We are temporarily closed in accordance with the Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health and the Government of Ontario. We are so grateful for the support of our community and look forward to welcoming you back as soon as possible.
Opening February 24, Shary Boyle: Outside the Palace of Me is a multi-sensory installation including drawings, ceramic sculpture, life-sized automatons, two-way mirrors, coin-operated sculpture, and an interactive score.
Join us online on February 1 at 1 pm for our annual Bell Lecture. Dr. Chih-En Chen, Lecturer of East Asian Art History at the University of Toronto, will discuss the little-known history of Qing trompe l'oeil porcelain. Get tickets!
Every object in our permanent collection can be accessed through our eMuseum portal. Learn about individual collecting areas, like Italian Maiolica or Modern and Contemporary Ceramics, or search the full collection by keyword. You'll be amazed by what you discover!
We need your support now more than ever! Help us continue to offer innovative and engaging exhibitions, programs, and community projects online, as well as plan for the future. Please consider making a donation today.
The Gail Brooker Ceramic Research Library is a comprehensive reference centre for research in the field of ceramics.
The collection was founded in 1988 when George R. Gardiner donated 387 books, periodicals, journals, and engravings relating to the history, production, style, and sources of European ceramics. Today the collection includes over 2,500 volumes, in addition to periodicals, international auction catalogues, rare books, engravings, and scrapbooks, as well as several special collections. The library’s strengths are a reflection of the collection of the Gardiner Museum, and recent additions include collections on contemporary ceramics, Asian porcelain, and the Ancient Americas.
The library catalogue is part of the University of Toronto Library System (UTCat).
Visiting the Library
The library is a non-circulating research collection, but we welcome everyone to visit our facilities, located in the Museum.