The Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art was opened in 1984 by George and Helen Gardiner to house their collection of ancient American artefacts and European pottery and porcelain. Between 1987 and 1996 it was managed by the Royal Ontario Museum, but a generous endowment from George Gardiner allowed it to regain its independence.

Attendance, membership, and program participation more than doubled over the next seven years, and the Museum became an important centre for ceramics in North America. The Museum was closed from 2004 to 2006 for a major expansion. Today the Museum boasts an expanding permanent collection, a full schedule of exhibitions and programs, and a growing audience.

THE MUSEUM FOUNDERS
George R. Gardiner and Helen E. Gardiner

Born in 1917 in Toronto, George Gardiner graduated from the University of Toronto and the Harvard Business School. After working on New York’s Wall Street and in the iron-munitions industry, he returned to Toronto in 1946 to start his own stock-brokerage firm. He rose steadily to become a strong presence in Canadian business; he chaired several Toronto-based firms and, in 1962-64, the Toronto Stock Exchange. As well, he contributed to the establishment of York University’s prestigious school of business.

George Gardiner began collecting ceramics in 1976, initially to decorate his home. His interests were eclectic – Ancient Americas, 18th-century European, and Chinese – and his collections assumed significant dimensions. He was joined in this passion by his wife, Helen, a native of Kirkland Lake, Ont., who had studied at York University. In 1984 they co-founded the Gardiner Museum. The Gardiners’ hope, Helen later wrote, was that the Museum “would contribute in a meaningful way to the understanding and appreciation of ceramic art worldwide.”

George Gardiner chaired its board until 1994. Following his death in 1997, Helen continued to support our community as a major philanthropist. She served as honorary chair of the capital campaign for the Museum’s expansion, and remained active with the Museum until her death in 2008.

In recognition of their contributions the Gardiners have been admitted to the Order of Canada.