Rent Our Facilities
Toronto's Best Kept Secret
Set on a unique setting in the heart of downtown Toronto, this location offers an excellent view of modern downtown from the city's oldest historic site. Fort York is excellent for commercial photography, film shoots, receptions, gala dinners, tented or large events and more.
Cannon firing is optional, but a blast is guaranteed!
Details:
- Indoor spaces capable of holding up to 250 for a cocktail reception (140 seated)
- Over 25 acres of outdoor green space including the historic Fort and Garrison Common
Due to a busy museum and events schedule Fort York is unable to accommodate weddings from May to September, inclusive.
Fort York has an excellent list of recommended caterers including some of the best companies in Toronto. Please contact us for the complete list. Landmark fees apply.
Call us today to inquire about rates and book a tour. Our on-site event specialist will be happy to answer all of your questions and work with you to create a memorable experience for you and your guests.
Fort York National Historic Site, 250 Fort York Blvd., Toronto.
Contact us at 416-392 6907, or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
FAQ
1. What do I need to know to have the best possible visit to Fort York?
Fort York is the site where the British founded modern, urban Toronto in 1793, the place where the battle of York came to its violent climax in 1813 during the War of 1812, the position of the city's primary harbour defence between the 1790s and the 1880s, and the home of a military garrison until the 1930s. Today, its defensive walls enclose Canada's largest collection of original War of 1812 buildings. Every year, thousands of people visit the site to explore its fascinating history and enjoy its public programmes. You will get the most out of your visit by taking a tour of the site and it's Georgian era structures.
2. How much does it cost to visit?
Adults: $14.00, Seniors (65+): $10.00, Youth (13–18 yrs,): $8.00, Children (6–12 yrs.): $6.00, Children (5 and under): FREE
Groups of 10 or more: Please contact fort staff at 416-392-6907.
(all prices include applicable taxes and are in Canadian dollars) Please see Rates and Admissions for details.
3. Does the museum accept credit cards?
Yes, we accept AMEX, MasterCard, Visa, and debit cards.
4. How long does it take to visit?
Guests should allow at least 2 hours for their visit to Fort York.
5. What are the museum's operating hours?
Fort York is open year-round, seven days a week, closed over the Christmas holiday season. For further information select operating hours or call 416-392-6907 for details.
6. Where should I park?
There is limited accessible and public parking in front of the Fort York Visitor Centre at 250 Fort York Blvd. Additional Green P parking is available at the corner of Fleet Street and Strachan Avenue. Access this Green P lot via the westbound lane of Fleet Street and turn right onto Garrison Road (Garrison Road is marked by the ‘Old Fort York’ archway). This parking lot can also be accessed from Strachan Avenue. Once parked, visitors can walk along Fleet Street to Fort York Boulevard to the Visitor Centre entrance.
7. How will I know where to go once I arrive?
Once parked, visitors can walk along Fleet Street to Fort York Boulevard to the Visitor Centre entrance. Visitors arriving via the East gate are advised to make their way (via a map) to our admissions desk at the Canteen Museum Store. Depending on the time of year and staffing complement, different tours and introductions are offered. When staffing allows, a Casual Visitor Tour is offered (about 40 min.). On busy days, a general introduction is offered (about 15 min.). Staff members are available to answer your questions or suggest alternate routes suitable to your needs and interests.
8. How much walking will I have to do?
Visiting Fort York requires easy walking over fairly even terrain. Some structures and exhibits require walking up or down stairs.
9. How difficult is it to get around?
Most visitors will find Fort York fairly easy to access. All walkways within the 7-acre walled site are asphalt surface and are wheelchair accessible. The pathway in the Strachan Ave. cemetery is a packed gravel surface and of limited use for wheelchairs. For further information see our Accessibility section.
10. Are there places to sit throughout Fort York?
Yes. There are benches on the walkways outside the Canteen Museum Store and adjacent to buildings off pathways. There are also picnic tables on site.
11. Can I bring a stroller?
Yes, strollers are welcome at Fort York and are easy to navigate throughout most of the site.
12. Is there a best time to visit?
Fort York is open year-round and each season has something unique to offer — heritage gardens, military & musket drill, music demonstrations, special events such as Ghosts of the Garrison. Fort York offers seasonal guided tours to explore the fort's eight historic structures, its defensive works, and its exhibits. During the school year, many school children take part in our educational programs.
13. What should I wear during my visit?
Fort York is mainly an outdoor site with walking required between locations. Seasonal attire is recommended.
14. How do I find out about what is going on at Fort York?
Fort York offers interactive experiences daily. There are also special events during the season. Please see our Events Listing for information about these special programmes.
