Weekend Starts Now Part 2 - Doors Open Toronto

Remember those great kid's books that would show a cut-away diagram of a building and you could see all the in's and out's, like you were let in on a secret or had x-ray vision?

Doors Open Toronto is like a whole weekend of that feeling, with guided tours of buildings you may not normally have access to such as 52 Division Station (and if you find yourself there a lot, consider a lifestyle change).
Doors Open is a great option for this weekend, go early, bring a camera and get a peek at the discrete beauty of Toronto. Highlights include new buildings like the MaRS Centre and the new National Ballet School of Canada building, as well as an opportunity to explore the many religious institutions and churchs we have in Toronto but you can't get into when they are in use.

Doors Open Toronto - Home:
"The City of Toronto Culture Division is proud to present the 7th annual Doors Open Toronto - one weekend, once a year - when over 140 buildings of architectural, historic or cultural significance open their doors to the public for a city-wide celebration.

Step inside hidden gems, modern landmarks, places of worship, halls of learning, boardrooms, bedrooms, mansions, museums, ‘green' roof gardens, theatres, national historic sites, centres of rail and air travel, banking halls, architects' offices and more. Many of these buildings are not normally open to the public. No tickets or pre-registration required - admission is free to all buildings. "

the2scoops recommends:

Dominion Bank (1 King West at Yonge)

Design Exchange (former Toronto Stock Exchange Building)234 Bay Street: note Saturday only

Canada's National Ballet School - NEW 400 Jarvis Street



Gladstone Hotel 1214 Queen Street West: Restoration specialists who have worked on the Gladstone restoration will be on-site on Sunday, May 29

Ontario College of Art and Design


Mountain Equipment Co-op 400 King Street West: Highlights include a 10,000-square-foot green roof, where recycled and reclaimed lumber were used for beams

MaRS Centre - NEW! 101 College Street: Located on the site of the old Toronto General Hospital, the MaRS Centre incorporates a heritage building within two new buildings to create "a physical anchor" for the MaRS vision: a convergence innovation centre that fosters collaboration among science, business and capital sectors.

Toronto Necropolis Chapel and Cemetery 200 Winchester Street: one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in Canada.

University of Toronto - Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library 120 St. George St


Palais Royale -1601 Lake Shore Boulevard: Newly-restored boardwalk ballroom at the foot of Roncesvalles

The Distillery District, is a national Historic Site and represents the largest and best preserved collection of Victorian Industrial Architecture in North America.