Stuff I’m Digging: The AGO

We squeezed onto the subway during the very beginnings of rush hour traffic. Somebody gave up a seat so I could sit with the two kids beside me and Mary in the stroller. “What was your favourite part of the art gallery?” I asked. Crowded subway rides go a lot faster if you can keep the kids engaged. “You took them to the art gallery?!” a fellow passenger interjected. “They had the patience for that?”

My kids are not, in fact, gifted with extraordinary levels of patience. But the AGO is equipped with more than enough to keep small kids happy. We were invited to visit the gallery a couple weeks ago to check out The Dr. Mariano Elia Hands On Centre where kids can engage in creative play and the other kids-friendly features of the museum.

The kid’s hands on room was a popular favourite, but Colum (who’s six) also enjoyed the special kid-geared audio tour of the Picasso exhibit. (As did I.) There was also another space in the main gallery for kids to draw some pictures, play with magnets or otherwise regroup that everybody enjoyed. The AGO has free activity bags for kids, too, to help them engage with the galleries. (Those are best suited for school-aged children, I think.) And the newly opened kids gift shop has lots of cool, arty games and toys for discerning children (or parents).

Family memberships are $130 for the year and include general admission plus entrance to most special exhibits for two adults and up to five children, 17 years and under. It also includes reciprocal benefits at many museums across North America which is very cool.

Also note that the National Film Board’s Mediatheque is right next door and often shows cheap or free films for kids if you’re into making the most of a trip downtown.

And there’s always the sculpture outside, at the very least.