Founded in 1914, the Art Gallery of Hamilton is Ontario’s third largest public art gallery and owns one of the finest collections of art in Canada, featuring over 9,000 works of art including historical European, historical Canadian and contemporary art. Its recently-renovated and award-winning premises present exhibitions that change three times a year, plus the always-tempting Shop at AGH and Café at AGH.

With over 9,000 works, not all of AGH’s permanent collection is on display. If you are planning on visiting the Gallery to see a specific work of art, please call 905-527-6610, ext. 0 or visit our Exhibitions website page for
details.

The cornerstone of the collection is the Bruce Memorial, a donation of 29 paintings made in 1914 to the city from the family of Hamilton-born artist William Blair Bruce (1859-1906). This donation saw both the establishment of the Gallery and the inception of the permanent collection.

The 'Bruce Memorial' is an appropriate touchstone for the collection. As an important nineteenth-century Hamiltonian who trained and worked abroad and exhibited both nationally and internationally, Bruce's skill and activities reflect the scope and nature of Hamilton's permanent collection: regional, national and international in scope, chronicling the efforts and activities of artists who have exerted an impact on the visual arts past and present.

With the gift from collectors Joey and Toby Tanenbaum of over 200 works of nineteenth-century European Art, the AGH collection has been re-shaped and catapulted onto the international stage becoming an important Canadian centre for the study of nineteenth-century French art. The profile of the AGH collection is focused in four areas: Canadian Historical, Contemporary, European Historical and the Irving Zucker Sculpture Garden.

For more information, hours of operation, exhibits, programs, admission rates and more, please visit our website.