The McMichael Canadian Art Collection will close for three years

Kleinburg’s McMichael Canadian Art Collection will close this summer for up to three years as it undergoes a $125-million redevelopment led by Hariri Pontarini Architects. This weekend, art lovers and aesthetes can visit the gallery one last time—free of charge—before it closes for construction. Queen’s Park is contributing $50 million to the project, Ottawa has put up $25 million and private donors are covering the remaining $50 million.

The gallery is home to one of the largest collections of artworks by the Group of Seven along with more than 7,000 pieces of Canadian and Indigenous art. Outside, nearby trails wind through 100 acres of forested land along the Humber River. It was originally the private home of founders Robert and Signe McMichael, who donated the building, the land and their own private collection in 1965.

The redevelopment will build on the institute’s connection to the environment: its new roof will resemble that of a cabin in the woods, while floor-to-ceiling windows and large shared spaces—inside and out—will frame the forest like a painting. Upgrades will also include a revitalized log structure, expanded exhibition rooms, a new indoor theatre, and state-of-the-art classrooms and studios.

“The roof hugs the ground, making it welcoming, intimate, warm and inviting,” said Siamak Hariri, founding partner of Hariri Pontarini Architects. “But, as you enter, the experience explodes, engaging the extraordinary setting in a number of surprising moments with a rare and uniquely Canadian combination of nature and art.”

The project is the first major investment in the McMichael gallery in more than 40 years.