15. Can I film, photograph, or record my visit when on-site?
Yes. We encourage you to take photographs or use video cameras for your own use. Due to safety, security, and privacy issues, guests are asked to notify interpretive staff of their intent to film or record interpretive and animation experiences. Commercial filming, photography, and recording are granted by permission only and must be approved in advance of visit. Staff can connect interested parties with the City's Film Liaison Office, and/or Toronto Culture.
16. Is there a shop at Fort York?
Yes, the Canteen Museum Store presents a wide selection of gifts and educational materials. Shopping with us will provide you with some unique and desirable items while supporting the museum. Proceeds from sales help fund our educational programmes and museum exhibits.
17. What else is there to do in and around the City of Toronto?
There is much to do in and around Toronto. Many visitors spend a number of days visiting Toronto, not only Fort York, but also the many shops, restaurants, attractions, and cultural institutions in the area. For a listing of what to see and do, go to www.toronto.ca
For further information please call 416-392-6907 or email Fort York at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Helpful Links
www.toronto.com
www.seetorontonow.com
www.ontariotravel.net
www3.ttc.ca
Accessibility
Fort York is committed to providing access for visitors to as many areas of the site as possible. All walkways within the 7-acre walled site are asphalt surfaced and are wheelchair accessible. Some exhibits require walking up or down stairs. The Stone Magazine and the Brick Magazine are not wheelchair accessible. The pathway in the Strachan Ave. cemetary is a packed gravel surface and of limited use for wheelchairs while access to the restored fortification features such as walls, ditches, and dry moats are not wheelchair accessible.
We will provide portable ramps for any edges that need to be negotiated through doorways and assist special needs guests with ramp placement. In cases where a guest can not access a space, we will provide an interpretive overview upon request (person to person).
Guide dogs and hearing dogs are welcome. Seating can be found in a number of exhibits, outside many of the structures, and in the picnic table area. All washrooms are special needs accessible. Public access washrooms are located in the Visitor Centre, South Soldiers' Barracks, the lower floor of the Blue Barracks. The Blue Barracks washroom is accessible via an elevator. Water fountains are located outside and only available seasonally.
Please call 416-392-6907 or email Fort York at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or specific accessibility questions.
Visiting Toronto
Toronto, Canada's largest city and the 5th largest in North America, is located on the north shore of Lake Ontario. It is the home of exciting museums and theatre, interesting neighborhoods, fabulous restaurants, and a vibrant waterfront.
Travel back to the 19th century and visit Fort York National Historic Site. It is the location of the 1813 Battle of York battlefield and contains 8 authentic Georgian era buildings, ramparts, and dry moat. The City of Toronto also owns and operates nine additional historic sites throughout the city. From Mackenzie House, the home of Toronto's rebel Mayor, to Spadina Museum, Toronto's only museum interpreting the inter-war era, each of these historic sites offers an immersive glimpse into the city's history. They offer tours, special events, seasonal workshops and educational programs all year long. Visit www.toronto.ca/museums to find out more.
Toronto's waterfront is the home to a number of attractions and activities. Both residents and visitors enjoy strolling or cycling along its lake side boardwalk discovering the numerous parks and attractions. Lakeside, the Harbourfront Centre features art galleries, performance venues, and restaurants. A short ferry ride across the harbour to Centre Island's offers wonderful cycling and walking trails in an idyllic setting which includes Centreville, an amusement park with a carousel, ferris wheel, and pony rides.
At 553 m (1,815 ft) high CN Tower, Toronto's iconic landmark and number one tourist attraction, you can experience some of the most impressive views seen anywhere on the continent. Your unique experience starts with the glass bottom external elevator which takes you to the vertigo challenging glass floor of the observation deck located 342 m (1,122 ft) above ground. On a clear day you can see 160 km (100 miles). For the truly daring, elevate your visit to another level by taking the world famous EdgeWalk which takes you "outside" onto the roof of the CN Tower! For the less adventurous, a visit to 360 The Restaurant at the CN Tower, one of Toronto's finest, features unforgettable food combined with a magnificent revolving view of Toronto more than 351 metres (1,151 ft) high.
The AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario) is one of the largest art museums in North America, housed within an innovative design by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry. The AGO holds more than 80,000 works in its collection which spans the centuries from 100 A.D. to the present. Browse through The Canadian Collection which vividly documents the development of the nation's art heritage including one of the largest Inuit art collections in the world. View the impressive masterpieces of European art with works by renowned artists such as Anthony van Dyck, Thomas Gainsborough, Auguste Rodin, Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso and René Magritte. Marvel at the unique Thomson Collection which includes more than 900 works and features Peter Paul Rubens' 17th-century masterpiece, The Massacre of the Innocents. The AGO also exhibits fine collections of contemporary art, photography, and the world's largest public collection of works by internationally renowned British sculptor Henry Moore.
The ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) is one of Canada's largest museums. The recently opened Crystal addition designed by Daniel Libeskind houses the new main entrance to the museum, a gift shop, a restaurant, a cafeteria, seven additional galleries, and Canada's largest temporary exhibition hall in the lower level. Explore an exceptional array of themed galleries throughout the Museum, spanning both world culture and natural history. With over six million objects in the ROM's collections, there's something new to discover around every corner. Whether it's getting up close to an Egyptian mummy or gazing in wonder at one of Canada's largest dinosaurs, "Gordo the Barosaurus" at 27 metres or 90 ft high, you will discover why visitors return time and again.
The Scotia Bank Arena is the home of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA).The Rogers Centre retractable roofed domed stadium, is the home field of the Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball (MLB) team and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Both facilities are also venues for numerous concerts and events throughout the year.
For hockey fans, a visit to Toronto is not complete without visiting the Hockey Hall of Fame. Interactive exhibits, 3D theatre, NHL zone and the Montreal Canadians dressing room are just a few of the extensive exhibits. The Hockey Hall Fame is also the home of the iconic Stanley Cup.
The Ontario Science Centre attracts over one million visitors each year and is is one of Canada's most visited attractions. Nine exhibition halls hold over 600 interactive exhibits. From the OMNIMAX Theatre to the Science Arcade, visitors can engage in a myriad of activities. You can float weightlessly in a rocket chair, take a cosmic journey through the universe, explore the mysteries of the mind and the human body, wander through a creature-infested rainforest, climb a rock wall, and use DNA to catch a criminal. At the KidSpark, younger ones can create shapes with magnets, stage a puppet show, and float boats and splash as part of the water play. At the Weston Family Innovation Centre, older kids find out about the latest in science innovation. Truly something for all ages.
The Toronto Zoo is Canada's premier zoo. One of the largest zoos in the world (287 hectares or 710 acres) it has over 5,000 animals representing over 500 species. The Zoo is divided into seven zoogeographic regions: Indo-Malaya, Africa, the Americas, Australasia, Eurasia, Canadian Domain, and the Tundra Trek. Animals are displayed indoors in tropical pavilions and outdoors in naturalistic environments, with viewing at many levels. Kids of all ages enjoy the Zellers Discovery Zone, featuring the Kids Zoo, a dynamic, interactive children's wildlife experience; Splash Island, an exciting two-acre water play area; and the Waterside Theatre, home of exciting family entertainment. Highlights of your visit must include the incredible 10-acre Tundra Trek featuring an amazing 5-acre Polar bear habitat complete with underwater viewing area the Gorilla Rainforest home to our Western Lowland Gorilla troop and newest addition Nassir; and the Great Barrier Reef, just to name a few.
Thrill seekers of all ages visit Paramount Canada's Wonderland, a popular theme park located 30 minutes from downtown. Canada's Wonderland features over 200 attractions, more than 65 thrilling rides, North America's greatest variety of roller coasters, and Splash Works, a 20-acre water park. A wide diverse offering of rides for all ages.
Located in the same vicinity as Canada's Wonderland, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Toronto is made up of a series of interactive features to immerse kids into a world where their imagination can run wild with creative inspiration at every turn. Featuring a whole host of exciting attractions from the Kingdom Quest ride to an amazing recreation of the Toronto’s most iconic buildings, the Centre provides fun for LEGO fans young and old.
Recommended Side Trips: Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ottawa, and Montréal. Check the Ontario Travel website for more information.
Directions
Getting to Fort York Is Easy![Fort York directions map 2017](/images/Photos-Articles/plan-vist/Fort-York_directions-map-2017.jpg)
Fort York National Historic Site is located northeast of the Exhibition Place grounds on Fort York Boulevard. The recently completed Visitor Centre is our new front door and is located at 250 Fort York Boulevard. Look for the big red Fort York sign on Fort York Blvd.
By Car
From Gardiner Expressway eastbound: Take the Jameson exit off the Gardiner Expressway to Lakeshore Boulevard. Continue eastbound on Lakeshore Boulevard, past Exhibition Place, turning left on Fort York Boulevard. North on Fort York Boulevard past Fleet Street. The parking lot is in front of our Visitor Centre, under the Gardiner Expressway, located at 250 Fort York Boulevard. Metered parking; $1.00 per half hour.
