The Gardiner is thrilled to announce the launch of CLAY, an original in-house restaurant offering seasonal menus of fresh, local fare in collaboration with The Food Dudes.
Opening October 20! The Gardiner has reunited for the first time more than 350 objects from Sir William Van Horne’s exceptional collection of Japanese pottery alongside archival materials and stunning watercolours.
Our annual 12 Trees fundraiser has evolved into New + Now, a celebration of national and international ceramics. View and purchase some of the world’s most extraordinary contemporary ceramic art, on display in Toronto for the first time.
The Gardiner Museum is among the few museums in the world focused on ceramics, and is one of the most important specialty museums internationally. It houses approximately 4,000 objects, including European porcelain, ceramics from the Ancient Americas, Chinese porcelain, Japanese porcelain, and contemporary ceramics. Search the collection online!
Everyone can love clay! Become a Friend at one of the world’s great specialty museums and enjoy the benefits, including unlimited admission, invitations to exhibition previews and special events, discounts on lectures and clay classes, and more.
The Gardiner Museum houses many interesting and unique treasures but none more valuable than its volunteers.
If you have energy, enthusiasm, and a few hours each week or month to share with us, please consider becoming a volunteer at the Museum. Our volunteers are involved in different areas and roles such as at the Front Desk, in the Gardiner Shop, as Docents (giving tours), Meet & Greet (welcoming visitors to the galleries), assisting in the Archives/Library, and assisting with Museum mailings.
Training and Orientation sessions will be provided through group and one-to-one shadowing experiences. Volunteers In-Training will have a training and trial period. At the successful completion of the training process, Volunteers In-Training will be asked to become a Gardiner Friend and volunteer for ideally 80 hours each year.
The Gardiner Museum does several volunteer intakes a year. Please fill out the form at the bottom of this page and hit submit to be informed of our next intake session. If you have any questions, please email mail@gardinermuseum.com.
Archives/Library Volunteers in the Archives should have archival training, be detail oriented, and interested in preserving the history of the Museum. Volunteers in the Library provide services to researchers and others interested in ceramics. Experience in assisting or working in a library is an advantage for this position.
Docents Volunteers are required to commit to and take an extensive course of study and training offered at the museum. A commitment of two years is required following training. Docents provide tours of the permanent collection and the special exhibits.
Front Desk Volunteers welcome visitors, process admissions using a POS (Point of Sale) counterpoint system, provide information on the museum including memberships and programs & services offered.
Gardiner Shop Volunteers should enjoy a retail atmosphere, be customer service oriented, and become familiar with the merchandise and artists featured in the shop. Applicant must feel comfortable using a POS (Point of Sale) Counterpoint system.
Mailing In addition to volunteering in other areas listed here, volunteers may consider assisting the Museum staff with the mailing of Special Event Notices, Membership Information and Renewals, and other items throughout the year.
Meet and Greet Volunteers welcome visitors to the galleries by providing additional information about the Museum’s collections and its history. Current or previous Gardiner Museum membership would be an asset. Meet & Greet shifts are from 10:45 am – 3 pm daily.
Family Day Volunteers Family Day volunteers work with the Education Department to implement weekend programming for children on Sundays from 11 am to 4 pm. This role involves working with families and children to engage them in hands-on activities, alternating between clay workshops and tile painting. Candidates will receive much needed experience if they wish to work with children as an early childhood educator, teacher, or educator in the arts. Applicants must be 18 years or older, registered in or graduated from high school, and able to make a commitment to the Museum of two Sundays a month for a 6 month period.
Prior to completing an application you are asked to visit the Museum galleries, the Gardiner Shop, perhaps speak with a volunteer, and if possible, take a Docent Tour (offered daily at 2 pm).
Take the first step to becoming a Volunteer by visiting the Museum! We hope the time you spend during your visit will give you a better understanding of what the Gardiner has to offer.
There are many benefits to volunteering at the Gardiner, including:
Thank you for considering volunteering at the Gardiner Museum.
Volunteer Form
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