A look inside the new interactive Myseum of Toronto exhibit that’s all about Hogtown love

Myseum, the once itinerant “museum without walls” that held pop-up exhibits across the GTA, now has a permanent address. The inaugural installation, 36 Questions that Lead to Loving TO, at its new brick-and-mortar space invites visitors to explore the highs, lows and woes of city life. It was created in collaboration with the designers at Elsonstudio and will run until October of 2022. Here’s a look inside.

Formerly a tin lithograph factory, Myseum’s 1,400-square-foot space is located in 401 Richmond, the downtown arts and culture hub. When not using the venue for exhibits, the org plans to host talks, book clubs, classes and art shows there:

The exhibit is a riff on the viral New York Times’s article, “The 36 Questions That Lead to Love,” which was itself based on a study by American psychologist Arthur Arun. Guests make their way through six interactive stations, answering six questions at each stop:

The first station features a graphic of historic moments, iconic monuments and trademark wildlife (what’s up, raccoons). Visitors anonymously answer multiple-choice questions using iPads—like, “What food best represents Toronto?”—in a Buzzfeed-esque quiz to figure out how they stack up against other respondents:

Participants can fill in the blanks on this vinyl gradient mural with their favourite local landmarks and colloquialisms:

Large foam hearts are at the, well, heart, of station #3, where attendees answer questions—“Name one thing that makes Toronto unique?” “What should Toronto be famous for?”—by piercing the dangling tickers with arrows bearing their responses:

“What’s your favourite building in Toronto?” “Where in the city do you not feel welcome?” Replies take the form of pinned flags on a map of the city:

Secreted away in these felted and fringed booths, participants call a number and record answers to questions—“What are things you’ve dreamed of doing in the city?”, say—or eavesdrop on other responses:

This chandelier, printed with Toronto postal codes, was created by the Myseum team in collaboration with the custom builders at Anex. Hanging within the shade are a series of cascading envelopes that will be populated with missives to the city:

Billet doux or poison pen? At the final station, Torontonians decide if their city deserves a love letter or hate mail: