The following awards and honours have recognized the work of the Gardiner Museum, its staff, and its partners.

2008 Royal Institute of British Architects International Award
Architectural firm Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg was awarded the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) International Award for their work redesigning of the Gardiner Museum.

2007 Top 100 Most Powerful Women
Alexandra Montgomery, Executive Director of the Gardiner Museum, was named one of the Top 100 Most Powerful Women of 2007 by the Women’s Executive Network. More on this award

2007 Good Design is Good Business
KPMB, the architectural firm responsible for the re-design of the Museum, was awarded the Good Design is Good Busines "citation for excellence" for their innovative on the Museum. This was the 10th annual award contest held by BusinessWeek and Architectural Record magazines. More on this award

2006 Ray Blackwell Award for Excellence in Art Education
The award is the highest recognition of outstanding contribution to visual arts education given by Ontario Society of Education Through Art (OSEA). The Gardiner is especially honoured to receive the award because this is the first time it has presented it to an institution rather than an individual. More on this award

2006 GE Edison Award
Presented on May 7, 2007 in New York City to Suzanne Powadiuk Design Inc. for her lighting design for the new Gardiner Museum. More on this award

2006 Pug Award
Established to raise public awareness of architecture and elevate design standards for development projects in Toronto, the Pug Award is a people’s choice award for new commercial and institutional development. In the 2006 the redesigned Gardiner Museum was voted Toronto’s favourite new commercial building. 

2006 Toronto’s Top Art Show
Voted “Top Art Show” by NOW magazine for Jean-Pierre Laroque exhibition.  

2006 Best Museum Shop
The Gardiner Shop was voted “Best Museum Shop” by NOW Magazine.  

2005 Tourism Marketing Partnership of the Year Award
Partners: Gardiner Museum, Art Gallery of Ontario, Royal Ontario Museum
For the Modigliani, Picasso, Pearls campaign, with strategy and creative by Scott Thornley + Company
Awarded by the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership

2005 The Golden Pen Award
Recipients: Meredith Chilton
For Harlequin Unmasked: the Commedia dell’Arte and Porcelain Sculpture
Awarded By: United States Institute for Theatre Technology

2003 Lieutenant Governor’s Award for the Arts (Jackman-Bickell Award)
Recipient: Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art
In recognition of the Museum’s exceptional private sector and community support
Awarded by the Ontario Arts Council Foundation

2003 Award for Outstanding Achievement
Recipient: Scott Thornley + Company, Gardiner Museum partner
For The Artful Teapot: 20th Century Expressions from the Kamm Collection
Awarded by Canadian Museums Association

2003 Lieutenant Governor’s Award for the Arts (Jackman-Bickell Award)
Recipient: Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art
In recognition of the Museum’s exceptional private sector and community support
Awarded by the Ontario Arts Council Foundation

2003 Samuel E. Weir Partners Award
Recipient: George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation, Gardiner Museum partner
For The Wheel Project: a Community Arts Exhibition
Awarded by the Ontario Association of Art Galleries

2003 Educator Award
Recipients: Art Gallery of Ontario (coordinating institution) and contributing partners Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, Textile Museum of Canada, Harbourfront Centre, and Toronto District School Board
For Made by Hand/Hecho a Mano
Awarded by the Ontario Association of Art Galleries

2003 Design Award
Recipient: John Dalrymple
For Cloth and Clay: Communicating with Culture, a joint project of Textile Museum
of Canada and Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art
Awarded by the Ontario Association of Art Galleries

2003 Museum Publications Design Competition, Second Prize
Recipients: Textile Museum of Canada and Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art
For Cloth and Clay: Communicating with Culture
Awarded by the American Association of Museums

2002 Barnard Hewitt Award for Outstanding Research in Theatre History
Recipients: Meredith Chilton
For Harlequin Unmasked: the Commedia dell’Arte and Porcelain Sculpture
Awarded By: The American Society for Theatre Research

2001 Lieutenant Governor’s Award for the Arts (Jackman-Bickell Award)
Recipient: Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art
In recognition of the Museum’s exceptional private sector and community support
Awarded by the Ontario Arts Council Foundation

2001 George Freedley Memorial Award
For the best book on live theatre published in the United States
Recipient: Meredith Chilton
For Harlequin Unmasked: the Commedia dell’Arte and Porcelain Sculpture
Awarded by The Theatre Library Association (New York)

2001 Barnard Hewitt Award for Outstanding Research in Theatre History
Recipient: Meredith Chilton
For Harlequin Unmasked: the Commedia dell’Arte and Porcelain Sculpture
Awarded by the American Society for Theatre Research

2001 John Mather Award
Recipient: Susan Jefferies
For her contribution to Canadian ceramics
Awarded by the Ontario Crafts Council

2000 Partners Award
Recipient: Investors Group, Gardiner Museum partner
For Maya Universe
Awarded by the Ontario Association of Art Galleries

1998 Awards of Merit for Outstanding Achievement in Programming and Interpretation
Recipients: Diane Wolfe and Susan Jefferies
Awarded by the Ontario Museum Association

1996 Best Small Exhibit
For the Gardiner Museum’s permanent gallery of commedia dell’arte porcelain sculpture
Toronto Life magazine

1991 Most Exquisite Fine Arts Show in Canada
For Porcelain Boxes: Miniature Masterpieces of the Eighteenth Century, Gardiner Museum exhibition curated by Meredith Chilton
Sunday Sun Fine Arts, Best of 1991 Review