Toronto Royal Ontario Museum | ?m | ?s | Daniel Libeskind

I hope that they stick to the original plan for the south Crystal when the time comes for another expansion. Another Crystal courtyard on the other side would reveal more covered up architecture from the original wings and would be a fantastic space for large artifacts. Maybe a new dinosaur gallery right front and centre on the ground floor. Perhaps aboriginal art. I've seen some massive totem poles that would require a tall space. We could also celebrate Canada's contribution to aviation and to space exploration. Did the retired Canadarms come back to Earth?
My vote is a permanent display of Ontario manufactured goods, including Indian Motorcycles (produced
12 Mercer St., Toronto) and Studebaker Cars (produced in Hamilton).
 
MetroMan: There's a "south crystal" plan? Wow! I didn't know that. Thanks for sharing!

I like the vision you painted with the "frosted white glass" and LEDs. That would certainly be more "crystal"-like than the current version.
 
MetroMan: There's a "south crystal" plan? Wow! I didn't know that. Thanks for sharing!

I like the vision you painted with the "frosted white glass" and LEDs. That would certainly be more "crystal"-like than the current version.

There was, in the very early versions of the project - plans from the competition scheme:

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(ROM/Libeskind)

The "Rhombus" in the 1912 wing is one of the more interesting aspect that didn't make the cut.

AoD
 

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The ROM also purchased a blue whale skeleton as well and would want to display it. It could be displayed in a pose similar to that of the blue whale in the American Museum of Natural History (though AMNH's blue whale is a replica and not the real thing, unlike the ROM's).

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Blue whale in AMNH

I thought of that but didn't want to come across as a total copycat. Looks like the early drawings Alvin shared show exactly that: "whale exhibit".

There was, in the very early versions of the project - plans from the competition scheme:

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(ROM/Libeskind)


AoD
 
Unless it's actually glass this time I wouldn't be too enthused about it, another 'aluminum train wreck' doesn't hold great appeal for me. Actually I don't hate it, but it was a far cry from what was advertised. I think a Canadarm display is better suited to the science centre or the Air & Space museum in Ottawa. Not sure manufactured goods or automobiles would fit with the current mandate either- the museum is oriented towards the natural world and ancient civilizations. In terms of small improvements the ROM really needs is a good cafe with decent barista coffee and freshly cooked food :) The current offering feels like a school caff.
 
How much more room does the ROM need to display more of their museum-quality collection?

I know that the Crystal isn't nearly as much room as they need.
 
How much more room does the ROM need to display more of their museum-quality collection?

I know that the Crystal isn't nearly as much room as they need.

Off memory from around the time Renaissance ROM was being proposed, I recall Thorsell claiming that they had 80% of the collection in archive and that the Crystal would allow them to exhibit less than half of it. So there's plenty of room to grow. It's too bad that they sold the Planetarium site. It would've been a great place to expand a south crystal building into.
 
Are there any pictures of what the original crystal design was supposed to look like?

See https://www.canadianarchitect.com/features/news-14/ (near bottom of page)

Off memory from around the time Renaissance ROM was being proposed, I recall Thorsell claiming that they had 80% of the collection in archive and that the Crystal would allow them to exhibit less than half of it. So there's plenty of room to grow. It's too bad that they sold the Planetarium site. It would've been a great place to expand a south crystal building into.

I thought the figure that was thrown out was what, doubling to 5% of the collection being on display. In any case, not everything can be/is worth exhibited.

At some point they'd probably need another annexe. In the meantime, I can't wait to see the Early Life galleries - it not being in place right off was a big let-down given the magnificence of ROM's collection.

I thought of that but didn't want to come across as a total copycat. Looks like the early drawings Alvin shared show exactly that: "whale exhibit".

They may still be using the courtyard for that - though what they're prepping is skeletal, not a model.

My vote is a permanent display of Ontario manufactured goods, including Indian Motorcycles (produced
12 Mercer St., Toronto) and Studebaker Cars (produced in Hamilton).

Honestly that sounds more like a design museum exhibit.

AoD
 
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