5 Best Sights in Toronto, Ontario

More than 1,000 pieces of Islamic art from the collection of the family of renowned philanthropist and religious leader Aga Khan are the focus of this museum. Here you'll find Middle Eastern and Persian artifacts and inscriptions, many so ancient that they are only displayed for a few months at a time to preserve their lifespan. It's worth making the trip for the stunning architecture, which includes a massive main building topped by a silver hexagonal dome and a park distinguished by a glass pyramid more intricate than the one at the Louvre. The museum's mandate is strictly secular, but it's hard not to have a spiritual moment staring into the central courtyard pond. Guided tours are available for C$10. Check their calendar for workshops and performances.

The AGO is hard to miss: the monumental glass and titanium facade designed by Toronto native Frank Gehry hovering over the main building is a stunning beauty. Just south of the gallery in Grange Park you'll find visitors of all ages climbing in and around Henry Moore's Large Two Forms sculpture. Inside, the collection, which had an extremely modest beginning in 1900, is now in the big leagues, especially in terms of its exhibitions of Canadian paintings from the 19th and 20th centuries. Be sure to take a pause in the light and airy Walker Court to admire Gehry's baroque-inspired spiral staircase.

The Canadian Collection includes major works by the members of the Group of Seven (a group of early-20th-century Canadian landscape painters, also known as the Algonquin School), as well as artists like Cornelius Krieghoff, David Milne, and Homer Watson. The AGO also has a growing collection of works by such world-famous artists as Rembrandt, Warhol, Monet, Renoir, Rothko, Picasso, Rodin, Degas, Matisse, and many others. The bustling Weston Family Learning Centre offers art courses, camps, lectures, and interactive exhibitions for adults and children alike. Free tours (daily 11 to 3 and Wednesday and Friday evening at 7) start at Walker Court. Savvy travelers can book a free visit online on Wednesday evenings, between 6 and 9.

Dedicated to the art of clay and ceramics, this museum has more than 4,000 pieces in its permanent collection, from 17th-century English delftware and 18th-century European porcelain to Japanese Kakiemon-style pottery and Chinese blue-and-white porcelain. If your visit coincides with lunchtime, hit on-site bistro Clay for creative, locally oriented cuisine (and one of the best hidden patios in town). Free guided tours of the museum take place at 2 daily and there are drop-in sessions in the clay studio ( Wed.--Sun.;  C$18). Admission is free on Wednesday after 4 (kids under 18 and students are always free).

On 100 acres of lovely woodland in Kleinburg, 30 km (19 miles) northwest of downtown, the McMichael's permanent collection consists of more than 6,500 pieces by Canadian artists. The museum holds impressive works by Tom Thomson, Emily Carr, and the Group of Seven landscape painters, as well as their early-20th-century contemporaries. These artists were inspired by the wilderness and sought to capture it in bold, original styles. First Nations art and prints, drawings, and sculpture by Inuit artists are well represented. Strategically placed windows help you appreciate the scenery as you view art that took its inspiration from the vast outdoors. Inside, wood walls and a fireplace set a country mood. Free guided tours are offered from Thursday to Sunday at 12:30, and on Thursday and Friday at 2.

Located in a former industrial building across the street from a working chocolate factory, the MOCA regularly hosts exhibitions from cutting-edge contemporary art stars from Canada and all over the world. The museum still retains some of its ramshackle concrete past, which makes it feel anything but sterile, and the C$10 price makes it one of the more affordable cultural spots in the city. If you get hungry or thirsty, grab a coffee or pastry from local café Forno Cultura in the lobby.