WRITTEN BY
Nathalie Prézeau, author of Toronto Fun Places
If you’ve not been to the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) since the completion of its ambitious renovation, aren’t you in for a surprise! The different layout definitely offers a whole new experience and a real take on contemporary art but the big question in every parent’s mind remains: What’s in it for my kids? I took two eleven-year-olds along with me to get reacquainted with the AGO.
The 600-foot-long glass and wood new facade is truly impressive, standing like a huge Noah’s ark along Dundas Street. We went straight to the Concourse Level because I was curious to see what they had done with the Off the Wall! room (now presented as the Hands On Centre on their map). I was first disappointed by the space, which lacks the whimsical feeling of its old version, but my real troopers quickly got into an origami craft offered by one of the nice staff members while I observed the families engaged in different activities.
Some were digging their child out of a pile of wide cushions, others were initiating their little guy to the joy of erasing chalk scribblings off the wide black wall. One had his body lined on a huge paper roll, others were stacking an eclectic selection of objects on a pole. We spent some time creating a crazy costume for my daughter with a wild assortment of pieces of fabric mounted with velcro and zippers. Forty minutes later, we headed for the rest of the museum.
Modern art is now wonderfully showcased at the AGO and I really enjoyed discovering it with my 11-year-old daughter and her friend. I must say that it is hard, even for the adults, to refrain from touching the displays so I can imagine how frustrating it must be for younger children not to touch the over 50 cardboard tires on the floor lying next to a giant 2-metre-wide scarf over 70 metres long, in the Contemporary on Level 1.
We walked straight to the back of the building as we passed the admission gate to see if the Grange house was still open (it is), and were stunned by the modern installation The Index, in the atrium by the historic 
building. What a sight! As slick and cold as a glossy picture from a high-end fashion magazine, an angular grotto made of mirrors awaited, with real stuffed animals in its nooks and crannies, and with bird-men overlooking werewolves torn in pieces by fragments of mirrors… I don’t recommend this section for kids under 10 but my two buddies were literally fascinated by this work of art. (You can easily avoid it by using the central staircase to access the upper floors.)
We chose to take the elevators to go directly to Level 5, saving the gorgeous wooden staircase to access the lower floors afterwards. On the 5th floor, you’ve got to see the hyper-realistic gigantic stretched bust made of silicone and hair by Evan Perry, the three totems made out of golf bags or the full room entirely covered with the letters AIDS in primary colours rated “Awesome!” by my 
pre-teens. They spent a while making giant shadows in front of a huge landscape projected on the wall.
Level 4 is where you’ll find the art that truly pushed our limits, mostly from the 1960s: a bathroom sink on a canvas, a series of five squares painted white with visible masking tape marks, an intriguing piece from John Lennon’s widow Yoko Ono called Forget it, giant stamps and ink pads to print activist messages, a pile of rocks on a mirror… Try to explain that one to a 4-year old! Something you won’t have to explain to a preschooler is the Thomson Collection of 130 ship models in the gallery 007 at the Concourse Level.
Don’t miss the extraordinary Galleria Italia located within the splendid ark on Level 2. It features fascinating woodwork from Giuseppe Penone, blending perfectly with the architecture.
If the goal of contemporary art is to give us a fresh take at the world around us, it’s mission accomplished for the AGO! When we reached one of the rooms featuring classic artworks, my exhausted young companions prudently checked with me while pointing at a well-designed bench: “Is it artwork or an actual seat?”
TIPS
• Closed on Mondays, the museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (it closes at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays). Admission is $18/adult, $10/6-17 years, $45/family of 2 adults and up to 5 children 17 years and under. FREE for children 5 and under and FREE on Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Check http://www.ago.net/ for more information.
• AGO is located within a 10-minute walk distance from subway station St. Patrick, on the yellow line. Otherwise, there’s an underground parking lot offering a flat rate of $5.50 on the weekends on McCaul Street, south of Dundas.
• The AGOKids section of the museum’s gift shop includes an amazing selection of art activity books and fun items. I noticed colouring books on famous paintings, on graffiti, activity pads on different artists, “Stories-you-can-finish” books, “exhibit-your-own-art” pre-framed pads, “Chalk-a-doodle” placemats, 3-D drawing pads and more.
• The main snack bar is located on the Concourse Level, below the fancier restaurant FRANK. It is relatively small but offers a good selection of healthy food, great coffee and a vast choice of juices. I noticed home-style macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches for $4 and apple yogurt parfait for $3, that should please most kids. There’s another smaller snack bar on Level 5.
In her personal yet practical 480-page guidebook, author Nathalie Prezeau describes hundreds of outings in and around the GTA she tested with her family and friends over the past twelve years. The 4th edition is out! It includes a new chapter on things to do with the kids around the 69 subway stations in Toronto, as well as exciting city walks to play the tourist in Toronto. Available in the Travel Section of GTA bookstores as well as Mastermind Educational Toys stores. Visit www.torontofunplaces.com to learn more.
© Nathalie Prézeau 2009