ROM plans $130M project that 'turns museum inside out'

Open-concept designs for foyer and Crystal wing

- JOSHUA CHONG

Canada's largest museum is set to undergo a multi-million dollar makeover, which it says will "usher in a new era" for the cultural institution.

The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in Toronto announced Wednesday a $130-million redevelopment plan that will completely transform the museum's ground floor in its Crystal wing and add 6,000 square feet of new gallery space. The three-year project, dubbed OpenROM, marks the most significant facelift to the museum's iconic yet controversial Michael Lee-Chin Crystal since it opened less than two decades ago.

"We'll both literally and figuratively open the museum up even more, creating a thriving cultural and civic club in the heart of the city and province," said Josh Basseches, director and CEO of the ROM, at a press conference Wednesday morning. "Today marks the beginning of a next great chapter for the ROM."

The renovation, set to begin this month, will include the "reinvention" of 86,000 square feet of the museum.

Inside, the ROM's Crystal wing will be anchored by a redesigned four-storey atrium, capped with a new glass ceiling and a forum on the ground floor for live events. A multi-level grand staircase with three "lily pad" platforms will overlook the communal space.

The main foyer will also be redesigned, featuring an open-floor concept and an oculus cutaway with a view to the dinosaur galleries above.