From Gardiner Expressway westbound: Take the Spadina exit off the Gardiner Expressway and continue westbound on Lakeshore Boulevard. Turn right at Fort York Boulevard and continue north past Fleet Street. The parking lot is in front of our Visitor Centre, under the Gardiner Expressway, located at 250 Fort York Boulevard. Metered parking; $1.00 per half hour.
Parking while visiting Fort York: Additional Green P parking is available at the corner of Fleet Street and Strachan Avenue. Access this Green P lot via the westbound lane of Fleet Street and turn right onto Garrison Road (Garrison Road is marked by the ‘Old Fort York’ archway). This parking lot can also be accessed from Strachan Avenue. Once parked, visitors can walk along Fleet Street to Fort York Boulevard to the Visitor Centre entrance.
Parking at Special Events: In most cases there will be limited or no public parking available on site during large special events (concerts, festivals). Attendees are encouraged to use transit, bike, and walk to special events.
Carpark 266 – 250 Fort York Blvd – "Carpark 266" – surface parking – 49 spaces
Carpark 271 – 800 Fleet St – "Carpark 271" – surface parking – 132 spaces
By transit
From Bathurst Station (Bloor Street Subway): On Line 2, take the Bathurst 511 “Exhibition” bus southbound. Exit at Fleet Street and Bastion Street stop. Walk north along Bastion Street to Fort York Boulevard. Cross the Fort York Boulevard and walk west along Fort York Boulevard to the Visitor Centre.
From Union Station (Line 1): At Union Station take the 509 Harbourfront streetcar westbound towards the CNE Exhibition grounds on Fleet Street. Exit streetcar at Fleet Street and Fort York Boulevard stop. Walk north to the Visitor Centre.
From the north-east corner of Front St. W. and Bay St.: Take the 121 Fort York-Esplanade bus westbound towards the CNE Exhibition grounds, exit at Fort York Boulevard and Fleet street and walk north to the Visitor Centre.
From Eglinton West Station (63 Ossington Bus): At Eglinton West Station, board the 63 Ossington Bus Southbound. Proceed southbound to Strachan Avenue, south of King Street. Exit the bus at Strachan Avenue and East Liberty Street and walk south towards the Strachan Avenue stairs at the west end of Fort York.
From Exhibition GO Station: From Exhibition GO Station take the 509 Harbourfront OR 511 Bathurst Streer streetcar and exit streetcar at Fleet Street and Fort York Boulevard stop. Walk north on the west side of Fort York Blvd to the Fort York Visitor Centre.
Go Transit website www.gotransit.com
Toronto Transit Commission's website www.ttc.ca
By Bike
Bike parking is to be installed at the Fort York Visitor Centre, fall 2015. Cyclists are encouraged to use bike rings on the south side of Fort York Boulevard until permanent installations are complete.
From King and Bathurst: From King Street, ride south on Bathurst Street towards Lake Ontario. Cross the Bathurst (Sir Isaac Brock) Bridge and turn right onto Fort York Boulevard to the Visitor Centre (250 Fort York Boulevard).
From King and Strachan: From King Street ride south on Strachan Avenue towards the lake. Turn left at Fleet Street and follow to Fort York Boulevard. Turn left on Fort York Boulevard and ride east to the Visitor Centre.
From the Martin Goodman Trail: At Lakeshore Boulevard and Strachan Avenue exit the trail and ride north on Strachan to Fleet Street. Turn right at Fleet Street and follow to Fort York Boulevard. Turn left on Fort York Boulevard and ride north to the Visitor Centre.
Bicycle Parking at Special Events: Many large-scale events (concerts, festivals) will have additional bike parking. Please check with the event for more information on special event bike parking.
By Foot
From King and Bathurst: From King Street walk south on Bathurst Street towards Lake Ontario. Cross the Bathurst (Sir Isaac Brock) Bridge, turn right onto Fort York Boulevard and continue to the Visitor Centre (250 Fort York Boulevard).
From King and Strachan: From King Street walk south on Strachan Avenue towards Lake Ontario. Visitors may either take the Strachan stairs through the Garrison Common to Fort York, or continue south along Strachan Avenue to Fleet Street. Turn left on Fleet Street, left to Fort York Boulevard and then walk north to the Visitor Centre.
Please note: Stairs are steep and not maintained in the winter.
Visitor Information
If you have specific questions or concerns, please contact Fort York National Historic Site in advance of your visit at 416-392-7500, or email Fort York at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Up-to-date information on access, special events and closures can also be found at www.toronto.ca and on our facebook page at www.facebook.com/fortyork.
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