The Urbanist

Vinyl nights and turtle tours in Toronto

According to Rachel Hilton, the managing director of MoCA, which unveiled its long-awaited new location in Toronto’s Junction Triangle last year.

Avoid Crowds in a Former Tank House CORKIN GALLERY

“The Distillery District, just southeast of downtown, is a bit of a tourist destination, but I love this big space (7 Tank House Ln.)—a 10,000-squarefoot former tank house—because it’s a refuge from the hordes, and its nooks and crannies are a great backdrop for large-scale work like last spring’s Leopold Plotek exhibit.”

Visit a Museum Inside a Museum THE HENRY MOORE SCULPTURE CENTRE AT THE ART GALLERY OF ONTARIO

“It’s the only permanent gallery I always visit when I’m at the AGO (317 Dundas St. W), and it’s one of the largest public collections of Moore’s work. It’s usually very quiet and serene here and feels like I have a private audience with all the pieces.”

See the World’s Only Airport-Installed Richard Serra TILTED SPHERES AT TORONTO PEARSON AIRPORT

“When I’m flying, I make a point of walking through this immense work, a tunnel-like structure of four curved metal pieces standing sentinel amidst two duty-free shops. I’m really happy to see the Greater Toronto Airports Authority invest in this great Serra piece, whether travelers appreciate it as art or not.”

Hang Out in a Giant Canoe Above the Highway TOM THOMSON’S CANOE

“Public art doesn’t get more Canadian than a big canoe—big enough for you to stand in. It’s down by the waterfront, near the CN Tower, overlooking the expressway traffic. Douglas Coupland (one of the curators of our forthcoming ‘Age of You’ exhibition) created it as a tribute to the great landscape painter and Group of Seven member Tom Thomson.”