DOWNTOWN. Housed in Richard Moriyama's award-winning, five-story building, this museum is North America's largest shoe museum. The collection boasts over 10,000 artifacts spanning 4,500 years. Items displayed include shoes from notables such as Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Elton John, Ginger Spice, Imelda Marcos, and an Egyptian smuggler who lived in 300 BC. SUBWAY: Take the Yonge-University line to St. George's station; Bloor is on the corner.

DOWNTOWN. Canada's largest museum and research facility preserves over six million treasures of art, archaeology and natural science. The ROM, as it's called, features an intricate Venetian glass ceiling that illustrates myriad cultures. Exhibits include everything from bats and dinosaur bones to a Ming tomb in the Chinese art and antiquities collection. The Discovery Gallery features hands-on displays created especially for children. SUBWAY: Take the Yonge-University line to Museum stop.

DOWNTOWN. Elements of the city's heritage have been carefully preserved and are now displayed in what was the City Council Chamber from 1845 to 1899. The Gallery offers a unique glimpse of Toronto's past, and paintings and artifacts document its history. Also located in the building are behind-the-scene components that make the place work ­ offices, storage vaults, and conservation workshops. A great place to start your trip to Toronto.

EAST TORONTO. This open-air museum features a unique collection of early settlement and industrial buildings, including a saw mill, grist mill, paper mill, brewery, and distillery. First settled in the 1790s, the area was once an important mill site on the Don River. The main orientation gallery houses both permanent and changing displays, and a wildflower preserve can be found on the premises as well. The East Side Players present theater performances, and numerous nature walks, art exhibitions, and arts and crafts classes for kids and adults are sponsored throughout the year.