Events

Now-January 3, 2027

 Level 2,  Earth's Treasures 

What are critical minerals? How do they play into our lifestyle choices?

ROM's  latest gallery installation shines a light on critical minerals and  goals for a "net zero" society. The minerals in this case are identified  as critical because they are essential to economic and national  security, especially in supporting the transition to a net zero society.  Toronto, Canada (and the world) is pursuing this major climate goal,  where our actions no longer result in a net increase of atmospheric  greenhouse gases.

From the Province of Ontario's elimination of  coal-fueled electricity in 2014, to planting native species in our  gardens, mitigation and adaptation actions can go hand-in-hand to reduce  greenhouse gases, decrease demand for resource extraction, and lessen  impacts on our societies as we transition to a net zero world. 

Critical minerals - the emerging story

Today,  critical minerals are an important global topic as countries worldwide  focus on both a net zero transition and future mineral demands for  emerging and growing technologies. These critical minerals are  recognized as essential to our progression towards net zero; however,  the gap between supply and demand is increasing under growing  technological demands. While a shift to renewable energy sources will  lead to a global decrease in resource extraction, the impacts will  affect different communities in different ways, including economically,  socially, and environmentally. Which leads to critical choices.

Critical choices - critical awareness

A  net zero society requires critical choice - the goal is not to  restrict, but to maximize the lifestyle options of its citizens,  allowing people to choose net zero lifestyles that have a minimum impact  on our environment - and pocket. 

Whether one drives an electric  vehicle and lives in a single-family suburban house (surrounded by  native plants) or takes the subway and lives in a multiple-family  building, each choice we make affects our societal demand for critical  minerals. A net zero society is ultimately an expansion of lifestyle  choices (giving more options for residences, transit, etc.) rather than a  restriction of options.

Canada's critical minerals - a sampling

To  learn more, visit the installation and take a moment to learn about six  of Canada's priority critical minerals - cobalt, nickel, copper,  graphite, lithium, and Rare Earth Elements (REEs) - and see how they are  used in our everyday world.

 December 19, 2026 - September 6, 2027

Before Birds, There Were Raptors. 

Raptor dinosaurs have long captured our imagination, from their blockbuster fame in the hit film Jurassic Park, to inspiring our hometown basketball franchise, to must-see museum specimens in ROM’s own James & Louise Temerty Gallery of the Age of Dinosaurs.  But there’s so much more to these incredible fossil animals than their  fame and popularity, they have fundamentally reshaped our scientific  understanding of dinosaur biology, behaviour, and evolution. 

Raptors  occupy a unique and important place in the dinosaur family tree as the  group most closely related to living birds. As such, they show a mix of  features that link dinosaurs and birds in a thought-provoking way. In a  fascinating example of evolution repeating itself, modern birds of prey,  such as hawks and eagles, have independently evolved some of the same  features found in raptor dinosaurs, including specialized feet with an  enlarged claw and hunting strategies. 

This ROM-original  exhibition, presented by Desjardins Financial Group, brings these  prehistoric icons to life through stunning casts, real fossils, hands-on  activities, and a large-scale immersive experience where you can step  into the Hell Creek forest ecosystem and experience life with a group of  Acheroraptor. This is a rare opportunity to experience one of  Earth’s most legendary dinosaur species and uncover their lasting  connection to the birds we know today.

Tickets go on sale on Tuesday, November 3.

Coming Soon May 16, 2026 to Oct 18, 2026    

   Level 1,  Special Exhibition Gallery        

 $13 Surcharge  

bringing some buzz into your summer

Journey  into the world of bees in a stunning new immersive experience that  brings together the beauty of art with the power of science. Created by  the National Museums Liverpool in partnership with award-winning artist  and sculptor, Wolfgang Buttress, the exhibition highlights 120-million  years of bee adaptation and survival, telling the epic tale of these  incredible creatures and their relationship to us and the natural world.

Based  on science and full of imagination, the experiential exhibition,  presented by Desjardins Financial Group, offers a fusion of nature, art,  music, and architecture that transports visitors into the world of bees  - from the tiny, fascinating anatomy of a single bee and the magical  wonder of honey bee colonies to the important roles bees play in our  lives and the everyday threats they face.

Through immersive  environments, art installations, soundscapes, and more, learn about the  life of bees and the world they inhabit. See an ancient, fossilized bee  encased in amber, enter a stylized honeycomb, take a moment to hear  "like a honey bee", and experience changing patterns of light generated  from the sounds of over 30,000 bees. 

Small but mighty, bees are a  critical ingredient of a healthy natural world but are under continued  and increasing threat. Powerful in what they can provide, and yet  powerless to overcome the threats to their existence, the exhibition  takes a closer look at bees - including some local specimens from the  collections at ROM - to help guide a better understanding of what we can  do to help prevent bee species from disappearing forever.

Bees: A Story of Survival is an evocative, engaging feast for the senses guaranteed to take the  sting out of getting better acquainted with our buzz-worthy friends.

 February 10, 2026 - January 31, 2027

As part of our annual zodiac installation, February  17, 2026 marks the beginning of the Year of the Horse (马), the 7th  animal in the Chinese zodiac. People born in the Year of the Horse are  said to be compassionate and kind.

In early China, horses were  valued for their usefulness to humans—from transportation to hunting and  war. Life-size clay horses and smaller figurines were placed in tombs  to accompany the dead to serve similar purposes in their afterlife.

Step  into a thoughtfully curated zodiac display featuring a rich collection  of horse-themed cultural objects. Among the highlights is a striking  burial figure of a calendrical horse from the early 200s, along with  many other works showcased in this year's special tribute to the  majestic horse.