The Gardiner is now open from Thursday - Sunday, including free weekend admission! There's plenty of space to reconnect and amazing art to discover in all corners of the Museum. Clay Restaurant is still open Tuesday - Sunday. Reservations fill up fast, so book your table early. Please read our new health and safety policies before you visit.
From sticky to crusty, pliable to powdery, and shaped to shapeless, clay’s ability to transform in real time is prompting a new generation of artists to explore the possibilities of this ancient material. RAW features new work by four artists who are pushing boundaries with unfired clay: Cassils, Magdolene Dykstra, Azza El Siddique, and Linda Swanson. See it now!
We're firing up the kilns again! Join us on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 - 3 pm for drop in clay classes in our pottery studios. We've reduced our class sizes to allow for safe physical distancing, and instituted new health and safety protocols. Registration opens online at 10 am on the morning of the class. We can't wait to see you back in the studios!
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!
As we begin to welcome visitors back to the Gardiner, we need your support to continue offering innovative and engaging exhibitions, programs, and community projects on site and online. Make a donation and help us build community with clay.
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.