sometime, using the windows. And, I’d love to shoot it at night, but I would probably want to research the images that have already been done so I could try something a little different.
OOOooo at night would be really wonderful too. I need to get out and do more architecture. It’s really some of my favorite photography.
Just lovely Shane. Felt like I was visiting the ROM myself. Beautiful work. 🙂
Thanks so much Jamie!
Very nice!!
Thank you Maria 🙂
So, these are all really stunning. I really like how you captured the sky in several of your photos. They seem somewhat ominous based on the way you angled your shots against the architecture. Love it!
Thanks so much Mary, your comment put a huge smile on my face 🙂
Do they have a lot of paintings inside?
Not really, we have the art gallery for that. The ROM is more artifact based.
How’s the trip? Are you back?
Yes, we came back yesterday. Now I can finally see & work on the photos on my own computer 🙂
Awesome, can’t wait to see some.
She is beaut. Inside and out.
She really is 🙂